<p>What a great screen name for a HS senior !</p>
<p>Here in Mass, last spring’s prom dresses were pastel colored. All floor length, mostly fitted bodices with big poofy skirts. Strapless or halter. </p>
<p>The girls looked SO pretty gathered in groups for photos… but I expect that in 10 years they’re going to look at a picture of those poofy skirts and gag. Oh well, as long as they felt good about their dress on the night of the prom!</p>
<p>For hair, mostly up-do’s.</p>
<p>well it still sounds like a potential BadTime to me, unless there is a time per store/price agreement in place with the other moms, and a decision on where to shop.
I guess perhaps my dread is from being bargain hunters in the land of Shopper Queens. My DD1 knew a girl who liked a sale dress at macy’s but rather than be “tacky” went down the mall and paid full price for the same dress at Nordstroms. ewwww. That was the year of the Kate Spade bag. One girl had 11 of them. I do thank goodness mine discovered on-the-street knockoffs right after that. For her the 10 dollar copy made her feel superior.
If all are bargain mad or have open purses to buy, and are similar in shopping endurance it could work.</p>
<p>My resident fashionista is another who will walk over glass before paying full price for anything (especially if spending her own money). Has moved from Proms (where she wore a vera wang dress with a pair of stuart weitzman stappy sandals) to formals; shelly segal/laundry dress on sale at saks, 2/-BCBG dresses (one on sale at saks for approx $100, the other on sale at the BCBG store in soho).</p>
<p>Don’t rule out on line shopping especially at places like An Taylor, J Crew (who right now has some great dresses on final sale)</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/category.jhtml?id=cat90226&navAction=jump[/url]”>http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/category.jhtml?id=cat90226&navAction=jump</a></p>
<p>Anthropologie, Saks, Bloomingdales, Neiman marcus, shop bop, bluefly as you may be able to catch a great dress & shoes on sales. </p>
<p>If you should decide to make the trip and come to NYC, don’t forget to sign up at Lord and taylors on line so that they can send you coupons (it seems like they have a sale every week). There is nothing like catching a good sale then getting an additional 15 to 20% off. Also sign up for Daily candy (nyc edition, as you may catch a really good sample sale while you are here).</p>
<p>also don’t overlook century 21 (downtown) they will have a wide selection of dresses and shoes (the problem is that sometimes it is like rumaging through a big closet, but if D knows, clothes, it will be ok).</p>
<p>Mattmom makes a good point about fit and alterations as a well altered great fitting $20 dress will look better anyday of the week than a 350 dress that does not fit well.</p>
<p>I bought a really pretty dress at the department store for 30 bucks…hint: stay away from anything labeled prom and you will find everything you need 
I got a lot of compliments on my dress from both sexes and I feel good knowing I spent little money on something I will definitely keep wearing</p>
<p>TO ALL</p>
<p>Look for the Princess Project, or another organization in your area that collects Prom Dress, Bridemaids Gowns, evenging purses, etc to give to disadvantaged girls</p>
<p>If you know of more, add to the list</p>
<p>here are some links:</p>
<p>SF Bay Area</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.princessproject.org/princess/[/url]”>http://www.princessproject.org/princess/</a></p>
<p>New Orleans</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nba.com/hornets/news/no_prom.html[/url]”>http://www.nba.com/hornets/news/no_prom.html</a></p>
<p>Georgia</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.enchantedcloset.org/programs/index.html[/url]”>http://www.enchantedcloset.org/programs/index.html</a></p>
<p>NYC</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.altrue.net/site/nybacked/[/url]”>http://www.altrue.net/site/nybacked/</a></p>
<p>Baltimore</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.pricelessgownproject.org/[/url]”>http://www.pricelessgownproject.org/</a></p>
<p>Will the OP take my daughters too? </p>
<p>And will all these wonderful young ladies above teach them how to buy on sale ?</p>
<p>I just paid for 2 winter formal dresses from Bloomingdale’s, not on sale. They ARE pretty but…gulp…(oh well, it’s spare change compared to looming college tuition)</p>
<p>CGM–yes our school has a counselor who collects dresses at school for Princess Project–thank you for posting the links!</p>
<p>Short dresses are much more common here-now to my surprise</p>
<p>when older D went to her senior prom she was having a hard time finding something- she is blond and doesn’t wear much makeup and so black looks pretty harsh on her- which was most of the dresses were</p>
<p>We happened to find ballet pink seperates- tulle long skirt and sparkly camisole- I suggested she try it on and they were even on sale ( wasn’t sold together) we also found a little sequined purse and sheer scarf for coverup
( they perfectly matched angel wings that I had made for her when she was four! 
* which I still have- she didnt wear those but she did wear a tiara* )
The hard part was finding shoes that werent too expensive.</p>
<p>Practically the opposite of what her sister will wear I bet-
although she may sew herself something- I just took her to the fabric store yesterday for material for a dress for spirit day-she took a class and learned how to make her own patterns.
The material is really improving- there are still bolts of nauseatingly cute prints, but also material that you can use to make saris and gowns</p>
<p>In the small city I live in you would be hard pressed to find a dress for 30 dollars even at the thrift store.
My girls love to shop and they love to find things on sale but my time is also worth something. We can drive 45 minutes each way and maybe find something less expensive but I have made the drive and found nothing.
My big gripe these days is trying to find a dress that a 12 yr old can wear that is appropriate. She has outgrown the kids department.
Emeraldkity I have found that decent fabric has gotten so expensive that it makes sewing pretty expensive. Plus in my town it is obviously a lost art since all the fabric stores have closed. We have to drive 45 minutes to even find a fabric store.</p>
<p>Here in Houston (got to have the ‘Southern’ take on things now…lol!) prom dresses are usually long and either the tight bustier bodice with full skirt type or the slinky ‘red carpet’ type. In my d’s group, they all agreed on a full skirt ban because space in the limos was very limited. My d was the only one permitted to have a full skirt because she found the perfect ivory gown with a ‘Carolina Blue’ satin sash…and because my husband and I were the brave ones who volunteered to host 35 kids and their parents for pictures and hors d’oeuvres prior to limo pickup. (It was a MAD house btw…don’t be tempted if asked.)</p>
<p>It is traditional here for kids to throw a similarly big bash for Homecoming with limos/dinner, etc… But the guys usually wear suit and ties instead of tuxes and the girls wear knee-length cocktail dresses. My d and her girlfriends were partial to the BCBG Max Azria dresses for homecoming btw…(ack!). I’m very surprised at the sophisticated taste of these girls.</p>
<p>I can understand the desire to make a special day of the shopping experience. We didn’t have to go to another city because we have ‘The Galleria’ here…but we did make a big treat out of the day. Senior Prom only happens once after all.</p>
<p>Rachacha - consult with the girls about style, because it varies from area to area and from school to school. At my D’s school, it is traditional for juniors or dates of juniors to wear cocktail dresses, seniors or dates of seniors wear long dresses. Seniors are evenly divided been slinky and full-skirted. There really is a push to find a dress that suits you, not a style, although I did see groups of friends not doing full skirts, probably because of limo space. Those girls will know what to buy.</p>
<p>The boys get into the act, too, as juniors they wear suits, seniors wear white dinner jackets, they look wonderful.</p>
<p>As the mom of only a boy, I feel a little bit of envy ;). One thought - if you decide against a trip to NYC or other major city, you could get the mother-daughter/friends bonding experience even if you do this in your own backyard.</p>
<p>Stay in a hotel/suites type place for the weekend, shop til you drop wherever and have the pajama party/girls weekend out experience.</p>
<p>DH and I have done this type of “get-away” without really going far a few times and always loved it.</p>