No, it's not worth it

[bridgetreilly]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48769244

£1000 per child for a prom? Nope, it's really, really, really not worth it. I can't think of a single event in my life I've spent this much money on. And for a 16yo leaving school, it's crazy. It's especially crazy that people are going into debt for it.

Have a party, sure. But parents and schools need to start putting their foot down about this kind of excess. It's totally out of control.

Of course it isn't.
But then, that is a "story" to grab a lazy headline.
I've had 3 x dc go though 'prom' age (plus nieces, nephews, godchildren, dcs' friends, dc of my friends) and know no-one who would have even have considered spending anything like that on a Prom.

These cases are very much the exception, not the norm though - that’s why bbc have done a story on it. It wouldn’t get as many hits if it was a teenager who got her dress for £40 in Next and had a few scholers at her mate’s house before someone’s dad dropped them off in his Ford Fiesta.

Stephanie wants her daughter to have the prom she never had

Stephanie is projecting.

Our prom for my dsd cost over £500 and it was the biggest waste of money ever
It was meant to last about 5 hours
She was there less than 3
The dress alone cost £250 and if I could go back in time I’d slap some sense into her dad
It’s one massive money making con
I’m so glad we didn’t have all this when I was young

Proms can cost as much or as little as the parents wants to pay. Our tickets are £30
Which includes all food and drink (soft) for the evening and a photographer with free photos. Some arrive in limos or hummers, some walk and some get a lift. We provide dresses and suits that have been donated by previous pupils - which means nobody needs to miss out. Our girls wear anything from charity shops finds, family dresses or TK Max mixed with the expensive.

They all look gorgeous. Boys tend to have suits that they will use again.

Fake tan/nails/makeup can be done cheaply (and is) for families on a budget. We have ex pupils who help us out with nails and make up too.

My dress was hand made for prom, by me and my mum. Cost next to nothing and was really nice (mum is a professional dress maker and I worked in a costume department at a theatre). Got a lift there, taxi home. Hair and makeup was done professionally so that cost a bit and I spent quite a bit of booze while there! We had ours in yr 13 so was 18 at the time

What is this prom-mania? "Prom-posals" and massive loads of money?

Well back in my day prom was a dumb obligation people showed up to for a few minutes.

Why am I so old and crotchety?

It's mad and completely unnecessary in my view. Both my daughters went to proms at 16 and leavers 'balls' at 18 (one went to 2 at 18 as her boyfriend's school had one too). All 5 dresses cost under £50, the girls did their own make up, nails and hair (no spray tans), and they had lifts from me or other parents in perfectly normal cars.

I don't think we spent over £500 on all five occasions combined.