Prom queens

What do you think of prom-night spending? Is it an obscene waste of money? Or do you think these girls deserve a night to remember? Why do you think there’s so much peer pressure?

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Comments

[Jo]

Our daughter had her prom last April and we looked at a lot of dresses, before deciding to hire one. It cost £70 and there was so much choice of styles and colours. They also hired jewellery and she chose a tiara to go with her dress. Her prom date gave her a lovely corsage and she looked gorgeous on the night. Some of her school friends clubbed together and hired a Routemaster bus to get to the prom, as so many of them wanted to arrive together and there is competition to arrive in unusual vehicles. Overall we didn't spend that much, I think it is mad to spend thousands on dresses and accessories for only wearing once in your life. Your big spend should be on your wedding.

[Hannah Field]

I had my school prom a couple of years ago - the same glitzy scenario as the girls in last week's Fabulous mag, with many of my friends spending hundreds of pounds on dresses, shoes, accessories, transport etc.

I, on the other hand, am lucky enough to have a mum who is amazing at needlework, and I managed to persuade her to make my prom dress. It was emerald green, and I couldn't find any this colour in any shops. In total, with a matching bag made by mum, family jewellery, clever spending and use of a relative's sports car, we spent less than £60. And I would be prepared to bet that I got a lot more comments about my unique, perfectly fitting outfit than most of the people who spent ridiculous amounts of money on theirs!

[ellen rayns]

I was personally shocked, and behalf of the un-spoilt and realistic teenage girls of today I would like to point out that no people won't "laugh at you if you wear the wrong dress" and you don't "have to push the boat out to be noticed". It's not what you wear, but how you wear it. I didnt spend £100 on my prom this year, and still had an amazing time. I think me and my friends looked just as nice as the girls in last weeks issue.

(my dress £50, Spray Tan £20, I did my own hair and make up and my jewelry cost around £5 from topshop as is was in the sale.)

[Christine Foster]

I was horrified to read how much money was spent on prom dresses. Fortunately my school had end of term discos, which allowed pupils to dress up but not to the extremes these pupils and parents have gone to. What about the kids who's parents cant afford such extravagances, how will they feel?

[Glenda Grattan]

i couldnt believe when i read your article on prom queens the lenghts that people go to, espically that one girl who's family sent her to australia to pick her dress. I was bridesmaid for my friend in 2006 and my dress was the exact same as hers, even down to the colour. It was bought from a shop no more that 25 miles from our home town in Northern Ireland, and was not expensive!!

[Lauren Sharpe]

WOW! I had my prom over a year ago now, and all of the fun was choosing and buying the dress and having a laugh there!!I had an amazing night at my prom and only spent just over £100, To almost £2000 on a prom is stupid!!
The idea of the night is not to make yourself get noticed but to let your hair loose after 5 years at high school!!

[freya cann]

I think that over-spending on prom outfits is a thing that should be avoided, rather than encouraged. no wonder many find themselves in debt. it will be many years until my prom but even now I plan not to spend over £100. even then, I won't buy many new things.

[carole]

proms are really special and as I had had one in 2006 I wanted Jenny to have that special night. Picking the dress took me two years it just had to be right. Yes you do feel a pressure to get things right on the night. But it was a night to remember one that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

[Janet Weaver]

I read your article relating to prom queens and find this quite sad to believe that girls spend so much money on a dress for the evening - I have just recently made my 18 year old daughter Lauren a prom dress that has cost me just £17.00 which includes the fabric and a Vogue pattern in which she will be wearing with pride on the 25th June 2008.The dress is lovely - just what she wanted - the colour - the design - a personalised accessory - (a jewel from an old broken earing that she fell in love with!) the size and a few minor alterations to suit the younger fashion industry (less darts at the waist's side and a few tricks to keep the look slim & simple).One great feature to share with others is the fact that the dress will also get its full use as I will be shortening the prom dress after the event in order for my daughter to wear this on weekends and other occasions that suits her.The best thing about making your own clothes is the fact that no one else will have the same dress- you can also customise items to suit the fashion industry and promote re-cycling opportunities for others too! I also have the added satisfaction that the pattern will be well-used - others have asked me to make them a prom dress too which can be an incentive to gain a new career or a second income if need be.
Young women should focus on considering making their own clothes if they have the opportunity & skills to do so as surely this is a stress free solution to all the facts about young women panicing - worrying and most importantly spending so much un-neccesary money that quite often most average girls do not have that kind of money to spend anyway.I will send you a photograph of Lauren's dress after the event in order for others to share their comments.
From: Janet Weaver South Wales

[Jenny Nagar]

