So, prom may have come and left us, leaving many people with dresses and suits they bought or rented– which were often expensive and are probably never going to be used again. This has caused some people to come up with more cost-effective ideas and creations.

Senior Courtney Caldwell took this concern into consideration. She designed and sewed her own prom dress with help from her mom. The two also helped make Caldwell’s costume for the fall drama department performance, “Charlotte’s Web.”

“About two weeks before prom, I realized that I wanted to make my own dress,” said Caldwell. She documents the process as, “[getting] two dresses and completely rip[ping] them apart and rema[king] them.”

She also wanted to add extra flair to her outfit by adding flowers and tulle to her prom dress. Caldwell got these materials from Michael’s, which is a craft store.

Prom dresses are usually $60 to upwards of $300. That’s expensive. So, if you’re going to prom next year and can’t afford a dress or don’t want to waste your money to go, try the DIY route with a dress.