Ask Alice

Q: So my junior prom is coming soon and i want to wear a longer Lolita dress since i cant wear Lolita to my school. do you know any sites where i can find a Lolita like dress for my prom???

A: Since your junior prom is probably coming up fairly quick, shopping locally or on national websites is your best bet. My first thought would be to search your local thrift stores. Charity shops tend to carry items from all different eras, making it easy to find something unique! Keep an eye out for dresses from around the 50s, or high quality costumes. Don't be afraid to bring a photo example of your ideal dress, and ask the store workers for help.
It's not unusual to find lolita-esque items at every day clothing stores. Most towns have stores like H&M, Forever21 and Winners, which provide consumers with trendy and affordable clothing. If you can't find a dress that looks "lolita enough", you can always add lolita accessories or even have the dress tailored to make it look even more lolita. Sometimes a regular looking dress or skirt can be given an extra lolita edge by just adding a petticoat!
If you have enough time to order something online (don't forget that you might have to wait a week or two for the shipping), FanPlusFriend has a variety of long lolita style dresses for under $200USD. Blasphemina's Closet is currently carrying some gorgeously longer JSK's. The livejournal community EGL Community Sales is another great place to shop. Post a "Wanted To Buy" ad with what type of dress you are looking for, then cross your fingers and hope that someone has it at a reasonable price!