Senior year in high school is a crazy time, for kids and parents. Especially in post-COVID days, everything feels new and different, tinged with a bit of uncertainty. So I was very happy to hear that Sophie’s Senior Ball is a go. And because I am a planner, I got cracking on getting ready for prom!
As I frequently tell Dear Husband, this is turning out to be an unexpectedly expensive year. I just did not anticipate some of the costs- add inflation and supply chain issues on top, and you’ve got some scary price tags. So I’ve got a few ideas for where to economize.
Since we are almost done with the preparations getting ready for prom, I thought I would three lessons I’ve learned from this process. Perhaps future prom-prepping Moms can benefit 🙂
Start early!
This is my top recommendation- start this process early! There are a few elements making this a challenging year for prom shopping. There’s a ton of pent-up demand after COVID cancellations- so you are competing with junior proms and weddings for dresses and shoes. If you are picky (hello, I have a high school senior!), you must shop early to have a decent selection. This gives you some leeway to try out a lot of styles and sizes. And you can quickly place an order for a better option, with time to spare.
And by “early”, I mean ~2 months in advance of the event. So we started shopping for dresses in late February for the April 30th Senior Ball. We finalized the dress and just bought shoes too.
And while you are at it, do ALL the event shopping you need to do. While Sophie was at Nordstroms, I had her try on graduation dresses and a couple of party dresses for various events. What a relief to have that all done, well in advance!
Don’t forget the little stuff
Don’t rest too long once you have the dress and shoes- there is more to do!
Alterations: Pretty much all the dresses are going to need some alterations, if only hemming. I was lazy and opted for Nordstroms to do the alterations. But I am glad I did- it was fast and they guaranteed a 10 day turn around. (Another good reason not to wait til last minute!)
Handbag: Sophie needs someplace to put her phone (duh) and maybe some lip gloss and disposable camera (apparently that’s a thing.) This is a place to economize. I am all for spending on classic basics- but who uses an evening bag more than 1-2 times a year? Buy something functional and cute (and cheap!) Here’s what we have on order to try out. None are over $30.
Vegan leather wristlet (comes in a bunch of colors)
Satin pleated handbag (this one might look cheap. We’ll see when it arrives…)
Undergarments: This one is a biggie and can be challenging. Many of the dresses have very funky backs- cut-outs, deep Vs, straps. Your standard strapless bra is just not going to work. So I was really happy to find this strapless /backless bra, and Sophie says it is comfortable and functional.
Hair, makeup: Make those appointments now! And to save a bit of money, I scheduled Sophie’s regular haircut for the afternoon before the Ball. A haircut and blow-out at once! Likewise, if you are getting your makeup done (or God forbid, spray tan!) book the time right now. If the amount of women in the dress department at Nordstroms is any indication, all those providers are going to be super busy in the next few months.
Break in those shoes! This one is easy to forget if you have never really worn party shoes before (like Sophie.) But there really is nothing like the agony of shoes that hurt. And the cute platform, strappy heels Sophie chose have the potential to be killing her by about 7pm.
Remember that this is not about you
It is way too easy to bring the sensibility of a 50+ year old woman to this whole endeavor of getting ready for prom. For example, I would suggest the following:
- Go for comfort! You’ll be wearing this outfit for hours- make sure it all feels as comfortable as possible
- Shoes should be low with no irritating straps. Buy shoes that you can re-wear
- Choose a dress that you can wear an ordinary bra with
- Try not to look too sexy or trendy- you are only 17! And you may regret those prom photos in the future
All wonderful advice if you are 53! However, I needed to remind myself several times that this is not about me. I want Sophie to be comfortable and feel pretty and appropriate. So I let go out my hard-won assumptions about the value of comfort etc when getting ready for prom. 17 year olds need to learn their own lessons. And some of those lessons take a couple of decades to soak in 🙂
Have you gone through this process with your son or daughter? Any lessons I might have missed? Let us know in the comments…
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