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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not have already got a prom dress appointment?!

70 replies

Wombatbum · 23/01/2023 15:11

My daughter said loads of people at school already have dress shop appointments! And one of her friends already has her dress! I’m panicking as I was really hoping I’d be able to get her a dress from a high street shop, am I being naive?! If anyone has some money saving prom tips I’m all ears as I’ve got another leaving school next year too!!! 😩 thanks

OP posts:
kegofcoffee · 23/01/2023 16:30

Wombatbum · 23/01/2023 16:10

Thanks everyone, in her head she’s got the idea of a just below knee length dress, fishnet tights and doc martens, all rock chick looking…I’d prefer her to go with something a bit more mainstream but won’t stop her x

Sounds similar to me and my friends for our prom 15-20 years ago.

We also went to Camden Market and brought our outfits all varying in cost from £200 in Fairy Goth Mother - £10 from a market stall.

If you're near London I recommend it. It'll be a fun day out and you shouldn't be tied to spending hundreds like you would in a prom dress shop.

JosephFrancis · 23/01/2023 16:34

Yes, it's early but my daughter already has her dress!

LimeTreeGrove · 23/01/2023 16:35

lunar1 · 23/01/2023 16:24

One of my friends was telling me about the insanity of prom. Appointment for a dress fitting, where you have to tell them which school so they don't sell you the same dress as someone else!

Apparently the total cost won't give much change from a grand. This looks a a NW state school in a pretty deprived area.

Thank god I have boys!

As you can see from this thread many girls don't spend that amount though. Looking at the photos of my dds prom very few spent lots.

gogohmm · 23/01/2023 16:37

Btw DD's evening gowns (she's a musician) are from ever pretty and chi chi London, both under £50 but look the real McCoy. I shortened them but the cost is about £30 if you can't do it yourself.

Chanel05 · 23/01/2023 16:37

Wow - how things have changed! My prom dress came from eBay many moons ago. 😂

Rainbowgrey · 23/01/2023 16:50

Tell her to look on EMP.co.uk they have some cool stuff. I'd encourage her not to be mainstream, she'll look awesome in her style!

Original poster
Wombatbum · 23/01/2023 16:51

We are in the NW so Camden not an option unfortunately!

A pp asked why I’d prefer something more mainstream… just because I think it gives her more options!

OP posts:
pointythings · 23/01/2023 16:59

@Wombatbum they have a website and their stuff is very good. You get what's in the picture, unlike some of the sites that ship their stuff from China.

My DD1 wore her outfit again to ComicCon when we all went steampunk. It was awesome.

autienotnaughty · 23/01/2023 17:34

My first dd we were not prepared!! Dd wanted to go to the prom shop her friends were all going to. Cheapest dress was £600!! We had left it too late for sales and I wasn't aware of outlets shops. We looked at high street she didn't like anything. In the end a relative made her a dress £185 and she hated it 😩

AIBU123456789 · 23/01/2023 17:37

Dd came home one day from a shopping trip with a dress she stumbled across in a charity shop, it cost £5. She then decided she would buy all her accessories from charity shops too. I think I'm the end the whole outfit was less than £20.

autienotnaughty · 23/01/2023 17:40

The second dd we went to an outlet found a stunning dress for £300 reduced from £900. She loved it.

pointythings · 23/01/2023 17:40

AIBU123456789 · 23/01/2023 17:37

Dd came home one day from a shopping trip with a dress she stumbled across in a charity shop, it cost £5. She then decided she would buy all her accessories from charity shops too. I think I'm the end the whole outfit was less than £20.

It's really worth checking the charity shops. DD1 got her 6th form ball dress from a charity shop - almost a full year before the event, but it was just there and it was perfect, and it was £17 for a dress that was designer. She's still got it and has worn it to formals at university.

Harebrain · 23/01/2023 17:45

Buy online from Chi Chi London. Lovely dresses at a fraction of the cost of “prom” dresses. My daughter wore hers again to a wedding and to another dressy, evening “do”. It’s been through the washing machine 3 times and still looks great.

