Discussion
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?
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 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.If you don't like it then don't pay for it.
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.
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.
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.If you don't like it then don't pay for it.
Come at it from an environmental single use bad perspective.
, Year 11 Prom, and Year 13 Prom.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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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...).
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...).
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!
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?!
When I heard about it my response was obviously that it was a daft idea - what was she thinking?!
They've been going on for at least 20 years now, gramps.
Limousines used to be required, but about 10 years ago you could turn up in anything with a badge or a convertible. I was driver for my brother in my Alfa Romeo GT.
£600 is a lot for a dress for one night. Maybe you can find something she can use again on a similar occasion?
Limousines used to be required, but about 10 years ago you could turn up in anything with a badge or a convertible. I was driver for my brother in my Alfa Romeo GT.
£600 is a lot for a dress for one night. Maybe you can find something she can use again on a similar occasion?
PeteinSQ said:
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...).
I’m going with 1989. That was 5th year for me and we were the first year to have a ‘prom’ no doubt inspired by the a storyline in Grange Hill that year! (Ginger-haired, entrepreneur Gonch decides to organise an American style prom). The school had one every year after that. Whether this was the same in other parts of the country, who knows. Anyway it was pretty tame by today’s standards. Held in the school hall, no fancy cars. 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...).
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