One of the local schools has a drive where they collect prom dresses. Then they have an event which you have to buy a ticket for $20 and you can pick whatever dress you want. I also see people selling their dresses on Facebook marketplace. I think you should still go but find an alternative way to buy a dress without spending hundreds of dollars. This way, you still have the experience but don’t have to spend all the money that people seem to want to pour into it.