Teen girls go all out for prom

It's not unusual for girls to spend 500 to 600 on a prom dress, a local saleswoman says.
By REBECCA SLOAN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Spring has sprung, and teen girls everywhere have one thing on their minds: the prom.
For proof of prom fever, just step into The Winner in Sharon, Pa., on a Friday night. There, among the racks of shimmering, glimmering gowns, you're sure to find packs of teenage girls on a quest for the perfect dress.
The perfect prom dress is a big deal, a crucial ingredient for an unforgettable evening. And an unforgettable evening is what every girl wants for this once-in-a-lifetime dance.
"Prom is a much bigger deal than it used to be," said Amanda Holup, a saleswoman at The Winner. "I've worked here for about 10 years, and five years ago you didn't see girls spending as much money on dresses or making as big of a deal about their proms."
Holup said the average customer at The Winner spends about 250 on a prom dress, but it's not unusual for girls to buy gowns that cost as much as 500 or 600.
"A decade ago, you wouldn't have seen that, but now it's not uncommon at all," Holup said. "Girls want to go all out. They want everything to be perfect for their special night."
Katie Rufener, a 17-year-old senior at Joseph Badger High School in Kinsman, is one girl who splurged for the dress of her dreams.
Rufener chose a gown that cost 400 and drove to a bridal shop in Minerva, Ohio, to get it.
Catalog shopping
"I went to The Winner in Sharon, but I didn't see anything there that caught my eye," said Rufener, who lives in Hartford. "There is a store in Minerva called Henri's Cloud Nine. They have a catalogue, and I saw a dress I really liked in their catalogue. That's how I ended up going there."
The dress in the Henri's Cloud Nine catalogue was kiwi green and "kind of different," Rufener said. When she tried it on, she knew it was "the one" despite the price.
"My parents were OK with buying it for me," Rufener said. Lisa Rufener, Katie's mom, said she approved the dress because she wanted to do something wonderful for her daughter.
"This is the biggest time of [Katie's] life," Lisa said. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime event, and I want it to be very special for her."
Katie said girls her age view the prom as such a huge deal because it has sentimental value.
"It's the last big dance before graduation, the last chance to get all dressed up and get pretty and have fun with your friends."
Although Katie chose an expensive dress, her choice of footwear is much more economical.
"I'm wearing flip flops," she said with a laugh. "High heels are uncomfortable, and everyone ends up taking their shoes off anyway. Also, my date is shorter than me."
Katie's date is her best friend, Greg Logan, 18, also a Joseph Badger senior.
Katie and Greg and a group of other friends plan to pitch in to rent a limousine for the big night, which is Friday at Sorrento Banquet Room in Warren.
Clearance racks
Kelli Smith, one of Katie's friends, said that, like most teen girls, she's excited about the prom, but she tries not to go overboard.
"The prom is all some girls talk about, and it's all they've been talking about for weeks," Smith said, adding, "Of course, it is fun to get dressed up and go out, so I am excited, but it's not all I think about."
Smith, who is 17 and also lives in Hartford, got lucky in choosing her prom dress. She found a white A-line gown with black embroidery on a clearance rack last summer at Dillard's in the Eastwood Mall.
"It was left over from last season's prom and was marked down to 50," Smith said. "I liked it because it was simple yet elegant, and it was different from the dresses I wore to other proms." This will be Smith's third prom.
"I went to prom my sophomore year and also my junior year," Smith said, "so I didn't want a dress that was similar to the dresses I wore to those other proms."
Smith said she's not sure what she will do with her prom gowns after graduation.
"Some people might pass them down to their younger sisters, but my sister has very different tastes than I do, so I don't think she'd want to wear them," Smith said.
Holup said it's not uncommon for teen girls to have closets full of fancy dresses from high school dances.
"We actually have customers who buy two prom dresses in one year because their boyfriend goes to a different high school and they are going to two different proms and want to wear a different dress to each prom," Holup said. "If they choose two high-priced dresses, the costs can really add up."
Other expenses
And don't forget the manicure, which can average 20 to 40; the pedicure, which can cost 20 to 50; the visit to a hair salon for a professional updo, which averages 25 to 50; and the visits to the local tanning booth.
"Most girls pay to get their hair and nails done before the dance, and all the girls [in our school] want to be tan for the prom," Smith said. "They start going to tanning booths about a month ahead of time. It costs about 60 for a month."
Rachael Hoffman, a 17-year-old senior at Reynolds High School in Transfer, Pa., said tanning is popular at her school, too.
"I'll probably do a little bit of tanning because I don't want to look too pale," Hoffman said.
However, Hoffman said she'll probably wear her long hair down instead of paying for an updo and will probably paint her own nails.
"This is my first prom, so I'm excited about it, but I'll also try to be economical," said Hoffman, who used money she earned teaching piano lessons to buy a pink gown that's embroidered with silver.
Like Smith, Hoffman bought her prom dress on clearance at Dillard's in the Eastwood Mall.
"It was 100, marked down from 180.94," she said. "I bought it last year."
Holup said it's not unusual for girls to shop early for their prom dresses.
"Lots of girls are thinking about the prom well in advance," Holup said. "Some of them shop the clearance sales, but most of them start shopping the January before the dance. The Winner starts getting prom dresses in December. Since most proms are in April, by March, we are really, really busy."
Holup said there are a variety trends, but the most popular dress style is an "A-line style in a bright color with thin shoulder straps and some sparkle."
Of course, gorgeous gowns aren't the only trends that go along with this once-in-a-lifetime dance.
After-prom events
Many teens turn the day after prom into something special as well.
"Since prom is on a Friday, lots of people will plan to do something special the Saturday after the prom," Smith said. "Last year a group of us went biking in Oil City, Pa." Never mind that they'd been awake most of the night.
"You still feel pretty good on Saturday, but by Sunday you're really tired, and you skip church and just sleep all day," Smith said with a laugh.
Smith said some teens rely on energy drinks like Red Bull to help them stay peppy after dancing into the wee small hours.
"I don't do that, but I know of people who do," Smith said.
The promenade before the dance also is a big deal.
During this pre-dance event, students who are attending the prom assemble at their school and step out before an audience that includes family and friends.
"Everyone wears [their formal attire] and is announced before they walk out in front of the audience," Smith explained.
The promenade usually occurs a few hours before the dance. Smith said although the promenade is fun, it causes girls to rush around the day of the prom.
"We have school until noon the day of the prom, so if you're planning to go somewhere and get your hair done, you have to rush to be back home and be ready on time," she said.
With the combined cost of an updo, a manicure, a pedicure, a dress and a pair of shoes, at least girls can depend on their dates to cover the cost of dinner.
"Prom is expensive for a girl, but at least the boys buy the tickets," Smith said with a laugh. Tickets, which include dinner, usually cost around 20 per person.