BuwchGochGota · 23/01/2023 17:46

DD found one in a charity shop. I had to shorten it slightly but other than that it was perfect.

She has balls in the 6th form too, but has 3 similarly sized friends and so far they have just worn each others' prom dresses (with different accessories etc) to these rather than spending on new dresses.

I imagine DD's will eventually be donated back to a charity shop.

AIBU123456789 · 23/01/2023 18:06

pointythings · 23/01/2023 17:40

It's really worth checking the charity shops. DD1 got her 6th form ball dress from a charity shop - almost a full year before the event, but it was just there and it was perfect, and it was £17 for a dress that was designer. She's still got it and has worn it to formals at university.

Show quote history

Yep, she's planning on doing the same for her 6th form from too

Original poster
Wombatbum · 04/02/2023 14:33

Just an update, she decided she wanted to go to try on proper prom dresses in like a bridal shop. She hated every second of it and cried. She feels so self conscious 🥺 she has a lovely figure but just hated it, she lives in baggy clothes. The dresses in this shop were between £350-450!!! It’s absolutely ridiculous. I’m going to take her high street shopping to see what we can find. She says she likes the idea of a sparkly corset and wide legged smart trousers now 🤔

OP posts:
pointythings · 04/02/2023 14:37

@Wombatbum you've got time to find her something that she feels special and comfortable in. At my kids' proms there was a massive range of outfit types, she'll fit in no matter what and a big princess dress is not required.

gogohmm · 04/02/2023 14:41

I saw in the mall a corset top with netted knee length skirt very rock chick (red and black for £110 last month. It was in a discount dress shop, can't remember the name but I think it's a chain, or might have been in quiz (they are next door to each other), I loved it for me, thought it would be amazing on a cruise with my docs rather than the stuffy dresses women wear. Look online at the 50's vibe dresses, some may be perfect with the fishnets

jellybeanteaparty · 04/02/2023 15:32

If anyone is in Berkshire a charity called the cowshed has a prom dress service for those that cannot afford to get one (they have a huge range and amazing dresses and mimic the bridal shop experience) They also sometimes sell them off for charitable funds to help with all their programmes.

Hbh17 · 04/02/2023 15:44

My niece had a gorgeous halter neck jump suit - I think it cost about £30. She has never been a frilly frock kind of girl. She looked great on the night and, as a bonus, has been able to wear the jumpsuit since. Tbh I think her & her friends would have been quite dismissive of traditional prom dresses - they enjoyed being a bit nerdy and different.

Original poster
Wombatbum · 04/02/2023 15:46

gogohmm · 04/02/2023 14:41

I saw in the mall a corset top with netted knee length skirt very rock chick (red and black for £110 last month. It was in a discount dress shop, can't remember the name but I think it's a chain, or might have been in quiz (they are next door to each other), I loved it for me, thought it would be amazing on a cruise with my docs rather than the stuffy dresses women wear. Look online at the 50's vibe dresses, some may be perfect with the fishnets

That sounds amazing!

OP posts:
Original poster
Wombatbum · 04/02/2023 15:47

Hbh17 · 04/02/2023 15:44

My niece had a gorgeous halter neck jump suit - I think it cost about £30. She has never been a frilly frock kind of girl. She looked great on the night and, as a bonus, has been able to wear the jumpsuit since. Tbh I think her & her friends would have been quite dismissive of traditional prom dresses - they enjoyed being a bit nerdy and different.

She has mentioned a jumpsuit too x

OP posts:
megletthesecond · 04/02/2023 15:50

Have you tried to book a limo / transport yet? Me and DS's friends mums appear to have just got one by the skin of our teeth.

trulyunruly01 · 04/02/2023 15:51

We used jjshouse online. We used their alterations service as dd is a shortarse and it fit perfectly.

Forestdweller11 · 04/02/2023 15:54

Another one here suggesting vinted. £12.50 for a lovely immaculate Monsoon ling bridesmaid type dress that fits like a glove.