This is the full list of things to buy, book and bring for prom. It is grouped by category, not by date, so you can see everything in one place and cross off what does not apply to you. Nobody needs every item. A lot of the best proms skip half of them.
If you want to know when to do each one, the prom planning timeline puts them in order, and the prom countdown turns that order into dates for your own prom.
The outfit
- Dress, suit or tux. The longest lead time on this list. A dress ordered from the designer can take months, so this goes first. Check your school's dress code before you buy.
- Alterations. Nearly everyone needs some. Prom Headquarters, an online prom retailer with a store in South Carolina, says about 99 percent of its customers need alterations even after following its measuring guidelines. Book a tailor when you buy, not when you remember.
- Shoes. Buy them before your first fitting and bring them, since the hem is set to their height.
- Undergarments. A strapless bra, shapewear or anything else you will wear under the outfit. Bring these to fittings too.
- Jewelry and a small bag. Big enough for a phone, ID and a few essentials.
- A wrap, jacket or shawl if the venue is outdoors or the night will be cold.
- For a suit or tux, the pieces people forget. Shirt, tie or bow tie, belt or suspenders, cufflinks, dress socks and shoes. A rental often includes some of these. Check which.
Beauty and grooming
- Hair appointment, or a plan and a practice run if a friend is doing it.
- Makeup appointment, or a trial at home with the products you will actually use.
- Nails. Book ahead for the day before or the morning of.
- Haircut or trim, a week or two before, not the day before.
- Any extras you want, like lashes or a spray tan. Test anything new well in advance, not the night before.
- Tip money for salon services, if you book them.
Decide which of these you want done professionally and which you will do yourself. Many people book one service and handle the rest with a friend.
Flowers
- Corsage. Traditionally worn by one date, either on the wrist or pinned.
- Boutonniere. Traditionally pinned to the other date's lapel.
- A photo or fabric swatch of the outfit, so the florist can match colors.
The Society of American Florists suggests ordering at least two weeks ahead. Flowers are optional. Going with friends, going solo, or skipping them is completely normal.
Tickets and paperwork
- Prom tickets. Note the sale dates and the last day to buy. Some schools raise the price as prom gets closer. At Wootton High School in Maryland, 2026 senior prom tickets went from $40 in the first week of sales to $50 in the last, with none sold at the door.
- Guest form, if you are bringing someone from another school. These often need a parent signature, approval from the guest's school and a copy of the guest's ID, and they are due well before the dance.
- Any school forms tied to attendance, such as a behavior contract, a dress code acknowledgment or a parent permission slip.
- Photo ID for you and any guest. Many schools check at the door.
- Cleared school fines and fees, if your school requires it. Pearland High School in Texas, for one, required students to clear all fines and fees before they could buy a 2026 prom ticket.
Transportation
- A plan for getting there and getting home. A parent, a friend's car, a rideshare, or a hired limo or party bus.
- If you are hiring a vehicle, a written agreement listing the exact vehicle, the schedule and the total price.
- Proof the company is licensed and insured. The Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and northern Illinois warned in 2026 about fake or unlicensed limo companies that take deposits and never show.
- The deposit and cancellation terms, read before you pay.
- A list of who is riding, who is paying what, and the pickup times and addresses.
Food
- Dinner before prom. A restaurant reservation for the group, or a dinner at someone's home.
- A plan for splitting the bill, agreed before the night.
- A snack before you leave, since dinner and prom can be hours apart.
- After-prom food, if your group has plans after the dance.
Photos
- A spot for pre-prom photos, with a backup if it rains.
- A photographer, whether that is a hired one, a parent or a friend with a good phone.
- A meet-up time for the whole group, set early enough that photos do not make you late.
- A charged phone, and a plan for sharing photos afterward.
The night-of bag
Small enough to carry all night. Big enough for the things you will wish you had.
- Phone and a small charger or power bank
- Prom ticket and photo ID
- Some cash and a card
- Lipstick or lip balm, and blotting papers
- Bobby pins and a small hair tie
- Safety pins and a tiny sewing kit
- Fashion tape for straps and necklines
- Bandages for new shoes
- Pain reliever and any medication you take
- Mints
- A pair of flat shoes, left in the car or at the coat check
- House key
How to use this list
Go through it once with whoever is helping pay for prom. Cross off what you do not need. Then put a rough cost next to everything left, because the small items are where budgets drift. Our prom cost breakdown explains what drives each line up or down, and the prom budget calculator will total it for you.
Then tackle the outfit first. It is the item with the longest wait, and most of the others depend on it. If you have not found a place to shop yet, you can browse prom shops by state.