Finding a Prom Dress in Houston

When you think of Houston and the prom, what comes most readily to mind is the teen arrested last year for wearing a dress deemed "too racy". But don't worry, your dress doesn't have to land you in cuffs to make a statement. There are some great boutiques and resale shops in Houston ready to help you find the perfect dress.

Formal Gallery(1712 Hwy 6 South, Houston , TX 77077, 281-870-9771) is a good place to start. They have a large selection of designer label dresses- and extended hours during Spring Break week. They have a small amount of dresses under $200, although most run in the $200-$400 range.

John's Formal Wear (1919 N Main St Houston, TX 77009, 713-223-1293) is similar, featuring the Precious Formals designs. Be careful though- some of them are in the style that got the teen arrested last year. Make sure they fit in with your school's dress code before you make the commitment. The prices are mostly $200 and up, but the good news is that most of the dresses come in plus sizes as well as petite.

B'Dazzled(1308 W. Gray, Houston, Texas 77019, 713-387-2525also has a good collection of prom dresses- over 400. They're a resale shop, but most of their prom dresses have never been worn or altered. They come from other boutiques and department stores, with the original tags (and prices!) still attached, and are sold for 50% off. Sizes range from 0-18.

Affinity(25534 Interstate 45, # I-45, Spring, TX 77386, 281-292-1138) is another boutique with a huge prom dress selection. They log everyone's prom dress purchase, though, to ensure that two girls going to the same prom won't have the same style and color dress. And, right now their website has a coupon for $15 off. That'll be less than 10% off of most of their dresses, but it is worth something.

Formal Warehouse(4416 Fairmont Pky, #104, Pasadena, TX 77504, 281-991-9977) is another popular place to by prom dresses in the Houston area, because their prices tend to be a little cheaper. They advertise $100 dresses, but the reality is that the selection of those dresses is very small- most run in the $200-$400 range. Also, numerous people have complained of being promised no other girl attending the same prom would be sold the same dress, only to find several people wearing the dress once they got to prom. That said, they do have a knowledgeable (if pushy) sales staff, a large selection, and some great deals.

Skimpy Prom Dress Lands Teen In Cuffs (ABC News)