School Proms.

Leavers Ball reminds me of dragging DD1 out of my low-slung sports car, whilst trying to protect her dignity, whilst Dads were lifting their daughters out of 4x4s. It was extremely short skirts in those days!

I've seen girls dressed in suits.
A bit like Annie Lennox in "sweet dreams"

I doubt if I could have got my daughter into a dress if they had had proms in her day. She did wear a dress for her wedding - a lovely plain off white dress that cost a whole £90.

This thread has made me think of the Back to the Future film, was that the one with the 'Under the Sea' themed prom?

Sago

Magenta8

How do single sex schools arrange proms? Do public schools have them?

One of my DCs went last year and they were not allowed to bring partners from a different school.

Our sons went to public school.
They didn’t have a prom as such but there was a leavers ball, parents attended too.
After our eldest leavers ball he woke up in a laundry trolley, he never found his dinner jacket…..thank the Lord it was from a charity shop.
We had to go to the leavers mass the next day in school, they were all in a state😬.

Those leavers balls were good!. I remember standing talking to some other parents when our son walked passed with a bottle of wine tucked under his arm. We pretended not to notice.😀

Magenta8

How do single sex schools arrange proms? Do public schools have them?

One of my DCs went last year and they were not allowed to bring partners from a different school.

Our sons went to public school.
They didn’t have a prom as such but there was a leavers ball, parents attended too.
After our eldest leavers ball he woke up in a laundry trolley, he never found his dinner jacket…..thank the Lord it was from a charity shop.
We had to go to the leavers mass the next day in school, they were all in a state😬.

Yes, that'd win hands down for me.

J52's summer party in a garden sounds much nicer.

It was much cheaper when my girl was teen.
About £20 for a dress, and the rest just done at home.

Its a whole different ballgame now.

Sarnia

My DD had her youngest's dress professionally cleaned and donated it to a dress agency in a deprived area who hire clothes out at £10 a garment. It's a beautiful dress and deserves a few more Prom outings.

What a lovely thing to do, there are a few similar schemes in this area.

My DD had her youngest's dress professionally cleaned and donated it to a dress agency in a deprived area who hire clothes out at £10 a garment. It's a beautiful dress and deserves a few more Prom outings.

Not at all.
I'm still in touch with some of my daughter's friends, and that's the sort of price they're paying for dress, shoes, fake tan, hairdos and eyelshes, bags, shrugs, etc.

MissAdventure

I can't for one minute see a school paying £500 upwards for a girl to attendc a prom
Yes, its not necessary to spend that, but young people want to fit in with their peers.

Tickets were reasonable, dresses were loaned, hairstyles and make up were given free of charge. I have no idea where you get your £500 + from. Urban myth?

I can't for one minute see a school paying £500 upwards for a girl to attendc a prom
Yes, its not necessary to spend that, but young people want to fit in with their peers.

It’s heartwarming to see socialist concerns for those who might not be able to join in the festivities of a prom.
When I taught in a 14 to 19 upper school, we made sure that all students who wished to attend did so discreetly with all the required paraphernalia. I’m sure that it is the case in many secondary schools.
Our eldest, didn’t have a prom to attend, but had a summer gathering in the garden of all his friends who were about to embark on life,
But I suppose that was wrong according to those on this thread.

In my DCs time, their rite of passage was getting their white school shirts signed by all their classmates.

They worry me. Seeing my grandsons and their girlfriends going to their proms beautifully turned out made me wonder about those children that don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend. Can’t help but feel if they’d had them back in my day it would have been yet another thing that I dreaded. When it comes to American things that this country has taken on the only one I’ve got to like is Hallow’een and that’s only because of that Tim Burton film that isn’t even about Hallow’een The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Me too.
As per usual, more is more, it ssems.
The school, too, have rules that parents mustn't take photos, but have to buy from the professional photographer..
I just find it all expensive rubbish.

MissAdventure

Bring back the school disco!

It's just a glorified disco anyway. I have to admit it does not bother me. I just find the one upmanship distasteful.

Bring back the school disco!

There was a prom at the hotel we were staying at. It was fascinating to watch them all arrive .The girls dresses varied widely between very tarty and inappropriate or huge chiffon meringues. Obviously, a fortune had been spent on hair and lashings of make up. The boys were all smartly presented. However, when we looked in to the function suite the girls were rather sadly dancing together and the lads were out on the terrace joshing and fooling around. It was a shame.

GrannyGravy13

One of our GS’s had his prom last night, he took his time getting ready (a couple of hours)

So smart in suit, shirt & tie, brought tears to my eyes.

My son's 41 now but I can remember taking him to the gents outfitters to hire his suit and all the trimmings!

I was also put in charge of collecting the wrist corsage for his girlfriend from the florist 😊

winterwhite

I think the whole thing is a bit hard on boys because the getting dressed and ready is prob more than half the fun.

When my eldest DD left school it was a thing to post photographs of yourself on first and last day at school. At 5 her uniform sweatshirt reached much closer to her knees than her skirt did at age 18😂

winterwhite: That made DH and me giggle!!

Bukkie

Proms are a horrible American import like baby showers. So glad I have two boys and didn't have to bother with the nonsense of dresses and fake tans.

I agree. They are all just trying to outdo each other with the best dress, best mode of transport etc. It can’t be very nice for the young girls who are still in the puppy fat stage and who can’t find a dress to flatter them.