Prom Dresses

[elgerber]

I know she will have a wonderful evening, filled with fun with her friends, creating special memories. Money cannot buy that. Additionally, she has learned a life lesson from this experience that than money could never purchase. One of compassion and service to others.-- She can't wait to volunteer and help other girls in this situation next year!!

And this is what is important, I'm so glad things worked out so well for your daughter. I'm sure she will feel like a princess at prom!!!

 

[JessB320]

I am the OP in this post and I have to say thanks to those who understand and have responded to the posts about the excess that some people are going to with prom.

I understand that there are all kinds of people in the world, and everyone has a different level and standard of living. But this is the budget board. I was kind of pouring out my heart to look for ideas and help because like any Mother, I would love to be able to give my daughter what she would like for a special night. Despite working as hard as we can, and my husband and I both having good educations and working two jobs right now, at this time in our lives, like many Americans, our financial situation is very rough. I am incredibly grateful to the local area womens club who have stepped up to help young women like my daughter so that despite a difficult financial situation, she has a beautiful dress that she feels beautiful in.

I know she will have a wonderful evening, filled with fun with her friends, creating special memories. Money cannot buy that. Additionally, she has learned a life lesson from this experience that than money could never purchase. One of compassion and service to others.-- She can't wait to volunteer and help other girls in this situation next year!!

And kudos to you OP for raising such a great daughter. I hope her prom is perfect for her, and I have no doubt these lessons will serve her well in life.

 

[sk!mom]

OP, so glad that things worked out so well for your DD and in such an awesome way.

We will shop tomorrow and honestly I can't imagine that we will spend more than $200 for the entire outfit. DD has been looking online and has seen many options around $100. Luckily she is generally easy to fit- at 5' 6" hems are usually perfect and if a dress is ill fitting in some other area we'll keep looking. If the perfect dress is more than say $150 then we'll spend less on shoes. Last year she found the perfect dress at Nordstrom for around $70. She'll do her own hair and makeup. We probably will do a mani/pedi at a salon. They'll go out to dinner before but that will be no more than a normal weekend dinner out and prom tickets are $30 per couple. She'll buy them as her bf goes to a different school and he'll probably pay for dinner. She'll spend around $20 on a boutineer.

We will not even consider dresses out of our budget.

 

[JessB320]

Certainly very different than us. DD could try on a $650 dress and fall in love. I'd hand her tissues to help her with the break-up.

Its official! this is my favorite post of the day, probably of the week, maybe ever!!!

 

[mcraft17]

We are a budget minded family too and to save money I am sewing my dd's prom dress. She actually wanted it that way because she got to design it. Costing me $35 and found a great pair of shoes for $6! Junior and Senior years can get expensive with prom, class rings (got hers from Limoges for $69) so we have to budget accordingly. I can understand people spending a lot of money on prom though (I have family that have spent quite a bit for their daughters) it just isn't in out budget and not sure if it was I would spend tons, but either way I hope that all the girls get to go and have a great and memorable prom!

 

[mcraft17]

Certainly very different than us. DD could try on a $650 dress and fall in love. I'd hand her tissues to help her with the break-up.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

We are a budget minded family too and to save money I am sewing my dd's prom dress. She actually wanted it that way because she got to design it. Costing me $35 and found a great pair of shoes for $6! Junior and Senior years can get expensive with prom, class rings (got hers from Limoges for $69) so we have to budget accordingly. I can understand people spending a lot of money on prom though (I have family that have spent quite a bit for their daughters) it just isn't in out budget and not sure if it was I would spend tons, but either way I hope that all the girls get to go and have a great and memorable prom!

Not to get off topic, but I wanted to say we went with Limoges for DD's class ring this year, too. It was so much cheaper than Jostens and DD was able to pick something a little more dainty which she preferred It turned out very pretty and I think we paid around $60 for hers, too.

If anyone is looking for something similar to where the OP went for her DD's dress I saw listings for some organizations doing that on our local craigslist page so that might be a good place to look.

 

[ceecee]

That's one of the more gratuitously insensitive, hurtful and classist traditions I've heard about in a long time. If my kids' school did that, I'd be raising a stink, no matter what kind of car we drive. Kids whose families don't have a lot already have a hard time, what's the point in highlighting that, other than to be hurtful?

I totally agree!

 

[mndisneylovinmom]

Coming into a thread where the OP and others are struggling to purchase a prom dress for their daughters to brag about the obscene amount of money you wasted on your child is tacky, thoughtless and insensitive.

