Tips for Caring for Your Prom Dress

Want to make sure that you can reuse your prom dress or keep it looking perfect well after that special evening? Use these five tips for caring for your prom dress to keep your gown looking brand new for many proms to come:

1. Follow the care instructions included with you dress. In most cases, they'll be “Dry Clean Only” which means you should NEVER try to wash your dress yourself. Take your gown only to a professional to be cleaned.

2. If you accidently get eye shadow, lipstick, or other makeup on your dress, dampen the stain with warm water and pretreat it by rubbing a little bit of liquid detergent. Rub the detergent directly into the stain until the outline is gone. Next, wash the spot in warm water and let dry. If you're still stuck, take the dress to a dry cleaner. They may know the best way to get that stain out of your gown.

3. Store your gown in a garment bag that accommodates the natural size and shape of the gown. Keep the garment bag zipped or sealed to prevent any wear on the dress. We recommend cloth bags vs. plastic bags - they'll allow the garment to breathe and preserve it much longer. 

4. Have wrinkles on your gown? Have it professionally pressed or steamed to get it looking smooth again.

5. Finally, when you bring your dress home, make sure that it has plenty of space to breathe. Don't shove it in a closet or corner. Make sure that it isn't touching any other clothing and is out in the open. After it's worn, then store it properly using a garment bag.