Skip To Content
  • Viral badge

Here’s What Asos Prom Dresses And Suits Actually Look Like IRL

We tried the clothes on all different body types so you don't have to.

Prom is a huge freaking deal, you guys.

And the Most Magical Night of high school can get hella expensive. FAST.

Not to mention the fact that when you're searching for that perfect ensemble, expectation doesn't always match up to reality.

So, six of us picked out the prom outfits we'd actually want to wear from the prom section of Asos — one of the most affordable places to buy prom dresses online — to see if they'd actually fit the bill.

First up, Caroline, who wears Asos Size 6.

Caroline's usual dress concerns: I'm very tall so most dresses are just too short for me, and even maxi-length dresses come up awkwardly to my ankles. I also have a smaller chest but a 34-inch rib cage, so sometimes the dresses that fit my ribs comfortably gape in the chest. I've had to sew padded cups into more than a few dresses.

Caroline's thoughts: It was a STRUGGLE to get this on, especially since it was technically two pieces: a spandex-like slip and the mesh long-sleeve sheer overlay dress. The slip part was super loose but the mesh layer was very stiff and tight, even though I sized up. I had to take off my bra for it to fit even though my bra wasn't padded at all. And I'm an A CUP. And even if it was easier to get on, the overlay dress was still way too tight so it made the looser part bunch up, which looked really weird. It also flattened my chest which wasn't very cute. So overall, very poor fit.

Caroline's thoughts: This dress fit nicely. However, I think the fact that it was loose in the waist and more fitted in the chest made for a bit of an unflattering shape. My waist could've been much more defined. It definitely looked like it had a fitted, tighter waist on the model so I was surprised.

The darting with the cream mesh up at my waist was visibly uneven in the front. The darting was perfectly straight on the model, so I think it was just an issue with the dress being poorly made.

Would you buy again?: As a 6-foot-tall woman, I wouldn't buy a dress from this site again. I think Asos is a safe bet for petite girls but I'd also be nervous if I had a larger chest or butt, especially with body-con stuff. You honestly never know how it will fit just from seeing a dress on a model.

But it was REALLY fun to spin in this dress.

Next, Kaye, who wears Asos size 18.

Kaye's usual dress concerns: I fluctuate between a 16 and an 18 depending on the brand and cut of the dress. I love my boobs, but they're DD and double obnoxious to try to fit. Also, just finding something in my size that doesn't suck is a nightmare 85% of the time. I lean a lot on places I know have clothing that fits my personal style and works for my body shape, and have customer service that is really great (shout-out to ModCloth's ModStylists).

Dress #1: Bodycon Dress in Scuba Floral Print, $78

Kaye's thoughts: The fabric was...so weird? It was like, not quite scuba fabric, but the least breathable thing I've put on my body in some time. I don't know if I would want to wear this dress to an event because I would worry about how much I'd be sweating. It fit well, if a little loosely (I'm between sizes right now and ordered up), and was perfectly easy to move in.

Kaye's thoughts: I had an issue with the neckline where my bra strap kept making an impromptu appearance; I have DD boobs, so a strapless bra is not always an option. Annoying! BUT, this dress fit much better than expected. I went by their size chart and ordered off of that, which can honestly be a risk for some ~fast fashion~ websites, especially for plus-size people.

Would you buy again?: Probably not. Here's why: When I search for my size, my selections went from over 200 to 41, so the odds of me finding something I really love are much slimmer than shopping somewhere with more variety.

Onto Jarry, who wears Asos size 0.

Jarry's usual dress concerns: I have a small frame and waist so it's sometimes hard to find clothes that aren't loose in the abdomen.

Dress #1: Drape Cold Shoulder Midi Pencil Dress, $62

Jarry's thoughts: This dress's skirt and awkward armbands felt loose. Also, it was uncomfortable, especially with the weird, hard, V-shaped plate in the front. (I originally put this dress on backward and I think it actually looks better that way!) This was a nightmare to put on and take off because it didn't have a zipper. (Who makes long dresses without zippers?!)

Dress #2: Side Cut Out Mini Dress, $49

Jarry's thoughts: The blue dress was loose and obviously not tailored but the fit overall wasn't horrible, though the waist cutouts and pleats were uneven. If I were to actually wear this to an event, I'd definitely have to get it tailored — and the material felt and looked cheap.

Would you buy again? I've bought clothes from Asos before but fit is often a problem so I probably won't buy clothes from there again.

Next was Augusta, who wears Asos size 8.

Augusta's usual dress concerns: I'm just on the cusp of being a Tall Lady, which means that straight-sized dresses are usually too short but tall dresses are too long. Plus, my nickname in high school was "Ironing Board," coined after my lack of boobage, so most dresses fit pretty terribly in the chest.

Augusta's thoughts: I LOVED how this dress fit and felt like I was as close to Angelina Jolie–legging as I will ever get (even though it took me about 10 tries to get the pose just right). It was just the right length with flats, which I'm into. The only weird part was the sheer panel in the back that made it look like I had a lot of excess skin hanging around. Overall, though, I felt like a BAMF in this dress.

Dress #2: Metallic Jacquard Midi Prom Dress, $154

Augusta's thoughts: Technically this fit, but it was horrible because of the layer of crinoline underneath the skirt that made me look like I was hiding a prom date under my dress when I turned to the side. When I saw this dress on the website I was drawn to it immediately, but I was thoroughly horrified when I saw how looked IRL. Super lumpy, super frumpy, super bad.

There were also these random uneven ribbon things on the chest that legit just looked like extra boob fabric?

Time for the dudes! Here's Kevin, who wears Asos sizes 36R jacket, 28 waist/33 length pants, and small shirt.

Kevin doesn't usually have any outstanding issues when he's shopping for clothes.

Kevin's thoughts: The black suit jacket fit OK, but it was a little tight around the waist (when I buttoned it). The pants were ridiculously tight. I ordered them in my normal jean size, thinking that the sizes would translate well. They didn't.

It felt like I was wearing compression pants or some sort of tights.

If I was going to prom, I would be pissed because there's no way I would be able to dance in these. I felt like if I moved too sharply or crouched down too much my pants would have definitely ripped.

Kevin's thoughts: Getting the pants off was its own challenge within itself. I'm used to wearing fitted pants (AKA skinny jeans) and those are sometimes tricky to get off, but I literally felt like I was peeling the skin off of a banana when I removed these dress pants. The white shirt bunched up at each button, which was strange because I ordered it in my normal size. I felt like if I sized up it would have fit better. Because the pants were so tight I was not able to tuck my shirt in.

Would you buy again?: Probably not.

And finally, Bryant, who wears Asos sizes 42R jacket, 33 waist/30 length pants, and large shirt.

Bryant's usual suit concerns: My big thighs don't look too great in skinny-fit pants.

Suit #1: Slim Suit in Green (Two Pieces), $138

Bryant's thoughts: The suit is true to size. My only problem is that the pants are definitely not made for guys with bigger thighs. Although I appreciate the stretch, the bunching in the front of the pants was not flattering at all.

Bryant's thoughts: I'm going to keep this suit. I want a fun color to add to my wardrobe, and I don't think I can turn down this vest-action suit. It's pretty light, and I love that it has a stretch in it!

Would you buy again?: Yes!

I was able to dance flawlessly in this suit.

Want more prom posts? Check out Prom Season on As/Is!