I see in a further post you still don't get it.

Wow! Talk about Getting your undies in a bunch? I think I will "roll out here" as its pretty obvious we come from very different situations.
You know what they say about being green? Well, probably not since your not familiar with certain terms used in the post.
All I can say is wow. Some people make me roll my eyes, shake my head, and make me wanna walk away without looking back!

 

[mndisneylovinmom]

I am the OP in this post and I have to say thanks to those who understand and have responded to the posts about the excess that some people are going to with prom.

I understand that there are all kinds of people in the world, and everyone has a different level and standard of living. But this is the budget board. I was kind of pouring out my heart to look for ideas and help because like any Mother, I would love to be able to give my daughter what she would like for a special night. Despite working as hard as we can, and my husband and I both having good educations and working two jobs right now, at this time in our lives, like many Americans, our financial situation is very rough. I am incredibly grateful to the local area womens club who have stepped up to help young women like my daughter so that despite a difficult financial situation, she has a beautiful dress that she feels beautiful in.

I know she will have a wonderful evening, filled with fun with her friends, creating special memories. Money cannot buy that. Additionally, she has learned a life lesson from this experience that than money could never purchase. One of compassion and service to others.-- She can't wait to volunteer and help other girls in this situation next year!!

Almost every school in this part of the area has this tradition... Always has, and probably always will. Some kids arrive in a fancy car, classic car, motorcycle, or even s tractor!! The girls are all "dressed up" for 1 night... It's unfortunate rookie took all if this out if context be because they are too insecure and jealous!!

 

[Pigeon]

Wow! Talk about Getting your undies in a bunch? I think I will "roll out here" as its pretty obvious we come from very different situations.
You know what they say about being green? Well, probably not since your not familiar with certain terms used in the post.
All I can say is wow. Some people make me roll my eyes, shake my head, and make me wanna walk away without looking back!

From what you've posted, any emotions you've inspired aren't likely to be jealousy. Having a lot of money clearly isn't correlated with having any class.

 

[jls886]

Wow! Talk about Getting your undies in a bunch? I think I will "roll out here" as its pretty obvious we come from very different situations.
You know what they say about being green? Well, probably not since your not familiar with certain terms used in the post.
All I can say is wow. Some people make me roll my eyes, shake my head, and make me wanna walk away without looking back!

I wouldn't confuse any of the comments as jealousy. As many posters have stated, it isn't that no one can afford the things you have chosen to spend your money on, it is just that they would choose to use that money elsewhere.

This thread was started by a mom trying to make her daughter's prom happen as best she could on as little as possible. Your comments were totally unnecessary and did not contribute to the thread or the OP's situation whatsoever. Telling about yours and your daughter's situation might be appropriate in a thread comparing proms or asking what is done for prom in different areas of the country, etc. Your comments were not appropriate in a thread about how to do prom as cheap as possible. Compared to the other comments in this thread, it definitely did come across as though you wanted to show off and brag about what your daughter is getting to do, compared as to what the OP's daughter is not getting to do. If you can't understand why your comments were not appropriate for this thread...well, I really can't help you there.

ETA: OP, so glad your daughter found a dress! After all, it is not like the $$ that you spent are written all over the dress...all that matters is that she has a great time, no one should really care how much money anyone else is spending anyway. I'm sure she will have a fabulous time, and it sounds like this was a great experience for her overall!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I almost never put anyone on ignore and I don't think I've ever done it before based on one thread, but, that said, there is a time and a place for it.

 

[ManyMinnie]

Wow! Talk about Getting your undies in a bunch? I think I will "roll out here" as its pretty obvious we come from very different situations.
You know what they say about being green? Well, probably not since your not familiar with certain terms used in the post.
All I can say is wow. Some people make me roll my eyes, shake my head, and make me wanna walk away without looking back!

Trust me, I'm not jealous of you.

 

[elgerber]

Almost every school in this part of the area has this tradition... Always has, and probably always will. Some kids arrive in a fancy car, classic car, motorcycle, or even s tractor!! The girls are all "dressed up" for 1 night... It's unfortunate rookie took all if this out if context be because they are too insecure and jealous!!

From what you've posted, any emotions you've inspired aren't likely to be jealousy. Having a lot of money clearly isn't correlated with having any class.

Totally agreed!! As evidenced by this last post above.

