How much does the school formal cost?

[VYBerlinaV8]

In the US, it seems the average spend to go to 'prom' is US$807.

I nearly laughed out loud.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/16/pf/cost_of_prom/index.htm?iid=HP_River

 

[weg]

In the US, it seems the average spend to go to 'prom' is US$807.

I nearly laughed out loud.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/16/pf/cost_of_prom/index.htm?iid=HP_River

It costs no more than it does any adult going to a formal engagement.

It can cost a lot or very little.

The media likes this one.

How about 'How much does it cost for a family to attend a wedding?'

A lot more.

 

[Sheryn]

In the US, it seems the average spend to go to 'prom' is US$807.

I nearly laughed out loud.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/16/pf/cost_of_prom/index.htm?iid=HP_River

VYBerlinaV8 or is it RXW now...

I wouldn't laugh out loud because I reckon it may well be $807 for some in Oz too.

Ten years ago our daughter paid $299 for her dress (then there was to cost for hem to be taken up). This dress was worn once!

and then....she wanted

Matching Shoes
Matching handbag
Hairdresser
Car hire
Ticket + tickets for us
Drinks
Photos
After party taxi

etc.


Cheers
Sheryn

 

[weg]

Son

Suit hire $85 (left it too late to buy a suit, but has since done so, due to a few more formal occassions).

Shoes $80 on sale - had bought these a few weeks before for another occassion and has worn them a few times since.

Corsage $45

Event $75

share of Limo $50

After party $15 for hire BYO

Photos $85

Sheryn, Did you attend the formal?

 

[Corey Batt]

$800 isn't that surprising.

After dress, hair, make up, nails, shoes, jewellery, limo, after party drinks, possibly a tan if you go that way. And I wouldn't go saying that's a select few 'barbie girls'. I can't think of a girl I know who didn't do this, and thats girls from conservative to 'diva' and everything in between.

 

[twodogs]

Son

Suit hire $85

Shoes $80 on sale -

Corsage $45

Event $75

share of Limo $50

After party $15 for hire BYO

Photos $85

One day closer to leaving home - priceless

(sorry for hijacking your post)

 

[santaslayer]

In 2003.

$199 - suit
$15 - Karaoke afterparty
$80 Event

 

[Sheryn]

Guess we saved some money by not going

Sheryn, Did you attend the formal?

Weg
Yes we attended our daughter's formal but not our son's formal the year before as I didn't know we could buy tickets and attend and he didn't tell us or ask us if we wanted to go.


Cheers
Sheryn

 

[weg]

Sheryn,

All schools in SA that I'm aware of don't have parents attend a Formal.

They do however attend the Graduation Ball which is just as formal an event but more expensive depending on the number of family members (females) going .

Both are formal affairs, and nice that parents can attend at least the one of these.

 

[jingo]

I attended a school formal a few years ago. One girl spent $10,000! We staff members couldn't believe it!!! Imagine what her wedding is going to cost.

Regards Jason.

 

[CruzCrtl]

$800 isn't that surprising.

After dress, hair, make up, nails, shoes, jewellery, limo, after party drinks, possibly a tan if you go that way. And I wouldn't go saying that's a select few 'barbie girls'. I can't think of a girl I know who didn't do this, and thats girls from conservative to 'diva' and everything in between.

I will be happy if the total cost less than $800.00. The dress cost $300.00 already. Not much room for shoes, make up and so on. This is just a year 10 formal. There will be year 12 formal in 2 years time...

 

[weg]

I will be happy if the total cost less than $800.00. The dress cost $300.00 already. Not much room for shoes, make up and so on. This is just a year 10 formal. There will be year 12 formal in 2 years time...

There's a good chance she'll get invited to partner someone else as well... possibly more than once .

One girl I know from a comfortably off family had her dress made for $160 (size 6 and not much fabric to it) and looked a Million dollars, and another, a woman from work who is worth very little and renting, put either $400 or $600 (can't remember now) towards her daughters $800 dress .

