You can totally get a gorgeous prom dress without blowing your college fund. To start, Roberts suggests gathering photos of looks you love before you go shopping. “Create a mood board or collage for yourself, how many times do you get to go to prom?”

Having an idea of what you like will help you narrow down your choices from the hundreds of dresses out there, especially while shopping at wallet-friendly stores like David’s Bridal, which have lots of options. It’s also important to focus on what you love and looks good on your body, not what the latest trend is. Also, try looking at vintage stores if you want a truly unique dress (Marisa Tomei wore a vintage dress to the Oscars this year).

The key word to looking hot: alterations. You can buy a budget-friendly dress, and then have it altered to fit you perfectly. “Alterations are EVERYTHING, they can make a $50 dress look like gold when done well,” Roberts says.