To ask how much you have/will spend on a prom dress?

[Frouby]

Dds prom is this year. Shes a good kid, works hard and I want to reward her for the effort she will no doubt put in for GCSEs.

Her prom is in July and she has started talking about her prom this summer. Says girls are spending between £300-£500 on dresses, plus hair, make up, nails, shoes, limo etc etc etc.

I didn't spend that much on my fucking wedding dress.

She has also said that they are all shopping for and buying them now ready for July.

I was thinking April/May, mooch round the shopping centre, party frock from Topshop or New Look, some shoes and some new make up,hair put up by normal hair dresser. Drop her off and pick her up myself.

When did it turn into a big £1000 do for 16 year olds? She won't even actually even be quite 16! What if you can't afford it? We live in Yorkshire, in a town massively struggling as it is. How can working class people already struggling afford this? Especially if they have more than 1 dc? In particular dds?

Is dd having my pants down on this or do people really spend 1k on prom night?

Bought one for £4 from a charity shop last week - it's beautiful and vintage so less likely that anyone will be wearing the same :)

@Tellingitlikeitisnt my daughters dress cost £400 it was made by a young UK designer, probably more environmentally conscious than than through away fashion made in sweat shops exploiting people on low wages.

*throw

Honestly there is just no reason to spend more than £100 pounds on a dress. They all look the same, you just cant tell that amount of money has been spent. Quizz has the loveliest dresses for about £60 to £100 and they looked nicer than the ones that were £500 odd. Dont overdo it on hair and make up either, most of them end up orange and you cant recognise them. Its like Dolly Parton said.. "I spend a hell of a lot of money, to look this cheap" .
The ones who do spend a lot and go round telling everyone get talked about....everyone is saying how you cant tell it was that much etc...and how so and so looks nicer.

My DD is in year 9, I better start saving! We live in quite an affluent area so I imagine there will be people spending a massive amount. I think you can hire prom dresses so I will possibly look into that although at the moment DD has a hatred of dresses, I can't even imagine her wearing one!
My DM would have loved to buy (or even make) me a prom dress but my school leaving party was in the 1990s and it wasn't an evening dress type thing although girls did wear Topshop type dresses. I wore a crop top and black trousers, much to DMs disappointment!!

Like others on here I can’t believe how the ‘leavers disco’ has become such a production. No way would I spend that much on a dress for a teenager. I guess expectations have risen massively in the 20 years (sob!) since I left school. Personally I would set a budget of what I am willing to spend and anything else she has to top up herself.

This is a good site to look at. I've got sons so it was, imo, a lot easier when it came to their proms, but DH is in the military so we go to mess dos which I hate. I've had dresses from here, Sexy Her (mentioned up thread) and Quiz.

Between my two daughters they've had four proms. One each at the end of fifth year and one each at the end of sixth year.

For her first one DD1 bought her own dress from her part time wages from Very, for around £35, second prom was the same, but a lady came to the school to take any orders and DDs second dress, made for her for £145. Hair for both was done by my supervisor at work, who was also a hairdresser.

DD2 had both her dresses from Very, at around £40 for each. Her hair was doneby the same lady.

Neither DD had nails done, and they both did their own make up.

I said no way am I spending more than £250 on a dress and that was ridiculous let's find one cheaper.... Spent £420 plus £80 to cut off some of the train...also had to buy expensive shoes cos has weird thin feet and no others fitted, a bag makeup hair photographer after prom outfit she didn't want car as friends dad took them but omg!! She did look lovely though and I know we went overboard and feel guilty and bit sick about it but oh well I have no more daughters!! (Thank god) dress is beautiful hanging in wardrobe was going to sell it never got round to it... There are charities/companies that have donated dresses lovely ones prob worn for about 4 hours max!

Perhaps I should move back to where I grew up. Very small town no hotels nearby so never had a prom and they still don't. They have a prom at school but it's pretty cheap. My sister's stepson went last year. Tickets were £10 and no-one even worse a prom dress. No after party either. However we live in a city so I know we won't get away with anything like that.
I'm hoping my girls decide not to go. It just seems a ridiculous amount of stress and expense for very little reason.

My daughter chose a dress for £60 off asos