She started her hunt at PromGirl , looking for something that wouldn't fall apart on the dance floor. She almost clicked "buy" on a $25 emerald gown from a site she’d never heard of, but she paused. She remembered a Better Business Bureau warning about overseas "scam sites" that steal designer photos but ship dresses made of "stiff, itchy lace" that look nothing like the picture.

Maya had exactly $100 saved for prom, which, in the world of $800 designer gowns, felt like trying to buy a Ferrari with pocket change. Her friends were all booking appointments at high-end boutiques, but Maya spent her Friday nights scrolling through pages of "cheap prom dresses online," her eyes crossing from too many sequins and satin swatches.