Would you/have you spent hundreds on a prom dress?

DD didn't go to hers (covid times and they a very scaled down event in the afternoon for 2 hours which she couldn't be arsed to attend) and DS didn't bother either as he is autistic and it would be his idea of hell, so I've not had to buy anything! I'd probably spend a couple of hundred. Mine (back in the late 90s) cost me £25 from Carnaby Street and I paid for it from my pocket money savings. Nobody was wearing dresses worth hundreds back then.

Nope

My year 11 prom dress cost me £5 😁

It cost more for the limo we all chipped in for!

My eldest we paid £50 for her gcse prom one and then for her 6th form one, £25 from China.
My youngest we paid £100 second hand for hers.

You don't "need" to, you're pressured into having those things.

My DD wore the dress I wore to my school leavers’ dance back in the early 90s! The dress was originally made by a dressmaker and then I had it slightly altered for DD.

No, definitely not! Luckily dd does not do dresses and wore black evenjng trousers and a fancy (but cheap) waiscoat!

I'm afraid this is just how much they are now if you choose to buy from a prom dress retailer. We paid £450 for my dd's last year and that didn't include alterations. Don't forget on top of the dress you will need to factor in shoes, jewelery, bag, hair, make up and nails etc too. Its avery expensive event.

Dd's was 350. I paid 200. Her db paid 150.
Was just past Covid and dd needed the boost.

American here, and no, none of my daughters or daughter in law spent this much. Nor did they hire limos or get makeovers or have their hair done professionally.

But it is really easy here to buy prom dresses that don’t cost a fortune and perhaps the UK is different.

I think my Dds were £100 ish no more than £150 we bought then online, you will get some girls wearing expensive dresses and going a bit ott but it is really up to them what they do, I doesn't affect your dc.

Absolutely insane.

And that's just the dress. I've read threads on here about hiring cars, stretch limos and even helicopters for transport on the night.

The world has gone mad.

Absolutely not. Most 16 yo will look amazing in any small scrap of velvety lycra. They absolutely do not need to bankrupt their parents with this American import crap.

DD wore one of my vintage Laura Ashley dresses.

But I teach secondary and many spend hundreds of pounds.

God no, it's something that's only going to be worn once. Hire it or buy second hand, there are tonnes on eBay or Vinted for not very much.