Published in the Contra Costa Times
By Casey Capachi
Prom: the biggest night of your high school career. Everything has to be perfect, right? Agreed. However, perfect doesn’t entail hundred dollar price tags on dinner, the ride over, or “the dress.” Read these tips and accept them, welcome them into your prom plan. The night should be a celebration with friends, not with your wallet.
Make your own dress Why waste precious hours spent shopping in the city for a dress that’s flattering when you can make your own. Go to your nearest fabric store (Joann Fabrics is a sure bet) or online and look through all their pattern magazines. Want a designer dress? Simple. At joann.com and sewingpatterns.com, Vogue sells patterns to recreate that Oscar de la Renta dress you saw on “Sex & the City” for a mere $10 or that Vera Wang frock Lindsay Lohan rocked for $14. For a simple sun dress you need as little as two yards. For an evening dress three to four yards will do the trick. It might be time-consuming but the satisfaction of creating your own masterpiece is priceless.
Piedmont High senior Martina Szeto plans on making her own dress for senior prom. “It’s really important that no one has the same dress as me. I’m having a lot of fun planning what look I’m going to go for. This dress will be better than any one I could have bought. Sewing isn’t as hard as everyone thinks after the first few pricks,” says Szeto.
Eat in Gone are the days of boys driving girls straight to prom. Today, dinner is equally as important as the dance. Miramonte High senior Lindsay Schwartz says that she and her 26 friends spent $1,080 on an extravagant meal before senior ball last year. “The check came as a shock. Each couple had to pay about $80. Looking back it was a waste. What I really remember was how much fun I had with my friends, not the lobster,” says Schwartz.
Instead of paying big bucks to eat at that nice Italian restaurant, which requires reservations days in advance, eat at home. If none of your friends want to host a full course meal, why not do it potluck style. Hors d’oeuvres, such as microwaveable pigs in a blanket, and some Martinelli’s sparkling apple cider is really all the fuel you need for the night But if you have to go out and show off your dress before the night, then by all means do it! Grab a burger at In-N-Out or a milkshake at your local Nation’s before you shake it on the dance floor. You’ll save big and don’t have to worry about divying up the bill.
Take your own pictures Have you or your friend bring a digital camera and snap some group photos before the dance. Why pay money for that awkward couple shot with the cheesy “sunset balcony” in the background? You could print about a thousand copies on your own computer for the price of one at the dance. Avoid the hassle of waiting in line to get your picture taken when you could be dancing!
Do your own hair, make-up and nails Professional hairstyling could cost up in the hundreds. Make-up artists at the department store usually request that you purchase two items ($40 at least). Who wants to pay to get their nails done after reports on women contracting serious infections? Pass. Instead, turn your home into a salon. Grab your mom or your friend and experiment with hairstyles (seventeen.com has great looks) like chic updos or boho waves before the big night.
As for nails, instead of making an appointment days before and chipping at least two acrylics off before the event, do your own nails the day of the dance. French manicure kits are $6 at Walgreen’s compared to $35 at a swanky salon. Know where to shop American Idol stylist Miles Siggins says that great fashion doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
“Stores like Loehmanns and Zara are fantastic for finding prom dresses. You have to be patient, and keep checking back if you don’t find something right away. There’s more out there than just the ‘princess’ dress and the rental tux,” says Siggins. Selix Formalwear rents tuxedos for free to guys who bring in friends through their “Student Representative Program.” Contact your nearest store for details. Sales racks are obvious places to browse that many overlook for the fear that “everyone will have that dress.” Often the opposite is true.
Deer Valley High junior Laura Riley bought her dress at Macy’s for $20. “Everyone’s seems to be competing to find the most original dress at whatever cost. It’s only prom. Why spend a fortune? My on sale dress fits amazing and no one can tell how much I paid!” says Riley. The Venus dress line (Venus.com) has dresses for under $60 that are carbon copies of the dresses seen on the red carpet. Be one of the 400,000 girls a day who browse through the assortments of aqua, sequin embellished or empire waist gowns.
If you are a plus size and find only a few “what my Mom would pick out” dresses every time you go shopping then log on to igigi.com and see the countless options in store for you. They carry up to size 32. A replica of the deep purple and gold chiffon dress Keira Knightley wore is just one of the many dresses under $200 that shows off your curves. Don’t forget about mom’s closet — the ultimate vintage boutique with no price tags. Chances are you’ve inherited the same tastes in clothes that she has. Also, Ebay has all kinds of finds from knockoff Chanel earrings to the real thing at a bargain. You could browse through 50 items at the click of a button.
Transportation Limos will almost never rent for just one hour. During the spring companies require you pay for 5-8 hours. For a stretch limo expect to pay around $100 per hour. Don’t forget about the gratuity tip which is 15-20% of the bill. If you really want to fill up at the Cheese Cake factory before prom, BART is the best way to get into the city! It’s less than $10 roundtrip. Also, why not take advantage of your parents and ask them to drive you and your friends. Free chauffeur!
If you want something a little more luxurious,then google “party charter bus.” The buses seat between 20-40 passengers depending on the model. College Park junior Katie Bowker paid $36 for an unforgettable Ride. “The bus was truly a party bus with six times as much room as a limo to rock out in. Although we could have easily fit in twice as many people and each paid half as much,” said Bowker.
Be yourself If spending all your babysitting money on a dress or renting a limo for a high school dance doesn’t feel right to you, then don’t do it! “Ellegirl” fashion editor Linnea Olson Schwartz says that “trying too hard” should be avoided at all costs. “If your dress or hair or make-up don’t feel right to you, maybe it’s too formal or too much —tone it down a bit. It is a special night but that doesn’t mean you have to go overboard. You want to feel like a glamorous version of your everyday self — not someone else,” says Schwartz. Take it from a pro and save the money for your wedding.