Choosing a maternity prom dress must often involve compromise in terms of design if you cannot afford to have a dress designed personally for the occasion. Usually, dresses that have their smallest closure above the belly, such as baby-doll styles, can be found in sizes that will accommodate pregnant women even if the design is not explicitly for that purpose. Bridesmaid dresses and even some wedding dresses are made for pregnant women, and as bridesmaid dresses come in many colors, a suitable maternity prom dress can often be found. Depending on the woman's personal style and her feelings about the prom experience, even some less formal dresses may be acceptable for prom.
A maternity prom dress is difficult to find in many areas where women who are pregnant do not typically go to the prom. While the market for this type of dress is very small, there are some designers who create dresses of this type and sell them on the Internet or in other areas where the dresses have a good chance of being sold. The main problem when buying a maternity prom dress is when the limited prom dress designs available do not achieve the look the woman desires. In these cases, alternatives must be explored.
One good way to come up with a maternity prom dress is to look for dresses that are not explicitly designed for pregnant women but that will accommodate the belly of a pregnant woman. It is usually possible to find such a dress by looking at larger sizes and designs that are open and airy on the bottom half. In some cases, it may be possible to have a prom dress altered to fit a pregnant woman, although this sometimes creates a dress that does not resemble the original design.
Maternity bridesmaid dresses are much more common than prom dresses, and it is sometimes possible to find a suitable bridesmaid dress to wear to prom. Stores that sell this type of item may be able to order specialty maternity bridesmaid dresses as well. This solution is often ideal because it generally does not require the dress to be altered.
When choosing a maternity prom dress, compromise is key. While it is important to many people to have a dress that will make a woman feel special on prom night, this is a dress that almost certainly can only be worn once. As such, thinking about the budget that is appropriate for a single-use dress is a good idea. Relying on jewelry and other accessories to make a less expensive dress sparkle may be the best option when a woman is pregnant.