The arrival of fall brings a few wonderful things: football, cooler weather, sweaters and homecoming! With the homecoming dance a little less than two weeks away, the race is on to find the perfect dress. I would like to share some of the best places you can go to snatch up a dress if you need a new one.

A few personal favorite stores of mine are Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters, Free People, Topshop (which also has great men’s dress shirts) and Pretty Please. Asos, Lulu’s, Modcloth and Wanelo are also great, but are online-only. All of these stores are relatively inexpensive, and it is likely that you can find a dress for under $100.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you shop:

• Always bring a trusted friend, or your mom. They know you well, and sometimes they’ll find a dress that looks great on you that you never would have given a second look.

• Shop the sale rack, and look online before you go.

• Look for styles and silhouettes that you know you’re comfortable wearing.

• Bring the shoes that you plan on wearing to the dance. Length of the dress depends on heel height, and you don’t want to be caught off-guard when your dress appears much shorter on the night of homecoming.

• Always adhere to the dress code. Be sure to check the CCHS ASB Facebook page, where they will normally post the dress code slideshow. It’s no fun having the perfect dress, but being turned away at the doors of the homecoming dance.

• Your dress may be closer than it appears. You don’t always need to go out and buy a new dress. Often, you may find exactly what you need by shopping your own closet (or your best friend’s closet) for something that you like.

• Don’t stress about the dress! You may be placing a lot of pressure on yourself to find the “perfect dress,” but when push comes to shove, it’s just a dress. Shopping for your dress, and wearing it should be a positive experience!

Good luck!