 

[pocomom]

We are a budget minded family too and to save money I am sewing my dd's prom dress. She actually wanted it that way because she got to design it. Costing me $35 and found a great pair of shoes for $6! Junior and Senior years can get expensive with prom, class rings (got hers from Limoges for $69) so we have to budget accordingly. I can understand people spending a lot of money on prom though (I have family that have spent quite a bit for their daughters) it just isn't in out budget and not sure if it was I would spend tons, but either way I hope that all the girls get to go and have a great and memorable prom!

We skipped the class ring but I let dsd pick out a ring from the jewelry store. Still not cheap , but in my mind a better value because she wears it all the time , and it is unique and beautiful just like she is!
Girls and boys here do senior pictures with a real photographer (thank goodness I was a photographer!) Then there are various Senior nights for their sports and activities (I mean REALLY I have to buy another new dress for swim team senior night?!? which last for like 30 minutes at the end of the last meet...kids are all dressed up with soaking wet hair) Class rings, yearbook, proms... Junior and Senior year are crazy. I mean we're doing fine financially especially for our area, and it is still tough to fork up the couple hundred here and couple hundred there what seems like every month.... I have no clue how these other parents are managing it...isn't anyone worried /saving for college? 2 years ago, I felt like I always had to be the "bad guy" and say no, pay for it yourself or split with us, or just pick one of these 6 things ....

 

[tinker&belle]

Even though we are nowhere near prom I have been keeping up with this thread. For those of you looking for inexpensive dresses: David's Bridal has dresses on sale as low as around 50 dollars and some pretty ones that are long in the $100 range. We've got several years but I am certainly dreading the teenage years with two girls!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Wow! Talk about Getting your undies in a bunch? I think I will "roll out here" as its pretty obvious we come from very different situations.
You know what they say about being green? Well, probably not since your not familiar with certain terms used in the post.
All I can say is wow. Some people make me roll my eyes, shake my head, and make me wanna walk away without looking back!

That it's not that easy? Seriously, when I read that, I didn't know what you could possibly mean. Luckily, some other posters cleared it up for me. I didn't realize I was supposed to be jealous because our family has different priorities, and we don't expect our children to peak in high school.

As to HS costs--we got lucky with DD in some ways, she didn't want a letterman's jacket or a ring. OTOH, she's gone abroad twice, and is angling graduation trip to Peru for 20 days of community service. So, she's still not a "cheap" kid. For graduation, I'm getting her a necklace with a certain kind of stone, that you can only find in New Hampshire. She wants to travel the world, which I support, but I want her to have a piece of home with her, wherever she goes.

 

[MKCP5]

As to HS costs--we got lucky with DD in some ways, she didn't want a letterman's jacket or a ring. OTOH, she's gone abroad twice, and is angling graduation trip to Peru for 20 days of community service. So, she's still not a "cheap" kid. For graduation, I'm getting her a necklace with a certain kind of stone, that you can only find in New Hampshire. She wants to travel the world, which I support, but I want her to have a piece of home with her, wherever she goes.[/QUOTE]

Much better investments I LOVE the stone necklace idea. MY DD wants to travel the world as well and works incredibly hard towards her dreams. She lives away in the summer as she has an amazing job in another state. Last year for her sweet 16 I got her a set of hand made and hammered bangles from a local artist so she would always have a piece of home with her too!

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

We skipped the class ring but I let dsd pick out a ring from the jewelry store. Still not cheap , but in my mind a better value because she wears it all the time , and it is unique and beautiful just like she is!
Girls and boys here do senior pictures with a real photographer (thank goodness I was a photographer!) Then there are various Senior nights for their sports and activities (I mean REALLY I have to buy another new dress for swim team senior night?!? which last for like 30 minutes at the end of the last meet...kids are all dressed up with soaking wet hair) Class rings, yearbook, proms... Junior and Senior year are crazy. I mean we're doing fine financially especially for our area, and it is still tough to fork up the couple hundred here and couple hundred there what seems like every month.... I have no clue how these other parents are managing it...isn't anyone worried /saving for college? 2 years ago, I felt like I always had to be the "bad guy" and say no, pay for it yourself or split with us, or just pick one of these 6 things ....

I don't know if you have a senior this year or not, but for the posters that do another Diser started a great thread awhile ago on how to save on senior year costs, I'll see if I can find it and give it a bump. My DD's a junior this year and after her I will have two sons graduating two years in a row so I'm looking to save as much as I can!

Here it is: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2996303