While the rest of us were out here shopping for a boring dress at the mall, these geniuses made their custom gowns by hand. These showstopping DIY prom dresses were handmade by crazy talented high school students who wanted to make a major statement on prom night – and save some serious cash in the process. Someone @ Project Runway immediately, because these dresses are next-level FIERCE.
After one scroll through this list, you'll be ready to channel your inner craft blogger. Scroll ahead for the best inspiration and coolest ideas for how to make a prom dress yourself.
Not into sewing? Shop the most unique prom dresses for 2020 here.
Bright Florals
This teen made her own prom dress from scratch – and then did the same for FIVE of her friends (not kidding). Meanwhile, I can barely even do my own winged liner.
Princess-y Blooms
Pretty florals, breezy tulle, and a flirty thigh slit – this dress is EVERYTHING. And, btw, if you think it's stunning from the front, just wait until you see the back.
Feathered-Out Train (For Under $5)
YouTuber Amber Scholl thrifted this little black dress for just $4, then added netting, beadwork, and a crazy extra feathered train. Slay, hunny! Watch how she did it here.
Stunning Florals
Sarah Baldwin went all-out, turning a pile of fabric into a gorgeous floor-length floral gown.
"I went to prom with the perfect boy, wearing the dress I sewed myself feeling like a DIY queen," she wrote on Twitter.
Hand-Painted Black Girl Magic
Aishamanne Williams wore this stunning gown as "an ode to black girls everywhere." The designs, drawn by fellow classmate Nyiesha Mallett, feature some of the women who inspire her: Erykah Badu, Angela Davis, and Lauryn Hill.
DIYed Fashion Nova
18-year-old Nazmayde Castillo from Birmingham, Alabama is going viral for her insane DIY prom dress. The super cheap dress started as a mini from Fashion Nova and her boyfriend MJ Johnson actually found it for her (prom date goals!).
"I found it on @fashionnova for her and she had the idea to add flowers at the bottom," he wrote on Instagram. "$50 dress [and] flowers was all it took."
Purple Princess
Shami Oshun, a 17-year-old from California, made her gown the night before prom with just $15 in supplies.
"Starry Night"
Last year, killer artist Julia turned a simple $40 dress into a mesmerizing recreation of Van Gogh's famous "Starry Night" painting.
Timeless Glam
"I've been designing since I was seven and sewing since I was ten," April told Seventeen.com. "This is the first prom dress [I've made]. I designed it, draped it, drafted the pattern, and sewed the entire dress. After creating this gown, I feel so confident in my abilities as a designer, because this is something I never thought I'd be able to manifest at 17 years old."
Ocean Blue
Grace didn't have any experience in fashion before she decided to enter Duck Tape's annual scholarship contest in 2013 — and she came in as fourth runner up! Her dress was inspired by "the movement of water and by Leanne Marshall's Project Runway collection," she told stuckatprom.com.
Elegant Navy
Ysabel designed her prom dress in only a week! "I learned how to use a sewing machine from my dad, and other than that I am purely self taught from trial and error," she told Seventeen.com. "I have been sewing since the 8th grade and fell in love with it ever since."
White Lace
Charlotte couldn't afford to spend a lot of money on a dress, so she took matters into her own hands — literally. "I spent less than $100 to make my dress," she told Seventeen.com. "And I did my own hair and makeup so it wasn't costly at all!"
Head-to-Toe Duct Tape
Ronnita and her date's ensemble required over 90 rolls of duct tape and 400 hours to complete. Even her accessories — including her corsage, earrings, clutch, headpiece, and nail art — are made from tape! She took second place in Duck Tape's 2014 contest.
'50s Pin-Up
OK, so Angela's dress isn't actually a prom dress. But the teen seamstress made the stunning gown for a formal. "Unfortunately I didn't go to prom, and at that point in time, when I was attending formal dances, I didn't know how to sew," she told Seventeen.com. Clearly, things have changed!
Newspaper Squad
Aleah has never studied fashion, but she knows that becoming a designer is her passion. "I love working with unconventional materials as it gives the image so much more and gives me a great challenge to learn from," she told Seventeen.com.
Gatsby-Inspired
Gabrielle and her date matched their duct-tape ensemble to their school's Great Gatsby prom theme. "Our design's geometric symmetry is modeled after the era's Art Deco style, while the bold contrast of gold, black, and white reflect the extravagance of life in the Roaring '20s," they told stuckatprom.com.
Ethereal High-Low
Celeste's gorge gown was made by her mom — but that's not the only reason her night was crazy-memorable. "My prom was amazing!" she told Seventeen.com. "My best friend and I won prom king and queen. Justin Bieber actually showed up to my prom, too. He was literally three feet away from me I was like oh my god this kid looks like Justin Bieber and then I realized, oh my god it is Justin Bieber!" CELESTE, YOU WIN.
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