How much did your 16yo spend on their prom dress?

[SpongebobNoPants]

I have no idea how much these dresses cost but we’ve been asked to pay £500 towards SD’s prom outfit which seems really excessive?
Her dress alone is £500

When DP expressed some surprise (and announce to be honest) at the cost he was told everyone spends that much?
Are we just old and out of the loop or is this excessive?

Very mixed answers out there I think you will find . We gave my dd a budget of £300 for prom . She over spent on Tne dress but managed to chip in herself and got her grandparents to add in . I was really against the dress at that money but she was very under confident and after trying on about 40 dresses some a lot more some a lot cheaper this was the one . She borrowed a bag did her own hair make up and nails, bought very cheap shoes . Persuaded me and another mum to take and fetch so no transport costs.
Did I think it was the right way to spend the money ? No I did not but she said she felt amazing . To add to this the reason she got such a high budget was she had spent virtually nothing on clothes for years ( 1 or of 7 yr old shoes was all she had ) I suggested she did prom on the cheap and bought a new wardrobe . She is still wearing those 7 yr old shoes now !

If you have got it lots will spend it and more , if you haven’t offer what you think is reasonable .it can easily be done for under £100 all in or less if need be .

Dd1 prom dress £80, shoes £40 and a friend put her hair up, this was 4 years ago.
Dd 2 prom dress £120, never got to buy shoes or anything else as prom never happened, this was last year.

I remember going to a posh dress shop and spending hundred plus alterations. I would never have expect my mum spent that much looking back now.

My wedding dress actually cost the same as my prom dress in the end.

However, there are lovely dresses online now for quarter of the price. ASOS comes to mind! We never had those when I had prom 11 years ago!

I never had a prom, but I borrowed a dress for my wedding and did my own hair and make up, and used a pair of shoes I had already.
The huge expectation of all this fuss for Prom does my head in.

My DD dress was from Monsoon, it was in the same so around £80, from memory (two years ago). Shoes and bag probably another £50. Nails and eyelashes £50. I am good at doing hair, so did that for her. So in total around £200.

A few of her friends had £500+ dresses. They were too scared to dance and join in the fun incase it got stood on etc.

My DD danced all night, had a total blast. Her dress returned home scrunched in a ball following an after prom party. It was washed in the bath, dripped dry on the line and has hung in my room ever since!!

I would not recommend spending £££'s on a prom dress. They are in it for a no more than a few hrs.

*sale

£80 from a designer outlet, then almost immediately on Ebay where it sold for £40.

8 years ago now. My sister got hers custom made as my parents gave us both hobbit genes 🤦🏼‍♀️😂. At initial appointment was quoted 200... by the time it was made they wanted 1000 for alterations, fancier fabrics etc
Im sure she would have wanted limo, shoes, purse, nails done, hair done... she didn’t ask for any of that after the final visit to the dress store.

We were all pretty shocked and I don’t think mum ever told dad how much it was.

A few years ago now. It my dd's was £75 plus hair etc cam to about £150 all in.

DD's prom was 4 years ago. She tried on loads of dresses circa £200-£300 , but could not decide. In the end she wore the bridesmaid dress I had worn 20 years before. Bloody bargain

We don’t have proms where I live so I’m not familiar with them so just how does a family who’s struggling provide all what’s needed for the occasion plus 150 pounds for tickets.

Around £30. Spent ages going round nearest big city and closer to home trying way more expensive dresses in boutiques, etc but she much preferred one she got online from somewhere like Boohoo or Asos. £500 wasn’t even considered, think we had an upper limit of £200-£250. Was 4 years ago.

Day ceremony dress was £40 from one of my grandmother’s catalogues. I wore a pair of shoes I already owned.
For the evening dinner my mum paid £250 for my dress and £145 for my shoes from a high end high street store.

I did my own hair and makeup.

This was 15 years ago.

That's great obscene.

Please people stop doing this to our kids

I can't believe you people pay this for your kids. Maybe up artist? It's not their bloody wedding

You have more money than sense

My daughters friend employed a photographer to follow her round all day as she got ready and then ‘arrived’ at the venue!
Many pay for cars and buses, tractors and the like on top

Don’t forget the pre prom party with champagne and arc of pretty balloons for the photo shoot!!

Then the after party outfits, alcohol abs late night taxi home!!

Those ever pretty dresses on Amazon look lovely! If I ever go to a ball I'm getting one! Or if daughter wants a prom dress, or is a bridesmaid or just one to wear around the house....( I really want one now! )

My daughter reused the bridesmaid dress she wore for her cousin's wedding. Her cousin paid for it. The second prom she went to, after her 'A' levels, she got off of eBay for about £12.

Like £50? ASOS have loads of lovely dresses of different styles.

I spent £200 online last night after spending the past couple of weekends trawling the three local towns to us and finding nothing. It's been a crap year and this dress isn't specifically 'prom' so she could wear it again. Shoes - converse high tops, hair she'll do herself and make up, she probably won't bother with more than a flick of mascara - she's not into that sort of thing. Still waiting to hear what will happen though, if June 21 doesn't allow for easing of full lockdown, it may yet be cancelled. In which case she and her friends will get dressed up, go to McDonalds and have their own party (and probably enjoy it more!)

I'm dreading this next year. Dresses that costs hundreds seem to be par for the course. I was interested to hear there's a local charity that loans prom dresses to kids from low income families which we are but the rental fee is still £50!

If that's what those in need are expected to spend then what on Earth is everyone else doing?!

£60 from Quiz

@MoiraNotRuby

£500 is not a rare/unusual amount to spend but it doesn't matter what anyone else spends. What matters is your SD's relationship with her dad - especially in this pandemic year when her dad is getting remarried.

What has her Dad getting married got to do with the price of a prom dress? We don't know how long they've been divorced for, how long the OP has been in a relationship with her father - it may be longer than he was married to her mother! The fact the prom dress is £500 - more than the OP's wedding dress, is telling - especially in this pandemic when many have lost financial security. His ex has no right to spend his money for him without consultation - that's just setting him up to fail and is cruel.

I find it really strange that young women, and apparantly their parents, thinks it's necessary to spend in the hundreds to look beautiful. Most of them would look beautiful whatever they wore. It's a horrendous waste of money to gild a lily, and does set young women up to think their appearance is something they need to throw a lot of money at.

DD found a beautiful burnt orange dress on Depop- £27!!

I wouldn't spend anymore than £100 on a prom dress, crazy!