GCSEs 2018 (3)

[mmzz]

Following on from:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3113917-GCSEs-2018-2

Thanks Stickerrocks We dont have a local prom/wedding shop as such because the catchment area of the school is about 25 miles in each direction ...we did visit a lovely prom dress shop before Xmas but dd was overwhelmed by the choice - the dresses were lovely but also pricey. I just want to find a dress she loves and a dress that will not be duplicated - which is not going to be easy! She is going on cruise with dad in July and me in April 19 so she would get to wear it more than once.

We bought a prom dress today too (or rather collected the click & collect order). It was from Quiz & was £70. Very expensive for something she will only wear once (although it may come in useful for the senior balls) but she loved it.

Alexander - DD tried a dress on from Lipsey before Xmas and loved it - would be the easy option but I know one of her friends has chosen same colour dress - one of DD's friends has also purchased a dress from Quiz ... I didnt know whether to go somewhere like Bicester Village Outlet although allot of the stores are designer and whilst outlet still very pricey-although less chance of duplicate dress.

Would a duplicate dress be so terrible? As long as it was a different colour or you aren’t size 16 standing next to a size 10...

What about those websites that sell duplicates of the latest Hollywood glamour dresses?

Maybe I’ll drop out of this part of the discussion as I clearly don’t understand what matters.

Teenmum personally I'd go for the Lipsey dress, I don't expect her friend's dress will be exactly the same shade and if it is they just stand at either end for photos, that will balance out lovely!! Once they have hair , make up and accessories they will all look very different even if they are wearing the same dress!! plus once the evening gets underway and they all have a few drinks no one cares about anything.......or was that just DD and her friends

[Mmzz] - I think it does tend to matter - its a girl thing although sometimes dresses in a different colour sometimes dont look the same !

I thought about your DS yesterday and not sure where you live but one my acquaintances daughters went to Kings Maths school in London (I assume there must be others Maths schools around UK) and this would probably be ideal for your DS although I think they dictate which A level subjects you take - her DD is now at Oxford (she was the first in take at the school when it opened). Although mum was also an Oxford graduate.

Just wondering whether I can forget Maths revision for the time being given that DD has finished syllabus and all they are doing now going forward is covering past topics which the girls suggest and she does Maths after school which gives her "some" individual attention. Would rather DD concentrate on sciences and history at the moment.

Stickerrocks velodrome! DS would love to have an opportunity to go in one, nothing like that round here, he has to make do with the roads and his mountain bike(which i prefer as its safer than the roads!!)

Well my dgd prom Dress will be one we can afford, can't be bothered whether someone else turns up with same one as school pupils come from Across 2 counties and unless I go to everyone attending asking what dress they have got just in case they have the same one I think its a lot of nonsense. And unfortunately depending on the cut of the dress she may even have to have a size 16 (usually a 12/14) just to accommodate her huge boobs and swimmers shoulders! Size is not an issue for her simply because its not an issue for her friends who are not so big as her. Not everything is about size. We just want her to look beautiful and will get her hair done professionally and also her make- up and she will look stunning ( in our eyes anyway.)

I agree Sostenueto the secret is to dress to flatter and enhance your assets (whatever they might be) and you will look stunning no matter what shape or size.........wasn't Marilyn Monroe a size 16

All those years of being a butterfly champion certainly can change your physique!

Exactly bluebelle. Dgd not fat but sizes vary do much! Her wardrobe consists of items 10-14 so we can't actually just order a size and hope it fits. She's not that tall as her mum is only 5' 3" anyways! We will nosey on down to quiz and a few other shops in the malls in the city over easter as we have to save up for it first! Failing that I may get my friend to make her one ( was a proffesional seamstress). As you rightly say she will look beautiful bluebelle

Sostenueto she will look amazing, I'm sure!
Apart from the right brand of trainers and some concern about his hairstyle, DS is unlikely to be troubled about clothes this summer. I think there is a Y11 party but not a prom!
He's trotted off today to an art prep exam workshop. He does actually seem to have thought through his final piece but you have to show lots of steps for getting there so hopefully it'll be useful.
Realised yesterday he has some photos still to add to one of his art projects - which means adding some sketches from them, saying what's learned and doing another 'final' piece. That'll be a weekend filled up!

