Like most upperclassmen, I had some things in mind when I began my search for my prom dress. However, my requirements were quite extensive.

My dress had to be full length, four-finger straps, no low-cut back, and no cleavage. However, I also had to fulfill my own picky needs in a dress, which had a lot to do with the fabric, the fitting, and the embellishments, but most importantly, a unique dress that nobody else would be wearing.

I knew from the beginning that this would be like Mission Impossible, yet I had a glimmer of hope when I walked into the Brandon Mall where the search began.

I checked out literally every single store that could possibly carry, not just a prom dress, but any dresses in general, and the same thing happened every time.

When the bodice was perfect, the bottom was too short, and when the bottom was just right, the bodice was a mess. Not only that, but half of these prom dresses screamed “prom dress” because of the gaudy and over-embellished work.

After spending three hours at the mall, my friends found a contender and, honestly, I was so tired of seeing unflattering dresses that I took the chance of trying it on. It was good enough I thought, so I bought it.

When I got home, I tried it on again and realized that, although the dress covered the first list and some of the second, the dress emphasized my worst areas. With ideas of fitting and fixing it up being thrown around, my mom suggested I try on a traditional dress that I had designed myself from our last visit to Pakistan.

Although I wanted to wear an American dress for prom, I found that the perfect dress was sitting in my closet the whole time.

To hear about more prom shopping stories, watch the video by clicking on “View Media.”  Check out Gallery for Jesuit Prom fashions.