How much is too much for a prom dress?

Barbara Beltran and Vanessa Bustamante

The female seniors of Morton East’s class of 2018 have differing opinions on just how much is too much for a prom dress.

According to USA Today, in 2017 it was found that a teenage girl in high school spends an average of $202 on a prom dress. Considering that prom dresses can go for upward of a thousand dollars, the average is not all that bad. We decided to see if this average resonated with our very own here at Morton East and get a more in depth opinion on the price tag of attending prom.

“I feel anything over $250 is too much in my opinion. Chances are you’ll only wear the dress once,” senior Alyssa Mia Berrios said. 

Even if it might be attire for one night, others believe finding the perfect dress is priceless.

“I don’t think there’s too much for a prom dress. I’ve heard of many girls who waste over $600 on a prom dress, which is crazy, but as long as they love and feel comfortable in the dress, I think there’s no problem,” senior Amairany Cardoza shared. 

Sometimes there is a certain budget in mind, yet when a certain dress speaks to you, it can be hard to say no.

“I had made a budget for my prom dress, I was supposed to spend a maximum of $350, but once I saw the dress I loved and felt comfortable in it, i went a little over my budget. I don’t mind because I feel confident with the dress I bought,” Cardoza confesses.

However, another important deciding factor when it comes time to finalize the purchase is who exactly is paying out of pocket for the dress.

“My mom paid for half and I paid the rest,” senior Maria Morales said. 

It seems that most parents were willing to help out their daughters buy the dress of their dreams, and that for them, there is no such thing as paying too much for a prom dress.

“My mom had told me that if I really liked a dress she was willing to pay whatever the price was, but I mean I didn’t want to do that to her since she’s already paying for my senior fees, ticket for prom and ticket for senior breakfast,” senior Crystal Mendez said.