Left ball dress shopping to the last minute? Our picks of the best party dresses for under $300

Stop panicking, we got you!

Hey, you there. Yes, you. The one frantically scouring the internet because your school ball is only a few weeks away and you haven’t got your dress yet. Pretty stressful time, huh! Don’t worry, we’ve all been there…

Maybe you found the perfect dress online and it’s currently stuck in customs. Perhaps you thought you’d nailed your selection and when it arrived it looked nothing like how it appeared on the model. Or you’re on a tight budget and haven’t been able to find a single dress that ticks your discerning boxes. Whatever the reason, we understand the stress of it all.

When you’ve got a big occasion in the calendar, putting together an outfit that makes you feel like a million bucks is essential. Because if you feel great in what you’re wearing, the chances of having a great night increase too. (It’s science). The good news is, there are plenty of options available right now that are wallet friendly, party worthy and most importantly, in stock.

Trend wise, where special occasion dresses are concerned, we’re seeing some serious texture happening, with sequins, sparkles and ruching in abundance. If you’re into volume, this is the perfect opportunity to embrace the return of the bubble hem, not to mention a puff sleeve. And with slip dresses galore available in an array of price points, it’s a chance to keep things sleek and elegant on the body and experiment a bit more with your accessories, if that’s more your style.

So with that in mind, we’ve compiled what we think is an excellent line-up of dresses that won’t look like you’ve made a last-minute decision, all for less than $300. Oh, and we threw a jumpsuit in for good measure too.