The annual UHS Homecoming dance is widely considered to be one of the most anticipated events of the school year. A night full of excitement and fun, Homecoming is a wonderful opportunity for students to gather together with friends and let loose from the pressures of high school.
That being said, one of the most exciting, and arguably most stressful, part of any school dance is figuring out what to wear and where to buy it. Given the plethora of stores, styles and designs to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start. Luckily for you, we are here to help. After talking to several UHS students, we have narrowed down the top three places to shop for this year’s Homecoming.
Princess Polly
Known for its trendy styles and cute casual wear, Princess Polly is a fan favorite among teens for fashionable, everyday pieces. As an Australian online fashion boutique, Princess Polly may not be the first place people think of it when it comes to school dance dresses. However, with other leading dress shops being extremely high-priced, many students are turning to Princess Polly for chic and affordable dresses to wear to their school dances.
Junior Elise Gillen, who is attending this year’s Homecoming, purchased her dress from Princess Polly.
“I thought that [the dress] looked classy and easy to dance in,” Gillen said. “I chose Princess Polly because it’s good quality and affordable. Everything on there [the site] is so cute!”
Windsor
In 2023, more and more formal dress stores have turned to online retail, making brick-and-mortar stores that specialize in Homecoming dresses increasingly rare. While buying dresses online is undeniably convenient, it inevitably takes away from the authentic experience of dress shopping: going to the mall with your friends, trying on dress after dress and finally finding the one.
That is where Windsor comes in. With over 300 locations, one being in the Irvine Spectrum, Windsor is the bread-and-butter of dress stores, with dresses for every occasion imaginable.
“[For Homecoming dresses], I usually shop at Windsor for their wide selection of styles and colors,” junior Karina Moore said.
Their large variety of styles is a huge plus for Windsor; from short to long, strapless to long sleeve and sparkles to sequins, Windsor has it all. Do you want a floor-length, Cinderella-esque dress fit for a princess? Great, Windsor has it. Are you looking for something short and edgy? Windsor has that too! With the added bonus of being able to try on your dress before buying it, you really can’t go wrong with a trip to this classic shop.
Lucy In The Sky
Last but certainly not least is Lucy In The Sky, an extremely popular dress store among teens for formal dance attire.
When interviewing UHS students about their Homecoming dress, we were surprised by how frequently Lucy In The Sky was mentioned. Nearly every student we spoke with had purchased a dress from there—either for a previous school dance or for this year’s Homecoming and they all had positive things to say about it.
“I think Lucy In The Sky is a great place to get Homecoming dresses because they have a lot of styles,” junior Tina Aali said.
As anyone who has partaken in online shopping knows, customer service can be the difference between finding the dress of your dreams or being left woefully disappointed. With all the variables that come with online shopping, being able to have fast and efficient communication with employees regarding one’s ideal size, price and dress style is essential to ensure that you are satisfied with your purchase.
“[Lucy In The Sky] was very easy to purchase from communication-wise,” Aali said. “Their customer service is really good.”
Although all three stores have their pros and cons, Princess Polly, Windsor and Lucy In The Sky are all fantastic options for Homecoming and beyond. Ultimately, there is no one “best” place to buy a dress; whichever one you choose depends on what you are specifically looking for in a dress, and that varies from person to person. However, if you are completely lost, these three stores are a great place to start and have left many UHS students with dresses that make them feel like they can conquer anything—including the dance floor!
