17 short prom dresses that were made for twirling the night away
I always imagined that I would wear a sweeping, Oscar’s worthy gown to my prom. But when the time came to choose a prom dress, I ended up falling in love with a short, strapless one. The heart wants what it wants, I guess. And there are benefits to short prom dresses: they’re perfect for showing off a fab pair of shoes, and they’re generally much easier to dance in than their long counterparts.
And just because you opt for a short prom dress doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice glamour. The proof: These 17 short prom dresses that we rounded up. From sequined dresses to LBDs to retro-inspired numbers, there’s a little something for everyone.
1Modcloth Retro Sequin Dress with Cape Sleeves, $149
Cape sleeves give this dress a distinctly retro feel.
2Topshop One Shoulder Ruffle Minidress, $100
Channel your inner Romy and Michelle in this metallic Topshop number.
3Nicole Miller Striped Sequin Mini Dress, $495
A simple, bodycon silhouette is elevated with bands of black sequins.
4Boohoo Boutique Kira Embellished High Neck Bodycon Dress, $47
You can’t go wrong with an embellished minidress.
5Ivanova Pulse Dress, $420
The bright red color and chiffon skirt of this dress ensure a standout look.
6Adrianna Papell Sequin Beaded Dress with Mock Neck and Lace Up Sides, $179
This dress is all about the details, from the mock neckline to the lace-up sides to the twinkling beading and sequins.
7Asos Design Curve Pastel Embroidered Tulle Mini Dress, $87
Go romantic in this embellished tulle dress. (P.S. how perfect is that skirt for twirling?)
8Prom Girl Long-Sleeve Lace Dave and Johnny Short Prom Dress, $280
The mesh detailing and beading on this formfitting LBD are seriously swoon-worthy.
9PrettyLittleThing Luci Pale Blue Premium High Neck Jacquard Lace Panel Mini Dress, $85
The simple shape of this dress is elevated with a gold and powder blue color scheme.
10Free People Selina Dress, $290
This slinky dress from Free People manages to be both simple and sexy.
11Aidan Mattox Halter Cocktail Dress, $165
There’s nothing basic about this curve-hugging LBD.
12Modcloth Recognized Romance Fit and Flare Dress, $200
This dreamy dress comes in sizes XXS to 4X.
13Asos Edition Beautiful Embellished Floral Skater Dress, $190
Go flirty in this twirl-worthy embroidered dress.
14Lulu’s Forevermore Skater Dress, $61
This simple skater dress comes in nine colors, including peach, burgundy, and light blue.
15PrettyLittleThing Charlyia White Premium Halterneck Bodycon Dress, $120
This dress is extra in the best possible way, from the sequin floral embellishments to the tassels.
16Xscape Caviar Beading Keyhole Dress, $248
The sleeves of this dress are practically begging to be Kira Kira-ed.
17Bardot Babylon Dress, $119
We never met a ruffled dress we didn’t like.