Good luck to all with Prom dress shopping - sounds like there are some bargains out there. I will have Prom dress shopping 3 years' time with dd. I am hoping ds will go to his prom - however he won't be worried about what he wears.

What transport will they have to get to the Prom?

More mocks coming up at the end of the month - English Lit, History and Maths. Ds says German as well. Ds is keen to try exam questions - his Geography department put up a great suggestion called Power Hour where they look up an exam question, research, then answer it rather than reading through notes/cards for the sake of it.

Fingers crossed for ds, it looks like a clear day in Iceland, they may be in luck tonight and see the Northern Lights...I am really not ....!

I think size is irrelevant ....dd was the opposite of your DD Sostenueto and was under the school nurse for 12 months until they realised that she had always been super skinny and was putting on weight - she is a size 8-10 now but was a size 4-6 for years 8/9 and part of year 10 until her periods started. I just want DD to feel happy with what she's chosen to wear and have a lovely evening.....I am sure your dgD will look wonderful Sostenueto.

I think the pricy bridal shops perpetuate this can’t be the same dress myth. Dd is wearing similar colours but a very different style to her best friend.

Dd’s School is very small (30 in her year) so two in the same would be noticeable but in a typical 100 kids secondary not an issue.

Also dd’s Is an online exclusive so a different colour to the one in the shop. Worth checking out as you can do click & collect then try on.

Sneak preview

One of my "things to do" is see the Northern Lights.....When I took redundancy from the bank I took DD to Lapland and we did a Northern Lights experience on snowmobiles (but no lights to be seen) but I drove a pack of huskys whilst we were there which was a wonderful experience.

Not sure about transport - ....one of Dd's friends lives about 5 minutes walk from the school along the river so I think they may just walk over and have some photo's taken by the river (unless weather is awful!). The event is in school ...

Teen I'm taking DD on a cruise in July & April 2019 as well. What a coincidence. That's why everything remotely posh I get for DD these days is black, to cover more then one of their gala dinner themes!

Alex Wow! Sost DD has an "athletic" build, tried on a backless size 12 frock which displayed far too much and ended up with the same frock in a 6! Lipsy & Quiz both seem to be popular choices around here too. Some kids in DD's school are fabulously wealthy whereas some rely on foodbanks in the school hols. I honestly don't think they give a monkeys how much their dresses costs as long as they go with their friends and look lovely for the photos, but there is definitely a confidence thing going on where they don't want to turn up in the same style or colour as someone else, which I can understand. DD's group have all compared notes as they've bought just to check.

Bluebelle We are incredibly lucky that DD can channel her inner Laura Trott! We have one of around 6 indoor velodromes virtually on the doorstep, but some people travel for a couple of hours to use it. She was accidentally training with a former British champion a few weeks ago and her little legs simply couldn't keep pace with lots of MAMILs. They tend to put her at the back or front of the drills. Are you within touching distance of London, as anyone can use the Olympic Velodrome?

That is funny Stickerrocks - she is away with dad in July - Fjords. Then I'm taking her away on a Med Cruise in April...Last year was the first time her dad had taken her abroad and he really loved the cruise so its great that it works for them both (they have done caravan holidays in UK together which again they have enjoyed). Travel is my one weakness and since DD was four I have taken her away at every opportunity...cheaper to fly abroad than catch a train in the Uk....we only started cruising 3 years ago but both love it.

Dress looks gorgeous Alexander !

8th for Fjords? We're doing Iberia not the Med in April though. 6th form hasn't released their Easter holiday dates yet and I'm fretting a bit.

The 28th...with RCL. We are away Easter Sunday I'm also fretting because we chose a new ship which has its inaugural cruise the week before...the cruise line is Mediterranean rather than US/English and I know we are probably going to get lots of teething problems and the service will be "different" to the smiley US service - where anything is possible ....but there are 20 of us going so the company will make up for any shortfalls.

Not snap then! Everything will be fine if they've had a week to fix it.

alexander that dress is definitely the one

stickerrocks London wouldn't be doable and quite frankly I feel like my life revolves around DS and all his sport as it is, so the thought of travelling to London as well would definitely push me over the edge......but you have given me a really good idea for a birthday present