AIBU to dress up to match my son for his prom?

[MissRaspberryRipples]

Hi there. My son has his high school prom coming up next month as he's 16 and doing his GCSEs at the moment. He's chosen his outfit choices and I've purchased both suits that he liked so he has a choice. He's gone for purple suits which are lovely. I've also purchased myself a lovely purple dress and some nice shoes so that he can have some lovely mum and son photos taken on his special night. I showed them to my partner and all he has said is that they're nice and will look great but why am I making such an effort when it's not even my night? He says it's silly and isn't necessary. He thinks I'm overdoing it on the effort for a night that isn't for me. Is it really unreasonable to want to make the effort or is he just being unnecessarily mean

I don't understand - do you mean a whole special matching outfit to take photos in before he goes out? If so, absolutely no, sorry. If it's for SM, it will be viewed weirdly and it does sound a bit weird. Sorry to be harsh, but it sounds like you're dressing up as his date? That's the only situation I'd think people had matching outfits for proms/photos.

You know he’ll just want to die, right??

But you’re not going to the prom so why do you need this photo for a memory that isn’t yours? Your son will have his own photos. It’s a bit strange tbh.
I like the idea of having a photo before he leaves but the matching is OTT!

Sorry OP this just made me squirm.

I got my DD a t-shirt that matches mine (from a teen and tween range so hers was age 8 and mine age 16). She wore it happily ages 8-9 but there is definitely a limit and that was it!

If she had, just curious, would you have bought a new dress to match for photos too?

If you want your son to be known as "the boy with the weird, creepy mum", then go ahead.

OP, I can see you want to remember this event but the photos should be of him and his friends with maybe random shot of the two of you but you do not need special outfit for him as you are not going. It is not your special night but his. What was DS's reaction to this? My DD would be utterly horrified but equally I have always been clear about where my life ends and hers begins. Very gently, OP, I would not view photos like this on SM positively. I think, in the nicest possible way, perhaps you need to let go. He must be a truly lovely lad not to express how this is not the done thing in no uncertain terms. You've done a good job. Leave him to his rites of passage.

I know your motivation is good OP but just do not do this

Neither of my sons would have stood next to me long enough to get photos and my daughter ........ can't even begin to imagine what she would say had i have done this.

He thinks it's nice that I'm making an effort to look nice for a photo before he goes, I'm not showing up with him at his prom and it's not like I'll never wear the dress again either so it's not necessarily JUST for a photo

There was a mum at my sons prom who did this but she had a daughter. The daughter didn't seem bothered but the mum was definitely trying to be the centre of attention

Everyone else was just in jeans.

Omg yes it will scream look at me! Is his date going to be at yours? Oh god you're not his date are you? I can imagine in 20 years time "DIL hates me since I wore white to her wedding"

⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️ 😆 👏🏻

Desperately hoping this is a joke otherwise we're witnessing the birth of the next generation of MIL's from hell.

The vast majority of us aren't.

Er. No.

He doesn't have a date. Unlike a lot of lads his age he isn't bothered about having girlfriends and no I'm not tagging along to his prom he's going with his friends

I suspect he doesn't want to hurt your feelings.

I'm with your partner I'm afraid.

It sounds utterly mad to me. I think when they are 16 and going to prom your job is to make them feel special, this is his moment so back off.