Im 15 and have had my prom a month ago before our exams.
The pressure was on money wise, most of my friends on the journey to having our prom thought it was really expensive, i remeber in class talking about how many things im going to have to buy. Girls do feel more pressure , maybe not peer pressure. Girls feel the pressure of looking amazing for that one night , over doing them selves in a sophiscated way that makes them feel special and unique.
From head to toe girls are worrying what to do to make themselves feel that confidence to strut when they walk out of the vehicle.
In that one night, i can tell you no-one will ever forget,its so memorable that even 2 months after you will still be looking at your photos thinking ' wow i cant belive it's all over'.
I can guarantee you that even though most of the girls feet will be swolen from wearing their heels (maybe for the first time),you will feel proud to know that this one night is what we have been looking forward to since the first day of high school.

[briony mansell]

hayy,
loved the collum (meet the prom queens issue 21)
the girls really did look stunning but they all apart from one spent alot of money on simple things that could have been
alot more cheaper if they had gone to the right places
briony
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Lauren Hogg]

The money that is spent on this one night is way too much,young people think that they should get everything that they want.
It's like a trial run of a wedding with everything that is spent.
There's plenty of other ways to have fun without spending so much.
It's disgusting that everything has become so commercialised!

[Sec]

my prom was the best night ever!1

[El]

prom night is great

[Emily Hamer]

Hello i am a 16 year old student and my prom is coming up in around two weeks. I was reading about the 3 girls in the mag and talking to people i know about prom and they seem to have spent so much money and even time looking for all the things they need. Like i literally bought the first dress i found at tk maxx for £20 and i like it. My shoes cost £25, bag £12, necklace, braclet and earring were £20. Hair will cost me about £15 and i will just do my makeup and nails my self. The actual prom meal cost me £28, so overall have cost me just a bit more then £100. Which is quite good as most people dress was 4 times as much as that. I have even paid for most of the things my self, but my family has paid for some bits. I would just feel cheeky asking my mum to buy me a £500 dress or £300 for extensions. If she did buy me them i would just feel guilty and spoiled her wasting lots of money on a dress that i will never wear again. For some people i find it quite attention seeking that they all are paying so much money for everythink. It's just like a competion between people. Who has spent the most money? Who has the best dress?. All of them just wanting to stand out and look better then everybody else and be indivual. But they don't realize that when they go they will just all look the same. Like everyone will be wearing big princess dresses and have simalar hair and makeup to everyone else. It's not really a prom like the americans have it's more just like a leaving meal and it's just gone way over the top. In my school prom means a lot to most people and they are non stop talking about it. But i think the most important thing is saying goodbye to everyone as it is the last time you might see somebody. It's not all about what we look like, although that is important. But why do you have spend so much money, i do think i look nice in my dress and mine was only £20. I do feel sorry for these girls who think they have to spend all the money to think they look nice.

[Kendal Pierce]

I just had my school prom a few weeks ago, i think that you dont have to spend an obscence amount of money to feel and look amazing.

Im 17 and i don't rely on my parents for money. I work, so i didnt have that amount of money to spend on an expensive dress and jewelery etc.

I got my prom dress for £12 from Primark, i altered it myself to make it longer an more of a cocktail style dress and i felt great. I didnt have to buy new shoes or jewelary.

In total i must have spent less then £70 the whole night. The ticket was £25 which included a three course meal at a local hotel beside the beach and a bus home afterwards.

Maybe i didnt feel i had to spend so much money because our prom wasnt as lavish and big as some others have been, it was formal and all the males wore either Kilts or tuxedos. It was relaxed and i think it was better that way. There was no pressure on anyone to outshine anyone. There was no king and queen announced, so there wasnt the feeling of competition.

Theres nothing wrong with spending alot of money if thats what you want to do, but i think you can feel and look as good in something inexpensive as you would if you splashed out alot of money.

As long as you have a good time, it doesnt matter how much you spend right?

[Amy Collins]

Hi, im Amy,14 and i got home from a day out, sat down and was so amazed in what i read about Kelly Knox,23. she sounds just like me i have the same disability as her and hate when people call me 1 arm its 1 and a half i say. but i have a little hand on the end and use to my elbow i can use my elbow but not my hand. the false arms are to heavie, look horrid all what Kelly said i think she is amazing i wish i had as much confedence as her.

[Lolli]

There is a lot of pressure on girls to look their best for their prom, which means spending obscure amounts of money on dresses.
I think it's a shame as proms are meant to be fun and a time to reflect on leaving school and starting new lives as men and women, but instead its wasted on children fretting that their dress isn't good enough.

Oh,and i'm sure you can have a night to remember without breaking the bank!