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AIBU?

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Original poster

Prom Dresses

60 replies

knickerthief1 · 29/12/2019 17:08

I've just seen a post on a local parenting group on facebook suggesting that the average price people are paying for a prom dress is £500! Really?? Or is it just the braggers who have commented? AIBU to think that the majority of parents can't possibly be spending anywhere near this?? We're not in an affluent area!

OP posts:
looselegs · 29/12/2019 19:59

My Mum paid for my daughter's prom dress- it was £360. It was stunning- she'd had a rough time in year 11, what with being bullied and suffering with her mental health- and it made her feel beautiful ( her words- she us beautiful, just couldn't see it).Her shoes were £15, her bag was free with the dress and her earrings were a fiver!
However, before my Mum offered to pay, it was down to me to pay for it and I couldn't have afforded £360, so we looked at places like Debenhams, Monsoon and Quiz. They all had some stunning dresses for less than £100.

MamToTeens · 29/12/2019 20:02

My DC will be wearing the bridesmaid dress DD1 wore for my brother’s wedding unless it’s ridiculously off size. She was 12 at the time so basically the same size now. It’ll get altered slightly, she still has the shoes, and hopefully my brother can take them in his Porsche. All that’ll need paying for is alterations, hair, nails and makeup. It won’t cost us £500, but if you need a new dress and have to get a car it can easily get to that price.

CruCru · 29/12/2019 20:04

It's quite weird to tell people on FB how much a dress cost. Yes, I should think that the people who didn't come close to that just didn't say anything.

stoplickingthetelly · 29/12/2019 20:06

The dresses that the girls at my school vary in price everything from about £50 to way over £500. Plus some have a second dress for the after prom party. We’re in an affluent area and usually someone’s parents hosts it - either massive house or marquee in the ginormous garden. All the girls always look lovely and once they’re all dressed up you can’t really tell who’s spent ££££.

Original poster
knickerthief1 · 29/12/2019 20:07

MamToTeens - the £500 being quoted was just for the dress before all the extras! Clearly I've been living in a bubble...

OP posts:
Original poster
knickerthief1 · 29/12/2019 20:10

CruCru it was a post on a parenting page that's very popular locally. The poster was asking how much she should realistically budget for a prom dress and the consensus was £500. I didn't spend that much on my wedding dress - admittedly that was a few years ago now!

OP posts:
LadyTiredWinterBottom2 · 29/12/2019 20:11

It sounds like bragging rights to me.

CandyflossKid · 29/12/2019 20:13

Yes, a couple of friend's both spent nearly £500 on a prom dress for their daughters - I was glad I'd got sons!
Another friend bought a 2nd hand prom dress for £20 and her daughter looked fab in it!

SeasonallySnowyPeasant · 29/12/2019 20:16

Some people probably spend that much but I bet most don’t. A town near me set up a prom dress library so girls can choose a lovely dress for the evening and just pay to have it cleaned. I think that’s a great idea and takes so much of the pressure off.

1990shopefulftm · 29/12/2019 20:25

keep an eye out on ebay, its a lot about good timing though.

I got a lovely blue second hand lipsy dress for £35 and I managed to resell it for £10 afterwards, it was in 2011 though. my friendship group mostly got dresses from high street sales and shoes we could use again.

user1487194234 · 29/12/2019 20:32

My DDs was 400
Some were more,some less
I was just glad she wanted to go as she is a bit reserved
She looked lovely,not in the slightest bit 'chavvy'

vanillay · 29/12/2019 20:35

My sister is a few years away from prom yet but talking about it already Hmm
Apparently Sherri Hill is the must have designer at her school and they're prices seem to be around the £500 mark
None that of the people I actually know with kids that age actually spent that much though. Usually around the £100 mark and a couple that have spent about £200

clary · 29/12/2019 20:41

DD's yr 11 dress cost £90, bought online; her yr 13 dress was about £60 from Asos. No need to go mad. She looked lovely.

See also: nails, hair, limo, shoes, make up. I did pay for an up do in yr 13 as her hair was really long, but shoes were £15 in New Look and everything else she did herself or got a mate to do.

Boulshired · 29/12/2019 20:47

Now is a good time to buy, I bought DDs from next. The original price was 350 and I paid 75. Safe in the knowledge it was last season so chances of multiple dresses reduced and I could return if she didn’t like. I also added a sequinned sash in case someone else did buy it.

AnnoyingSatsumaInMyStocking · 29/12/2019 20:55

DD has just bought a definite contender from Debenhams sale for £60. It’s just one night.

SentimentalKiller · 29/12/2019 21:01

We found nice Quiz and Monsoon dresses at Debenhams for £80 - £150
Dd picked styles she liked and we bought off ebay for £20. They sell very cheaply and once you have found a style you like and know the size it's pretty safe

jimloop · 29/12/2019 21:26

Dorothy Perkins online have lovely dresses for all sizes.

McFarts · 29/12/2019 21:42

My daughters dress alone was almost 400 quid, she looked and felt a million dollars! not in the least bit gypsy wedding Hmm.

She has Autism, and had an absolutely horrendous time at secondary school, made very few friends her whole time there and at times was bullied relentlessly. If that makes me a mug, then i shall wear that badge with pride! it was worth every penny, to see her looking quite literally the bell of ball. She didn't notice the looks on the other girls faces.....but i did and id have paid £400 for that alone.

malylis · 29/12/2019 21:51

The gypsy wedding thing was a generalisation, didn't get offended. But a load of 16 year old girls with spray tans, too much make up and ott dresses (as many, many proms have) does have a certain look.

lovelyupnorth · 29/12/2019 21:56

In my DDs school all the kids who couldn’t afford it seemed to go nuts on dresses, cars and everything

Ours one cost £50 from the stats. Other a couple of hundred and a friends car.

Some paid a fortune.

Shopkinsdoll · 29/12/2019 21:57

Some of the expensive dresses look horrible. Crying out chav! Then about two layers of fake bake lol then make up that needs chiselled off. I’d say 200 at the top.

Kirigiri · 29/12/2019 22:19

Would Lindybop have anything suitable?

LeithWalk · 29/12/2019 22:31

You also might get something here.

www.stillwhite.co.uk/127591-le-chateau

There is a filter for colours.

Ebay is also fab - 2nd hand designer

madmumofteens · 29/12/2019 22:44

Got my DD her prom dress 3 yrs ago second hand from gumtree worn once for £85 original tags included the parents had paid £365 😱