 

[Corey Batt]

Sheryn,

All schools in SA that I'm aware of don't have parents attend a Formal.

They do however attend the Graduation Ball which is just as formal an event but more expensive depending on the number of family members (females) going .

Both are formal affairs, and nice that parents can attend at least the one of these.

Kill me now if parents were to go. Cut the umbilical cord already.

 

[weg]

Kill me now if parents were to go. Cut the umbilical cord already.

Agree with the Formal .

The Graduation is a different thing altogether though.

I think if the family didn't go to that, they wouldn't bother holding it. It's a great night.

 

[Dazz]

I'm presuming this conversation involves teenagers at high school.


I was knocked for six a few years ago when our eldest asked for a 'nice dress and heels' for her graduation. My only reply was "there is no such thing, you're in Grade 7, what are you talking about, you graduate from high school and celebrate with a dinner dance...but not primary school ?" Oh how I was wrong. The mother's had got together and planned it down to the last tee.


Wind the clock forward a few weeks to the actual event and sure enough, standing there talking amongst the other Dad's they also though it completely ridiculous that 12 y.o.'s were going to such lengths and the school was booking riverfront restaurants for events.


Suffice to say all of the girls were done up to the hilt, all looking tall in their heels and glamorous enough to easily slide into any night-club. All of the boys were about a foot lower, wearing jeans sneakers and an ill-fitting collared shirt. They were sniggering at all of the stupid icky girls whilst wanting to play-fight and talk about cricket, whilst all of the girls stood there on "display" like sapling Amazons, afraid to move in case their make up or chiffon were misplaced.


None of the girl parents escaped the event for under $ 300 I'd guess. I shudder to think what the high school stuff is going to be.


None of the mother's seemed to bat an eyelid. All of the father's I spoke to most certainly did.

 

[travelbug]

Good points Dazz. I work in Primary school it certainly can get ridiculous. Our school has strict rules regarding what is acceptable. No over the top stuff, "bits" showing etc.
At my last school a girl was sent home by the principal. She was 12 and looked 16+. Low cut ball gown. What are the parents thinking?

We have ours at school in the hall. But there's talk of having a private function hall (as some other schools do).

When my daughter was in year 10 a note came home asking if parents would agree to the Year 19 formal at a venue. Most voted no. The school hall is good enough for Year 10. It's not like years ago when a lot of kids left in Year 10. Year 12 it is nice to have something special because it is the end of a special time in your life.
But having said that some parents go crazy and spend $1000's.

A friend of mine has a daughter in a private school. They have a Year 10 & 11 & 12 formal. That's just crazy.

 

[pennyk]

we're not up to that stage yet, but I would imagine alot of girls spend $800 on their formal, by the time you include dress, shoes, bag, formal itself, fancy car etc.

the fancy car is the thing that gets me. "In my day", we were happy to get there whichever way, but now the kids really go all out to make an entrance.

 

[VYBerlinaV8]

Well, I guess I'm officially stunned.

Why have we let things go this far??

 

[Corey Batt]

Considering out of expenditure something like the dress may be $200, how is that 'too far'? I'm talking about yr 12 here, where a majority or so are 18, adults. Do you think that students get a 'being a student' discount for evening attire. Costs the same for going to a wedding, except maybe that you already have acquired a lot of the necessities (jewellery, shoes perhaps, maybe dress is you're not fussed) bringing down the costs. Not exactly the excessive 'my big sweet 16' style overdoingness.

 

[VYBerlinaV8]

Considering out of expenditure something like the dress may be $200, how is that 'too far'? I'm talking about yr 12 here, where a majority or so are 18, adults. Do you think that students get a 'being a student' discount for evening attire. Costs the same for going to a wedding, except maybe that you already have acquired a lot of the necessities (jewellery, shoes perhaps, maybe dress is you're not fussed) bringing down the costs. Not exactly the excessive 'my big sweet 16' style overdoingness.

If it were just the dress, and maybe some new shoes, I could accept that no problem. But when you look at the list of extras (flowers, limos, etc) I think it's become more about the spend and less about the event.