As the famous Powell High School Winter Formal has come and gone, the iconic outfits many students wore will never be forgotten. 

While many students are excited to get dressed up and dance with their friends, several have struggled to pick out their formal outfits. 

“I don’t usually look for a specific style [of dress],” senior Waycee Harvey said. “I like whatever sticks out to me.” 

While some enjoy shopping online, others take great pride in the opportunity to shop in person. 

“I like to look at colors I haven’t done before, dresses that I won’t overheat in,” senior Bella Bertagnole said. “And especially dresses that I can move in.”

Each year many students find many dresses online that catch their eye. But time and time again, they are let down and forced to buy in person.

“Usually the dresses come in a different size or style than what the photo showed,” sophomore Nyah Johnson said. “This year I had to order multiple just in case the one I wanted didn’t work out.” 

Because many students would rather shop online and have had great experiences, it helps give fellow shoppers hope. 

For example, senior Jeremy Harms and his friend Rydr Keefer wore matching cheetah print suits they had purchased on the online marketplace Amazon. 

“I think it was pretty inexpensive,” Harms said. “For a random suit online, it was pretty inexpensive and good quality.” 

Still, though every year is different. Whether it is the popular color, the popular style, or the new popular shoe choice, nothing is ever the same. This year the newest viewed aspect of Winter Formal was the new very expensive prices for the clothing items. 

“I think that inflation is affecting the price of these types of clothing because the more popular a style of dress is, the more people will buy it,” freshman Ava Gilliatt said. “I think that companies will overprice these clothing [items], even when the quality goes down.”

Because the Covid pandemic caused our society to go completely sideways in the way things ran, the culture has shifted. Schools have become more strict about sickness, hospitals have changed protocol, and prices have risen substantially. 

“I’ve noticed the prices of dresses increasing in the past years,” Bertagnole said. “So I feel like inflation will continue to raise these prices.” 

While Winter Formal is a major hit at Powell High School, there is much more behind the scenes than the average high school student notices.