Fashion Flashback: Prom Dresses!

As most of you are aware Jon and I run a photography company, so this time of year we often find ourselves setting up in school halls and local hotels to take formal portraits for end of school year leavers proms. And that got me thinking about my prom. I’m 28 now so my leavers prom was 12 years ago, it feels like an age ago and if I’m honest I don’t remember a lot about it, so I thought I could dig out some of our old photos (excuse the not-up-to-usual-standard photos! Broken scanner so these are photos of photos!) to share with you all. Just a few snaps of me and my girlies back then in our prom dresses, before we got to our actual prom (which I can’t find photos of!)

Obviously being a girl means I spent a fair bit on my prom, between prom dresses, the hair, jewellery, make-up and the transport it all starts to add up. Ive racked my brain to try and remember how much my parents must have spent and I think the break down looked something like this

• Dress: £120
• Shoes: £30
• Tiara: £20
• Necklace: £15
• Hair: £35
• Limo: £20

So thats a grand total of £240 (give or take my memory!)

It’s quite a lot considering it was 15 years ago, and I don’t live in a particularly affluent area (Neath, South Wales). But what i’ve noticed whilst working with teenagers at proms is how much that price is increasing! I’ve meet girls who have spent £250+ just on a dress – in fact whilst I was getting fitted for my wedding dress at a local dress makers 5 years ago she had just had a delivery of prom dresses which ranged in price from £150-£500! And she said she was having to order more as most had already been snapped up! Is it mad that parents spend so much on one night? But then I suppose leaving comp only happens once and it is a pretty big point in teenagers lives.

My Voucher Codes has been working on a bit of research around this topic too and recently published their findings on how UK prom prices are catching up with US prices (where proms have always been bigger!) and in fact I think their figures are a bit low if anything, but they are an average from all the teenagers they surveyed so maybe it evened out.

It is really interesting to see that 22% of girls surveyed want a vintage dress though! I think that is great and if I was to do my prom again I may have potted for something vintage too! Like my 1950’s style 1980’s dress below which I wore to a uni ball.

The other thing that really stood out was how much hair, make-up and fake tan is now costing! As you can probably see from the pictures of my prom neither me or any of my friends fake tanned at that age! But we also never spent a huge amount on make up, that is definitely something that has changed hugely in 12 years. And the amount of make up girls wear is something I have noticed when we photograph proms, don’t get me wrong these girls look stunning, but they also look 21 not 15/16.

What I love to see though is just how much fun they all have! They tend to really let their hair down and party like kids! Getting excited about their favourite songs coming on, and not caring what people think about their manic dancing, a lot less self conscious than they will no doubt be in a few years (without alcohol in their system!)

Here is my sis and her friends at their prom 8 years ago too (she’s the one in white!)

So what do you remember of your prom? Or did you even go to prom? Are your kids going to prom? I would love to hear or see other peoples prom flashbacks!

There are lots of places on the hughstreet to get stunning prom and bridesmaid dresses these days, or if you are looking for something a little less girly and a bit darker check out Punk Rave Store for gothic style gowns and accessories

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