It is that time of year again, that time of year when girls have to start hunting for the perfect homecoming dress. This is the time when all the dress-wearing folk scour the stores in hopes to find that beautiful one of a kind dress that won't break the bank as they wow their peers at the homecoming dance. It is also at this time of year that new comers to the tradition, and all the veterans of the occasion go through and come to the same realization, it is not going to go well.

Stage 1: Looking at store's inventory online.

Every girl has to start somewhere, that somewhere is on the local department store's website. As you scroll, you can't believe the options that they have! How can you pick just one? At this point you're so excited to get in that store and try on all the dresses.

Stage 2: The department store quest.

As you pull up to the store you see all these amazing gowns sitting in the window and can't wait to see the rest of it inside. Entering the homecoming dress department is a completely different story. All the dresses they showed online are not real, they don't have a single dress from their website, or in the window for that matter. In fact, all they have are the damaged returns and three different dresses in the same three colors. This is the point that you quickly realize that this dance is going to be all about conformity because everyone will be wearing the same dress.

Stage 3: Dressing room disaster.

As you begin to sift through the damaged dresses and the three new options you decide there are a few that aren't so bad. This is when you figure you might as well try some on; even if you don't buy any of these dresses at least you figure you can get a reference of your size. But you can't. Nothing fits right anywhere. You also realize that these dresses are not worth paying the cost of a second dress to get it altered so you might as well go home.

Stage 4: Online shopping.

Now that you have seen that the stores have nothing to offer, it is time to go online and try to order a dress. This is about the time that you realize that all of these dresses are very expensive and not worth the headache of sending it back when you will inevitably get something that either doesn't look like what you order or doesn't fit at all.

Stage 5: Recycle?

For all of my dance veterans, this is about the time that you consider rewearing an old dress and hope that no one will notice. This idea is almost immediately shut down when you realize everyone would notice. Thanks a lot social media.

Stage 6: The waiting game.

You hope it is just too early to find a dress and decide to put it out of your mind for another month; I mean come on, all the department stores have to get another shipment at some point right? It's still only summer for crying out loud! As you wait for that long haul to pass you see tweets about more girls getting their dresses and begin to wonder where in the world they are going. Then you remember that they are the rich kids whose parents don't care about dropping $300+ on a dress.

Stage 7: Back to the department store.

You have played the waiting game and it is time to head back in, besides you have waited so long that it's now or never. They might have gotten one of two more dresses at this time but really you're still working with what you had on that first trip.

Stage 8: You found a dress!

That's right, you finally found a dress! By found a dress I mean you have settled on one that doesn't look too bad and fits moderately well. Sure it's too long and you can't take deep breaths, but the color is pretty and it was in your size for the most part. Was it the one you really wanted? No. Is it the color you wanted? No. But things could be worse, I mean you did manage to get a dress after all.

Stage 9: The day of the dance.

So today is the day, and it is finally time to wear the dress. This means that you probably haven't tried it on since you bought it and this also means it is not going to look how it did in the store. When you put it on it again won't fit the same as it did, but there isn't anything that you can do now but to put it on and be confident. You will be as confident as you can until you walk though those gym doors and see your dress on thirteen other girls. Awesome.

This article goes out to all the girls out there who can't find a dress in their size, a color or style they want, and/or a price that is reasonable. The hoco struggle is real.