When did High School Homecoming become like the Pre-Prom?

[rcpae]

I am being reminded daily that I'm not a spring chicken anymore. I now have a daughter that is a junior and another daughter that's a freshman. They both would like to go to homecoming this year. The freshman has a boy that has asked her and my junior would possibly like to go with a group of friends. Since we have just started browsing dresses, I'm considering myself VERY lucky that my junior may be going for the first time.

YIKES! The prices of homecoming dresses! They are much dressier than what I remember for a homecoming dance....although that was now 20 years ago. When did this become dressier?

 

[Disneycrazymom]

That is kinda funny because I thought just the opposite. In the olden days when I was in high school we always wore long formals to homecoming. At DS school the girls wear short but "fancy" dresses. They all look so cute! I know I get off easy as he has a suit so just a new shirt and tie to match his girlfriends dress and we are good to go! Even if he needs a new suit I know he will wear it all year for dress days at school and the winter dance too.

 

[gator75]

That was going on when i was in high school ,and i went to a cvery small school. looking back at the pictures you could have swore it was the fall version of the prom, but the dress makers see it as oppertunity to make money ,and they will take advantage of that. by the way i hope your daughters have fun as i'm sure they'll look very pretty.

 

[MichelleVW]

Really? I think homecoming dresses are WAYY cheaper than prom dresses. You can go to Rave, or Deb's and find a cute sparkly dress for under 50 bucks usually.

 

[FINFAN]

I thought this post was going to be more about the pre event of *asking* the date to the dance...outrageous accts of love, lol....I mean, kids trialing rose petals up to the girls room, leaving hershey kisses on the bed..ummmm, they are 15! Renting electronic signs to have in front of the school, house wherever, getting radio stations to ask on air..it is nuts. I have a DS who is a Junior and woudl like to go this year, but he is probably way out of his league in playing up to pre prom stuff.

 

[We_Love_Disney]

I have to say, I think it is due to 1. advertising by the dress stores and 2. girls trying to one up each other and parents getting caught up in it.

Sure, you can drop $50 bucks at Rave look like a knockout then the tickets are about $15 or so per person, and then they can all stand around a smelly gym that has been outfitted with colored toilet paper. One very expensive evening when it could be a school dance with what we used to call "Sunday" clothing and less pressure.

 

[FINFAN]

I just remember DD setting $45 a month aside her senior year for Prom...yep $450 of her money to cover the dress, hair and Limo(here the girls pay for the limo is the guy pays for the tix, basically a wash) I was SO relived that she was using her wn $ but remeber thinking how insane it was that 45 a month was going to Prom vs the college fund. I could not be putting 45 a month away right now for that!Fortunately, DD is a simple kid and that was her one big blowout night..she went ot Jr Prom but hte dress was under 150 and that was her main expense, guess we got off lucky on that one.

 

[mjkacmom]

We are not there yet, but this past year, ds12's 6th grade dance was at a restaurant, sit down meal and DJ, and many kids showed up in limos and party busses at dd14's 8th grade dance, at a fancy catering facility. I think they'll be showing up at the Prom in helicopters!

 

[Disneycrazymom]

We are not there yet, but this past year, ds12's 6th grade dance was at a restaurant, sit down meal and DJ, and many kids showed up in limos and party busses at dd14's 8th grade dance, at a fancy catering facility. I think they'll be showing up at the Prom in helicopters!

That is just crazy. I am glad we live in a more "down to earth" neighborhood! Either way my kids would not be participating in that kind of over the top celebrating!

 

[Christine]

As time marches on, everything gets bigger and more expensive and over the top.

Now, OP, just because there are some expensive dresses out there doesn't mean that's the way to go. Homecoming dresses in our area are generally always short and less formal, but they are certainly dressy.

If you go to a store like Jessica McClintock, whether it be Homecoming or Prom, the dress is going to on the more expensive side.

There are tons of places to get short, cute dressy homecoming style dresses and not spend like it's Prom. Don't get roped into the stores that make you think you've got to spend several hundred dollars on a dress.

But, yes, Homecoming seems to be a bigger deal than it was many years ago. I think the the kids (girls) just really like getting dressed up and the manufacturers are catering to that.

 

[MichelleVW]

I have to say, I think it is due to 1. advertising by the dress stores and 2. girls trying to one up each other and parents getting caught up in it.

Sure, you can drop $50 bucks at Rave look like a knockout then the tickets are about $15 or so per person, and then they can all stand around a smelly gym that has been outfitted with colored toilet paper. One very expensive evening when it could be a school dance with what we used to call "Sunday" clothing and less pressure.

You really think $50 for a homecoming dress is too much? I don't think that's much at all.

 

[We_Love_Disney]

You really think $50 for a homecoming dress is too much? I don't think that's much at all.

Yes, I do. For a dress that will be used once, because, heaven forbid girls reuse their dresses (you can, but it is pointed out that others know the dress).
There are always parents more than willing to up the ante so to speak. They have no problem going over the top, having nails and hair done, shoes to match, which we all know end up under the table or chair because no one dances in heels.

