Flowers, color coordination, dinner, mode of transportation. This is what is going into planning for prom. Since prom is coming up on May 6, let’s go over what to do and what not to do.

A major to-do is finding your dress early. Granted it is now only two weeks before prom but finding your dress at least 2 months in advance is recommended. If you are just now finding a dress, it will be a hard and long journey ahead.

Do not, under any circumstances, pick a dress that is a crazy, funky pattern. Stay away from animal prints and geometric prints. Stay with solid colors and make sure they match your skin tone.

Another dress tip; make sure you can move comfortably and that no unexpected wardrobe malfunctions will ensue. If this means double-sided tape, then by all means, use tape. Just be aware of what your dress could do throughout the night.   

Make sure your shoes are comfortable than cute. Do not sacrifice comfort for looking good. If you want to dance and have a good time, you may want to actually be able to enjoy it without your shoes destroying your feet.

Do your own hair or have mom do it. Don’t spend $50 getting your hair done if mom can do an equally amazing job. Even better, just go with a classic hair look, like curled hair, braided hair or a minimalistic updo.

Do your own nails or have a friend do it. Not everybody is great at doing nails but it’s always more fun to do it that way. If you absolutely must go to a salon, try not to spend over $90. You’ll be spending a small fortune for the dress alone.

Please don’t starve yourself during the day. If you don’t want a full meal of breakfast and lunch, then have some filling snacks throughout the day. Also, stay hydrated throughout the day.

Now for the important part. Getting the perfect makeup look. It’s time consuming, stressful and will take you two weeks. Seriously you need two weeks. A steady skin care routine is essential to making sure that your skin isn’t damaged by the time prom night approaches.  

Do not get a spray tan. It will not be worth it to look like an Oompa Loompa on the day of the biggest dance in high school. So please, stick to your natural skin tone and just take really good care of it.

Something a lot of people worry about is having a date. Don’t worry about it. It’s not worth it. Go with your friends, make a whole thing of it and just experience it with them.

One last thing: have fun. If dancing isn’t your thing, that’s ok, but don’t sit in the corner drinking your punch. If you go with friends, talk with them, awkwardly dance with them if you feel like it. Make sure you have a wonderful time.