Typical/reasonable price range for senior prom dress?

[Anonymous]

For an UMC family? No experience here. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

In 3/2020, I’d have said $300, plus or minus $100. It’s special. But not couture special. You don’t want to peak in high school.

In 4/2021, I say, if your senior is able to have a prom and you can afford it, get her her dream dress. So many special senior experiences disappeared for my 2020 kid, but at least she got most of a normal year. This years class was shafted. Make what she has special within your individual budget and don’t worry about over indulging.

Amd I am not a parent to get hung up on indulging kids over status and labels. But you have my blessing to spoil her this year. Whatever that means on your budget.

[Anonymous]

Agree with PP.

Normally, $250-500, but this year? Anything under $1k.

[Anonymous]

Our school had a junior/senior prom so mine was able to go to prom in 2019 - dress was $388 (more than I wanted to spend). Flash forward to 2020 and we bought a dress in early March for $220 that was never worn and ended up being returned. I am *so* glad I said yes to the more than I wanted to spend prom dress. So glad. The pictures were beautiful and she had a great time. If you have a kid going to prom this year, I think anything goes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In 3/2020, I’d have said $300, plus or minus $100. It’s special. But not couture special. You don’t want to peak in high school.

In 4/2021, I say, if your senior is able to have a prom and you can afford it, get her her dream dress. So many special senior experiences disappeared for my 2020 kid, but at least she got most of a normal year. This years class was shafted. Make what she has special within your individual budget and don’t worry about over indulging.

Amd I am not a parent to get hung up on indulging kids over status and labels. But you have my blessing to spoil her this year. Whatever that means on your budget.

Oh for gods sakes

[Anonymous]

Obviously this will vary wildly.

I find the numbers on this thread to be really high though. If you look at all prom dresses at Macy's there are only 3 that are more than $300 and none over $400. Most are $200 or under.

https://www.macys.com/shop/junior-clothing/shop-all-juniors-apparel/Department_type,Special_occasions,Sortby/Dresses,Prom,PRICE_HIGH_TO_LOW?id=60983

Gratuitous spending for no reason seems a little gross to me. My daughter is a bit young for prom but if I were buying this year, I'd definitely say $300 or under, just on principle.

[Anonymous]

300-350

[Anonymous]

I hear the students talking. Some are spending these amounts and more. Others are using a dress they already had because they don’t consider this to be a “real” prom with all of the changes going on at our high school and it’s not a financial decision. There is no right answer. Spend a reasonable amount you can afford for a dress she likes and wants.

[Anonymous]

Eh, Rent the Runway, Secondi or LastCall/OffFifth/Nordstrom Rack. I've has excellent luck from outnet.com

[Anonymous]

I agree with doing rent the runway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Obviously this will vary wildly.

I find the numbers on this thread to be really high though. If you look at all prom dresses at Macy's there are only 3 that are more than $300 and none over $400. Most are $200 or under.

https://www.macys.com/shop/junior-clothing/shop-all-juniors-apparel/Department_type,Special_occasions,Sortby/Dresses,Prom,PRICE_HIGH_TO_LOW?id=60983

Gratuitous spending for no reason seems a little gross to me. My daughter is a bit young for prom but if I were buying this year, I'd definitely say $300 or under, just on principle.

Exactly this. We are well off but don’t choose a budget for something at random. We look around at the various options and spend what is necessary to get something nice, but don’t spend extra just to spend.

[Anonymous]

Here's what I observed on prom dress spending (dd went as a sophomore and junior, senior year cancelled last year): We live in a UMC/wealthy New England town and I work in a LMC/blue collar type community. From what I hear in both places girls and their families are spending WAY more in the less well-off crowds than in our town. On everything - the hair/tanning/limos and upward of 7-800 on dresses etc. My dd bought an $85 dress online her soph year (shorter one) that looked amazing, and junior year she wore one dress that was a hand me down or thrift purchase or something, also looked incredible. None of the girls do anything with their hair besides brush it as far as I can tell in our UMC area. So we are surely at the low end of dress spending but nothing I heard or saw in our town suggests these were big expenditures for most people, quite the opposite actually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with doing rent the runway.

My daughter is very petite and could not take a chance on a dress arriving that will not fit. RTR is mostly adult not junior dresses so can be too long/busty

[Anonymous]

My daughter went to ross and found a beautiful dress for $60. Didn't change her enjoyment of prom. I can't see spending as much on a prom dress as a wedding dress.

[Anonymous]

I told my DD it had to be under $100. Spending a lot of money is not what makes an event special.