Prom Costs are Through the Roof in 2015!

Becoming prom king and queen is not about having the most expensive suit or dress in the room but, more about the person inside them. However, based on recent surveys the costs are rising and it’s all about the money!


Hey Dodd Middle School! For you, being a Junior or a Senior is in the far off years to come, but have you ever thought about how much this one night costs schools, students and parents?

Let’s talk about the girls. This year a survey done by Visa found that an average prom dress alone would cost the family $324. This high price tag has gone up significantly since 2011, where they would spend near $100. Lets not forget hair and make-up! You may decide to go to a salon to get your hair, makeup, and nails done, or you might opt to do it yourself. Depending on the choices that you make the price could be anywhere from $30 to $275. It is typically the boys job to buy the flowers, but in reality most guys wear boutonniere’s which usually costs $10 to $20. However, it depends on the type of flowers that you chose to purchase.

Besides looking good there are many other aspects that make prom very expensive. One being the ticket. The going rate these days depending on the location, tends to be $20 to $250. If the prom is being held in a fancy hotel, ballroom etc. it may be more costly than if it is being held in your school gymnasium. Ticket prices usually include entry into the dance, dinner, and beverages, so make sure to find out beforehand so you don’t plan to do a big dinner first! Most proms however do not provide a full dinner before hand, so most students decide to eat out. Depending on the type of restaurant and where it is the meal could cost anywhere from $25 to $130 per person.

Next is getting there! Parents like to know that their child is safe to and home from the prom. So limousines are often rented, but this costs students a pretty penny as they are quite extravagant and expensive. The average cost for renting a limousine is 200 to 500 dollars. If this price exceeds your budget, don’t worry! A good solution is to split the cost with a group, and its more fun that way too!

Like the renting of a limo taking pictures is the part that parents enjoy most so they often hire a professional. When friends split the cost of a limo to the prom, they tend to go to one person’s home to take pictures, so the cost can again be split. Even though us Dodd kids aren’t going to prom for another 730 days (roughly) you can relate to how your parents get when you have a special event or a memorable moment. It’s sooooo important to them to have pictures to reminisce with. Prices for professional photos can range anywhere from $30 to $125. You may choose not to get formal photos and use your own camera, and  that’s cool too. Lastly, at some point during the evening most prom committees will hire a photographer to come take photographs of couples and or groups. You will probably receive a price list beforehand. They may be prepaid, or you may need to pay at the event, so don’t forget your money!

Overall prom is an expensive night out, but in my opinion it is worth all the fun you have dancing and laughing with your friends. It is also a great reason to get dressed up like the movie stars and to enjoy yourself!

~Megan

Styling the Hunger Games

Ok, So I’m sure most of you have heard of the Hunger Games. I mean, it’s everywhere, especially with the second movie coming out in less than a month. But for those who need a quick refresher, the Hunger Games is about a futuristic world that is ruled by a corrupt government that forces two children, a boy and a girl, from each of the twelve surrounding districts to go into an arena to fight to the death until one remains. Katniss Everdeen is the female tribute from district twelve. The story follows her as she fights to make it home again. Now, the plot itself is great, but my absolute favorite part of the movie is the costumes. Judianna Makovsky, the costume designer for the movie, says she was focusing on color. In the districts the main colors were grey and blue, to keep it with the coal mining theme. But in the capitol the colors were bold and bright. She would use white powder on the actor’s faces’ to give them ghostly, haunted look.

Judianna Makovsky did an amazing job with the costumes. Her costumes really showed how, in this one civilization, there are such different cultures and lifestyles. The extravagant dresses from the capitol would never be worn by the hard working, poor people from district twelve. The bold colors show how confident and proud the people from the capital are. She also covers the capital dresses in poofs, flowers, and frills. As we learn from the book, looks are very important to these people. They have to have the latest style. When Katniss and Peeta, the male tribute from district 12, reach the capitol, they have to wear clothes from the capitol. These clothes are stunning.  The sleek black leather outfit that they both wear for the tribute parade is amazing to begin with. Its sharp look makes the two look powerful. Then when a fake fire is added, the outfit is amazing. However, my favorite outfit in the movie is Katniss’s interview dress. The red dress is absolutely beautiful, complete with the glitter and her shoulder and a ruffled bottom. And, of course, what dress is complete without fire. When she spins, sparks fly from the bottom of her dress. The overall look is perfect. There’s no other way to describe it. The Hunger Games really lives up to its good reviews, especially where  fashion is concerned.

~Seneca

Gucci

When you buy clothes, how much do you spend? Probably not a thousand dollars. And if you do, it’s probably not on just one thing. Well, Gucci has a dress for $1250. And, its just a normal dress, there isn’t anything really special about it. When I saw the dress before I saw how ridiculous the price was, all I saw was a dark blue dress with a metallic gold painted ring in the middle. It was kind of pretty, but it was also kind of plain. Then, after I saw the price tag, I was confused. Why would such an ordinary dress cost so much? But then I saw the word “Gucci” in small letters in the ring. Even more expensive is Jimmy Choo, a well known shoe designer, who designs shoes that cost from about $400- $2000. Yeah, I know what you’re probably thinking. Nobody would spend that much on a single pair of shoes. However, there is a decent amount of people who would.  Don’t get me wrong, I love designer fashion (a lot), but there are limits.

I just don’t get it. There aren’t that many people who would spend that on a single dress. As for the shoes, I saw a pair that looked just like those in another store for about $70. And even though those Jimmy Choo shoes are high quality,I wouldn’t spend an extra thousand just for a designer logo. Think about it: how much are you willing to spend for fashion?

~Gabriella Terry