PROM season is in full-swing, and teenagers from across the region are searching for the perfect dress and accessories.

Proms began in the United States and were known as a promenade dance, and were a formal parading of guests at a party. Most commonly called a prom, their history can be traced back to American universities that held for each year’s graduating class in the 19th century. It wasn’t until the 1940s and the post-war era that they really took off,

Proms were pretty much unheard of 10 years ago in the UK, but in recent years they have become a part of school life, celebrating the end of exams and the end of GCSEs. The celebrations for Year 11 students, who are aged 15 and 16, usually take place between late-June and mid-July and have become one of the highlights of the school year.

School proms has evolved into an industry that is worth in the region of £100 million a year with 95 per cent of schools in the UK hosting a prom.

One of the most important parts of prom preparation is finding the right dress. While the boys also like to get the right look - the amount of time and cost is less than the average teenage girl spends.

Research has found that girls spend up to eight weeks searching for a dress to wear at the end-of-term event, which is twice as long as the average bride takes to find her dress.

Neely Sulway, owner of Mizz Congeniality in Cwmbran, took over running the shop last year and is currently working on her second prom season. She says that girls usually come to them after they have visited a few shops, although most have no idea what kind of dress they want.

“We do one hour slots,” she said “on a Saturday we see people from 9am to 4pm and we see two people every hour. The girls pick out dresses and we offer advice. Nine times out of 10 they have been somewhere else and have not seen a dress they like.

“We get them to try on every style and try something they would never dream of trying on, usually the style they say they don’t want to try is the one they choose. It’s the same with colours, they come in for navy dress and leave with a bright pink dress.

“Most girls are aware of the shape and size of the dress that they are comfortable with. If the dress does not suit them then we help them try something that would suit them.”

The store have a prom launch in January where they display the dresses they pick in September. The dresses are kept under wraps until then so this is one of their busiest weekend because of the store’s exclusivity policy.

“People want the best of best,” Ms Sulway explains. “They try to outdo each other. We will only sell one style of dress to each school, so if someone picks a dress we won’t sell that same design to anyone else at that school so nobody turns up with same dress. We won’t sell the same dress in a different colour to girls in the same school, so the dress is exclusive to them.

“When proms started five years ago it was quite plain dresses more like cocktail dresses, but now it’s more glitzy bright dresses that are popular. Our dresses range in price from £249 and up to £650. This year’s most expensive dress is £725, but we do take deposits and offer payment plans.

“Sometimes mums, nans, aunties and whole families will come. We try to keep it to three or four people because it can put pressure on the girls. I love seeing a girl’s face when she has found her dress and knowing you have made a difference.”

Helen Thomas-Powell, has owned Do you Believe? on Stow Hill, in Newport, for 10 years. The bridal and occasion wear store stocks prom dresses as well as bridal gowns. It also features their own label Fae by Helen Thomas-Powell.

Mrs Thomas-Powell says the prom season actually starts in September when she attends trade shows to see the designs for the year ahead and meets with designers and traders.

“The ordered dresses come in December,” she said, “and then mid-January the prom season kicks off. People come in and order them and the dresses, which are made to order, start to come into the shop from the beginning of May.

“Sometimes the dresses fit perfectly and sometimes length is an issue. We have a deadline for ordering dresses, but we do get people coming in last minute.

“Sometimes people have ordered their prom dresses from online stores and when they have arrived they have been a disaster, while others have left it to the last minute. We try our best to help them.”

“If they leave it too late we can ring around to help them find a dress in the right size and colour. We try to do it so that they don’t pay more. We also sell samples in the store, and sometimes when it comes to popular dresses we buy extra so we have some to sell off.

She added: “The black fishtail dress is always the most popular, but lace is a big story this year as well as nude colours, and jewelled summery colours are always popular with prom shoppers.”

The Argus will be producing a supplement of prom photos next month.

Let us know when your prom is and after the event send us your pictures including your name and your school to carys.thomas@gwent-wales.co.uk

To find out more about Mizz Congeniality visit mizzcongeniality.co.uk and Do you Believe? visit doyoubelieveuk.com.