IMO the big thing to look forward to was senior prom. It was the big right of passage, you were an adult, doing the dinner/dance type thing that your parents did. Now, everything is pushed earlier and bigger and has to be outdone. A PP said that a 6th grade dance was at a restaurant with music. 6th grade. What purpose did that serve? Talk about pressure! Were dates happening, who do I sit with, what do I wear?

 

[minkydog]

Really? I think homecoming dresses are WAYY cheaper than prom dresses. You can go to Rave, or Deb's and find a cute sparkly dress for under 50 bucks usually.

I was about to say the same thing. This will be DD17's 4th (and last ) HOmecoming. She has never paid more than $69 for a party dress, and has in fact, gotten them for much less than that. This year she's going to wear the one she wore last year(her choice.) A lot of the girls around here go together in group. DD has a boyfriend, but her best friend does not. They'll probably all hang out together and DD will dance with the best friend because the boyfriend is a really bad dancer.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

For me, it was the opposite. Homecoming was cheaper overall, less expensive dresses (for senior year, I got a cute red $110 Jessica McClintock dress), no extravagant dinner (under $60 for two people), no limo or other fancy vehicle, etc. Also, it was just in the school gym.

Prom was way different. My gown was closer to $500 (and mine was one of the least expensive of our group), the dinner for the pair of us was over $100, fancy vehicle (our group of 9 got a stretch Hummer), and the event was held in a giant downtown Portland event center.

I've never used the gown again, aside from a random photo shoot of funny pictures we did once. I use that cocktail dress still, to this day, almost 6 years later. I look good in read so it gets a lot of use and I therefore think it to be a wonderful investment.

Prom for me was one of the best nights ever! I went with a group of really awesome people which included my DFiance and I don't regret any of it.

 

[KitKat_Tink]

wow. Around here the homecoming dance is the most informal dance we have. When I went my senior year we wore jeans and tee shirts. And the dance followed the big homecoming football game so nobody look amazing. Tickets were, I believe $5.


If you have a Ross or Marshells or some other discount store you can find very cute dresses for under $20. I got my winter formal dress there for $9 and it looked the same as what all the other girls wore that year (It was glittery and built well)

I'm not sure what dresses are typically worn for homecoming dances but I suggest checking out jcpenney's. They have some really cute shorter dresses starting at $25

 

[Disneycrazymom]

This won't help you this year but my sister always buys DN dresses when they go on clearance. So her dress would be from the year before but they got really pretty dresses for a fraction of the cost. Go in late October or early November this year and get her dress for next years homecoming. This has worked for all her DD's.

 

[minkydog]

Prom was way different. My gown was closer to $500 (and mine was one of the least expensive of our group), the dinner for the pair of us was over $100, fancy vehicle (our group of 9 got a stretch Hummer), and the event was held in a giant downtown Portland event center.

Holy cow! What did that end up costing you, about $800? The dress DD17 is looking at costs $200 and she's about to choke on that. I swear, if I don't watch her she'd go out there wrapped in drapes she found at the thrift store. Last year for prom she wore a nice cocktail dress she wore for my brother's wedding. And I took her and her 6 BFFs to the venue in downtown Atlanta in my Ford Expedition. One of her friends is in cosmetology training and did all her hair & makeup for free(I slipped the girl some cash later.) Our one splurge was the flowers--I bought her a pretty little wrist corsage for about $10, baby yellow roses. So sweet. And dinner? They were so busy primping for 3 hours that they forgot all about eating dinner. Good thing there were appetizers at the prom.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Holy cow! What did that end up costing you, about $800?

No, I just paid for the gown. DFiance (DBoyfriend at the time) paid for everything else, I don't know how much it cost, aside from the dinner. Oh yeah, I think the prom tickets themselves were close to $50, give or take $10.

I don't regret paying that much for a gown, it looked a lot like Belle's golden gown, it really was gorgeous.

 

[MichelleVW]

Yes, I do. For a dress that will be used once, because, heaven forbid girls reuse their dresses (you can, but it is pointed out that others know the dress).
There are always parents more than willing to up the ante so to speak. They have no problem going over the top, having nails and hair done, shoes to match, which we all know end up under the table or chair because no one dances in heels.

?

Oh well, to each their own. I just paid $80 for DD's homecoming dress and I don't think that is too much. It's an adorable party dress than will probably be worn again. Not at a school dance, but in college, or vacation. My girls have a slew of well worn party dresses.

I don't regret the $500 that I paid for DD's prom dress last year, and I know that will only get worn once. But it was beautiful and she looked and felt like a Princess, so it's totally worth it in my opinion.

No, I just paid for the gown. DFiance (DBoyfriend at the time) paid for everything else, I don't know how much it cost, aside from the dinner. Oh yeah, I think the prom tickets themselves were close to $50, give or take $10.

I don't regret paying that much for a gown, it looked a lot like Belle's golden gown, it really was gorgeous.

DD looked like a Disney princess in her prom dress too....we don't regret it for a minute. She had an amazing night and it was money well spent!

 

[Bearvet]

DS17 just found out that he's nominated for Homecoming King candidate!! Looks like we'll be buying a new suit tomorrow (we've been stuffing him into the one we bought him in middle school, so it's about time anyway).

Just wanted to share - we're so excited!!! Do other schools still do the Homecoming King and Queen stuff?