Year 11 GCSE support thread 6 - exams and proms

Brilliant! Thanks Woolley.

Before shelling out for a suit get him to look on Facebook at the outfits worn at prom last year and check with his friends to see what they are wearing. You may find that "lounge" suits are more popular than tuxes. A new suit, if he needs one, may be a better investment for sixth form/interviews than a dinner suit.

If they general consensus is for a dinner suit then Matalan sell them too - which may prove to be more cost effective. My DH has one from M&S and it looks lovely on him. I would buy, rather than hire as it can often cost a similar amount.

Hello all, I haven't checked in for a while, but would be grateful for a bit of advice re my DS's prom. He has only just decided to go (it's tomorrow). Luckily I anticipated this and bought him a ticket a while ago. It's black tie. He thought he was fine, bless him, as he thought that he just had to wear a black tie. Which he already has, having been to a funeral this year. I explained that it actually meant dinner suit and bow tie. He looked at me disbelievingly. I think he thought I was winding him up!

Anyway, I need to get him sorted out today, so what would you advise:

Hire from Moss Bros
Buy from Moss Bros
Buy from M&S

If buying isn't too much more than hiring, I'm happy to buy.

Are any of those options " cooler " or better than others?

He is a typical 16 year old boy build. Tallish (just short of 6 foot ) with long legs but skinny. I'm not sure whether or not he's stopped growing but DS2 might make use of the DJ if DS1 grows out of it.

DH suggested DS1 borrows his, but he's just tried it on and both waist and shoulders are comically big.

DD lasted until 10pm in her shoes, but she had some fold up ballet slippers to switch into. Apparently lots of the girls were hobbling afterwards.

At DD's prom most were in long dresses, probably 90%. The boys looked very smart too. Lots of DJs and black/grey/navy suits, but also a bright blue suit, an orange suit and a purple suit too which really stood out.

Long limo, Scooby Doo Mystery machine, Tandem bike, Cinderella coach, are the transport which stood out for me, but also loads in nice convertibles, or parents car. And also I expect many who just walked in via the side so didn't need the whole transport thing anyway.

Really good to hear about the variety of styles Ash - they all sound fabulous
And I think you're right about pretty much anything can look amazing when you're 16 - think that's why dd has so much success browsing the charity shops, plus all the volunteers there have got to know her and probably take her under their wing a bit. I think it's such a win-win type of experience what with the re-cycling and all the money going to charity as well She's hoping to do some volunteering herself at one of them before starting NCS in August.
As long as we give it some thought tonight and tomorrow and make sure we've given the accessories some consideration - she has some impressive looking high heeled black shoes that she claims she can walk in!

juggling I'm clueless on tit tape so can't help on that. As for showing a bra that's usually OK as long as it looks 'deliberate'. As the dress is black you could even go for a high contrast look of a bright colour, if the style of dress fits with that (ie if it's not too glam or too sparkly). You could pick out shoes same colour as bra? New look do really lovely cheapies (several girls wearing them last night and looked brill).

We had girls here last night in frocks ranging from short, white pouffy things with bright coloured sandals, to full length gold sparkly gown, satin 50s with petticoat and gothy short black with super high chunky platforms with gold spikes coming out the front (awesome, my favourite footwear). So anything goes, and when you are 16 you can carry off pretty much anything and look amazing.

The important thing is that she feels fabulous. Such fun all this dressing up vicariously.

I hope/think dd will enjoy her prom as she told me the group of 4 she will be sharing a table with and spoke very warmly about them all. But I'm feeling a bit stressed - possibly on her behalf - about the what to wear thing! Hopefully she'll let me in on it all a bit more tomorrow after school (the 2nd day of sixth form induction) and we can put something together make last minute adjustments on Thursday. I think her query is is it OK these days if you can see bra straps at the back if bra is same colour as dress? Did look fairly low at the back when she gave me a quick look the other day BTW (hence idea to get a black bra) Have a feeling this is maybe more acceptable than it once was? Think she may need a bra as she's bustier than me these days (though that's not surprising I guess) Is tit-tape an instead of bra thing? I'm clueless

Awww MadAs. And others with proms today.

Juggling, how low is the back? Could she wear a bra or does she need tit-tape? She does indeed need to try it on!
DD has just tried hers on and I have pinned it and will attempt bodice adjustments sometime soon. She will need it taking up about 8inches too, and it's a lined chiffonny thing, so I may need to go to that lovely alterations woman that SuperSpud recommended, but she hasn't got shoes yet

DD has recovered from the party last night which was "live", but she had rather a lot to drink.... and then had to take DGodSis back to Euston to get her train this morning....

The pre prom madness was just that. We've all drunk far too much fizz but really felt like an occasion. Am now coming down with a bit of 'storage hunters'.

Lots of photos, lots of glam and a night to remember. I even managed not to cry.

Love the girls.

At the hair. Hope they're having a blast.

DDs second induction day was fine and she's actually thinking of starting some of her holiday work tomorrow - a report on superconductivity.

I'm just hoping everyone will be sniffing just as loudly!

Little DD straightened hers then went to the hairdressers where they curled it!!

Spud how will you not sob?!

Ah, big box of tissues for all the prom mums tonight. I know I'll be in bits. I also have a showcase to get through....DD. Is singing 'Tonight' from West Side Story in it. I know now not to bother with any mascara......

Littleham, that made me giggle about the hair!

Prom here tonight. She looks so grown up.

It is quite funny that all the girls with straight hair now have curls and all the girls with curls have straightened their hair.

Hi all.

DS1 has his 6th Form Induction days tomorrow and Thursday. Thank goodness. He has now lolled about for two weeks and enough's enough.

Not really, I cried while she was having her hair done

Mad . You are a stronger woman than me.

DD and her friends looked amazing and they've gone off to prom all laughing and happy.

DD had arranged with DH (who is driving the limo) to play Slipping Through My Fingers as a they pulled away, loud, with all the windows down. I managed not to blub!!

How far down does the backless bit go Juggling? Some bras can be worn with backless style dresses I think? See if she'll try it on for you to have a look at!

dd had first day of induction for sixth form today - at same school so no biggie really - and came out very happy after trial lessons in her A level preferences. Also as I suspected one or two new arrivals into sixth form who she knew from way back. She said if she could have the teachers she had today for A levels it would be perfect - so that was lovely to hear

Things not going quite so smoothly with prom preparations for Friday - she showed me her charity shop find and that it's a backless dress, and asks should she find herself a black bra (it's a black dress) What do you think style guru's? It's a pretty flimsy piece of attire too but with some beading at front and she seems happy with it. I'm having some doubts?! I think I need to persuade her to let me see it on her/ try it out with the shoes. At one point there was some talk about a pre-prom get together with friends and I'd be much happier if she could do that. I think between us we need some advice from somewhere! I suppose at least she's taking it all in her stride. I'd like her to look and feel good for her prom though as I know she could do!

Ooh, kettling at the prom HSMMaCM