Prom season is here with us again!
I don’t think I am all that old, but when I was growing up and in Secondary school, I did not know anything about ‘prom’…..never even heard the word. We did our five years and then there was a proper graduation, gown and all. There was no prom, no party, no nothing!
I’ve come to accept however that it is ‘the thing’ now. I’ve also come to understand that it is pretty darn expensive to fork out for prom. I also don’t want to be seen as a grumpy, mean mom, so I will indulge and let my teenager have a blast at prom. One thing I will not forget though and that is that I am a frugalista. So, yes she will look the part, but it will be at a fraction of the cost.
So, what is there to consider?
The dress
The shoes
The bag
Transport to the venue
The hairdo
Miscellaneous items
The Dress
Perhaps the biggest expense is the dress/suit. There are some classy numbers available which transform the girls into beautiful young swans. My advice is to scout out places where you can buy dresses, even if it overseas. I am in no way advocating traveling abroad just to buy a dress. What I mean is, in the months prior to the big date, if you are away overseas on holiday, then you might want to check out the possibility of buying the dress/suit there. This is a good option because prom is held at different times of the year in different countries so you might be lucky to get one when they are reduced in price because the prom season is over.
Another option for the dress is online shopping. My daughter was worried about this option because she says: ‘you don’t always get what you pay for’. However because there is so much now in favor of buyers, I think it is worth taking the gamble and returning the item/items if they do not meet with your approval.
Undoubtedly you would have heard of the little black dress. Right? Well now, following in that tradition, there are many little dresses of various colors that are just plain. With a bit (or a lot) of imagination, you can bling them up so they play the part. There are lots of examples of things you can do to make them more attractive. Check Pinterest for some really cool classy examples. Also if you have a market near you, you can find amazing embellishments that you can use to bling up clothes.
One thing I must warn you against is buying your first choice! Don’t, you will almost certainly come to regret it! Shop around. Another mistake not to make is to go shopping on your own! That is a big no-no. Their (teenagers’) taste in terms of styles is going to be different from ours so be sure to take them shopping.
The Shoes
Well, here is where the sky is definitely the limit. These can be quite expensive as well. Some of the same considerations for the dress apply here too. You really should not go for the most expensive. In my experience, these shoes are worn on this one occasion and then never again. So save on the cost. You can see the ones that my daughter chose to go with her silver and black dress for prom. They were in a sale in a shop frequented by teenagers. So we were definitely in the right place. They had been reduced from £25.99 to £12.00. What a bargain! They come plain as you can see. Well, being the bling queen’s daughter, she decided that together we could bling them up. We used accessories we already had at home in our craft supply and played around with various designs. See also the finished look that is amazing with her dress.
The bag
These are also usually expensive but deals are there to be had so shop wisely! Again, be sure to have the darling/s there with you. Usually, they don’t want anything too big. Mostly just a holder for their phone is all they want. At proms I’ve been to, I have seen bags just left on tables or chairs. Sometimes the young people return home without said bag. So my suggestion is, don’t buy one that is too expensive.
Transport to the Venue
Mom’s car certainly won’t do here so don’t even suggest it! Hummer, convertibles, horse and carriage, limousine and the like are what these young people want as their preferred mode of transport for prom. If you have friends who have nice cars, then you might want to ask early enough if they can take your child to the prom. Yes do pay, but it might be less than if you had to hire a vehicle out outright from a company.
The Hairdo and other miscellaneous items
Before the prom, get your young person to think off all the possibilities of what they might want for prom in addition to those mentioned earlier. Some might want special hair accessories, belts, suspenders or dyes or special creams and brushes or makeup. Check out what is needed so that they are not disappointed on the big day. The girls might want to try the hairstyle before the big event to see if it will ‘suit’ them. Whilst this can be an added expense, you might be able to save on this by having someone you know, (who is good at hairdressing) do the required style on the day. An even better idea is to have a prom rehearsal day where they try out hairstyles and makeup on each other. Usually, these teens are great at this and yours might get the hair and makeup done by a friend for free.
So prom is an exciting time. For our young people these days, it marks the culmination of 5 years of hard work. Let it be an enjoyable memorable experience for them but also a money saving adventure for you. Feel free to share your own tips for making prom not as expensive as it usually is.
Prom dresses
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