The Desperate Search for Plus-Size Prom Dresses

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Prom dress shopping is always fraught, but for girls in search of plus sizes, the endeavor can be downright crushing as the AP reports that there is an actual shortage of plus-size dresses.

Said the founder of Operation Prom, an organization that collects donated dresses for girls in need: "We are going crazy trying to get plus-size dresses. We have this problem, unfortunately, every year. A lot of times we get plus-size donations and they're not appropriate for a 17-year-old. They're for your grandmother to wear. It's difficult."

Many retailers consign their plus-size options to their online stores, which makes browsing difficult, considering that a prom dress is something that most shoppers want to try on before they buy. JCPenney, for example, only stocks plus-size prom dresses online and offers just three options. The need is especially dire in southern states, reports the AP. A manager of David's Bridal in Texas said that up to 25% of her prom customers were searching for sizes 18 to 22 and "some travel[ed] 100 miles or more to shop there." Business opportunity, anyone?
· Prom dress shopping perilous for plus-size girls [AP]
· Betsey Johnson, Fashion Fairy Godmother, on Moving Forward [Racked]