How Much Does It Cost to Alter a Prom Dress?
Prom is one of the biggest moments in high school. It’s where the girls get to wear showstopping dresses, rock unique hairstyles, and flash a little bit of elegance. While the guys have it easier with tuxes, this isn’t the case for women with prom dresses, especially if alterations are necessary.
So, how much does it cost to alter a prom dress? In short, you can expect to spend around $150, but it helps to understand the factors that influence this price.
Thankfully, this guide has your back, so stick around and read on to learn more.
How Much Does It Cost to Alter a Prom Dress?
Prom dresses may be expensive, but alterations don’t usually cost a fortune. However, you should expect to spend at least $75 to $100 on alterations (on the low end). That said, more complex alterations may cost as much as $300, so keep this in mind when choosing your prom dress.
Overall, we recommend expecting to spend around $150 on alterations. This tends to be the sweet spot.
Factors That Influence How Much It Costs to Alter a Prom Dress
It’s important to understand the various factors that impact how much it costs to alter prom dresses. This is because they can significantly influence the price. For example, alterations made on the same day can cost a lot of extra cash. Learn more about the key factors below.
Layers and Fabric Types
Fabric has a large impact on the cost of the dress. Some fabric types cost more to alter than others due to the amount of time it takes to work with them. If a dress also has lots of layers, for example, tailors may need to adjust all of them.
Therefore, it’s important to understand the various fabrics and layers involved before you consider altering a prom dress.
The Type of Prom Dress
The general type and style of the dress can also heavily influence the cost of alterations. In fact, getting the right dress can save you a lot of money up front for this exact reason.
For this reason, we recommend getting the right dress with the right alterations right out of the gate. Thankfully, Sherri Hill makes this process hassle-free with plenty of great prom dresses to choose from.
When You Need Alterations
If you need alterations sooner rather than later, you need to pay the necessary fees. This is due to the fact that tailors may charge more for same-day alterations or other types of rush jobs.
To keep alteration costs low, we recommend focusing more on booking them further out from prom. If possible, you’ll pay the lowest fees if you book them four to six weeks out from the actual prom date. This gives tailors plenty of time to make alterations, so you shouldn’t have to pay any premium fees.
Accessories and Embellishments
Does your prom dress have a lot of accessories? If so, you may need to pay a higher fee to have the dress altered. This is due to the fact that tailors will have to work around these accessories to get the job done right.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t stop with accessories. Even embellishments, like dresses with lots of beads or unique trim, can cost more to alter than your average prom dress. So, keep this in mind as you shop, and consider how many “frills” are worth the alteration cost.
How Much Does It Cost to Alter a Prom Dress? Final Thoughts
So, how much does it cost to alter a prom dress? At the end of the day, you can expect to spend between $75 and $300, or around $150 on average. There’s a wide range due to the various factors that we covered in this guide.
To avoid paying high alteration fees, make sure you choose the right dress, shop with reputable retailers like Sherri Hill, and give tailors plenty of time to get the job done.
