School Proms

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Discussion

surveyor

Original Poster:

17,811 posts

184 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
quotequote all
Educate me. They were not a thing when I was young.

Now I keep hearing about needing this and that. My daughter is currently with my wife at a 'prom shop'. Apparently, she has just tried a dress on which is stunning. And £600 which is double the ludicrous budget I had assigned.

This is a bunch of 16-year-olds smuggling in the odd bit of alcohol and having a dance surely?

All seems overkill to my pocket. Perhaps I'm just grumpy?

Do any youngsters want to educate me, rather than browbeat me into submission?


Cold

15,236 posts

90 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
quotequote all
She'll need a decent car in which to arrive at the event, too. Possibly with a group of friends, possibly just her and a chauffeur (you'll do as long as you're dressed smartly - but under no circumstances get out of the vehicle).

PH User

22,154 posts

108 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
quotequote all
Seems like harmless fun, just because you didn't have one doesn't mean that she shouldn't.

If you don't like it then don't pay for it.

surveyor

Original Poster:

17,811 posts

184 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
quotequote all
Cold said:
She'll need a decent car in which to arrive at the event, too. Possibly with a group of friends, possibly just her and a chauffeur (you'll do as long as you're dressed smartly - but under no circumstances get out of the vehicle).
Yes, I'm afraid of this.

PH User said:
Seems like harmless fun, just because you didn't have one doesn't mean that she shouldn't.

If you don't like it then don't pay for it.
That's where I'm at. Given that I've been hung up on it's not popular. And quite likely I will be overruled as I'm not there to be rude and stop the madness.

Radec

3,822 posts

47 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
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They seem to be more common now, another tradition that's made its way over the pond.

You've set a budget which seems reasonable and it's up to them to stick to it.
For something that will be a one time wear, is it really worth paying £600, I'm sure you could buy an even more stunning dress if you up the budget further but where does it end.
A majority of these just end up on Depop/Vinted type sites straight after with people trying to sell them on to recoup some money.

If you can afford it and it stops her kicking off then buy it, if you want to put your foot down then just say no.
It's not like you're asking her to make do with £20 dress from Primark.

Wait till you will have to fork out for her wedding dress if you think it's bad now.

PH User

22,154 posts

108 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
quotequote all
surveyor said:
Cold said:
She'll need a decent car in which to arrive at the event, too. Possibly with a group of friends, possibly just her and a chauffeur (you'll do as long as you're dressed smartly - but under no circumstances get out of the vehicle).
Yes, I'm afraid of this.

PH User said:
Seems like harmless fun, just because you didn't have one doesn't mean that she shouldn't.

If you don't like it then don't pay for it.
That's where I'm at. Given that I've been hung up on it's not popular. And quite likely I will be overruled as I'm not there to be rude and stop the madness.
I would have thought that paying £600 for a dress would be a joint decision between you and your wife if it's also your money.

Bill

52,694 posts

255 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
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£600? Jesus wept! Tell her you'll match whatever she puts in.

brickwall

5,247 posts

210 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
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Bill said:
£600? Jesus wept! Tell her you'll match whatever she puts in.
Not a bad shout.

And get the wife to hopefully steer towards a dress which can be used again for another formal occasion.

Bill

52,694 posts

255 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
quotequote all
yes Come at it from an environmental single use bad perspective.

bigmowley

1,887 posts

176 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
quotequote all
Think yourself lucky. The dreaded “Prom” is popping up everywhere now. Junior school Prom eek, Year 11 Prom, and Year 13 Prom.
What was wrong with the old school disco for gods sake.

Deffo try the environmental angle, might hit a chord.

Smint

1,711 posts

35 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
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I second the idea of choosing a dress that can be altered easily and slightly into something really nice for other events after, hopefully your wife is a dab hand with the sewing machine.

It's the way things are done these days in the surreal world we live in apparently, next thing it'll be a £50k celeb style wedding and hen/stag party's on exclusive islands, so get saving.

Mr.Chips

854 posts

214 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
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As a retired teacher, I remember Proms being introduced at my first school. They initially, held a prom for just Y13 (Upper Sixth form) who were leaving to go to university. It was a great event. Most members of staff would get an invite. Everyone would dress up, the girls would spend a fortune on their dresses, the lads would get an easier/cheaper time, most of them hiring a tuxedo or dinner jacket. The car thing arrived a few years later. At another of my schools, the whole school would go outside and watch the prom pupils being dropped off. There was quite a selection, ranging from supercars through emergency vehicles and on to a tank!
In my last school, the prom was the highlight of the Y11 (Fifth form). However, there were a couple of years when some of the more “challenging” pupils almost spoiled it for the rest. To counter this, we finally decided that prom attendance was conditional on good behavior throughout the year. On one particular year, there was a very special young lady whose atrocious behavior was above the attendance threshold. She was warned, but continued to disrupt lessons and the learning of other pupils. When the prom tickets were given out, the tantrum that erupted from her when she didn’t get a ticket, was impressive. What was more impressive was the way the Head of Year dealt with her parents when they came into school to explain they had spent £500 on a dress and £200 on limo hire. She knew the rules but thought they didn’t apply to her. Tough!
Enjoy it while you can OP. Your daughter is only young once, it’s only money!
wavey

Vasco

16,476 posts

105 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
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Another Yank idea, like Halloween.

Tell your wife to find the money out of her usual housekeeping......

rolleyesbiggrin

HTP99

22,531 posts

140 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
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I don't recall my eldest (29) going to prom, if she did she wouldn't have made a huge thing about it as she was a bit "alternative", knowing her and her mates at the time they would have skipped it and gone up to the park instead, to get pissed!

My youngest (22) did do prom, my mum made her dress and she looked stunning, given the hours involved, the amount of fittings and consultations and the one off design it would have been worth far more than £600.

I'm so glad I don't have kids of that age now though, the whole prom thing and expectation is ridiculous with alot of pressure being put on parents. I've even heard of nursery proms.

PeteinSQ

2,332 posts

210 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
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When did these become a thing over here? I'm 40 and went to an all boys boarding school so funnily enough we never had one. I thought they were an American thing, but I know that they've been around for at least ten years.

My son just started high school so I'm dreading this in five years. At least he won't need a dress (well it will be 2026 so who knows...).

Red9zero

6,830 posts

57 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
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A couple of years ago kids were arriving in helicopters at our local schools prom. After a few complaints from other parents and residents and it went back to flash cars the next year.

Ynox

1,704 posts

179 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
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I had one at the end of secondary school and another after 6th form. Secondary school was in the school hall, a bit crap really but OK. 6th form one was at a 5* hotel in Cardiff and actually pretty good. Both of these are 20 years ago now though and I think they've become a bit more commercialised!

WhiskyDisco

802 posts

74 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
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A mum recently organised the leaving prom for my daughter's year. She booked a venue, and set a date for... a week before the final further maths GCSE. When a few of the other mum's pointed out this error her response was that her daught wasn't doing that subject and neither were any of her friends so it didn't matter!

When I heard about it my response was obviously that it was a daft idea - what was she thinking?!

brickwall

5,247 posts

210 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
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At the end of 6th form we held a “Leavers’ Ball”. The venue choice was pretty much limited to the Grand Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden as they were the only place that’d turn a blind eye on serving drinks to 17 year olds.

Gargamel

14,974 posts

261 months

Sunday 31st October 2021
quotequote all

All these old boys pretending they never had an end of year school disco at the end of the year.

Call it a prom if you like we all had them. I guess a few miseries on here went to all boys private schools…