As the disco ball spins and students’ bank accounts decline, senior prom is right around the corner. Saturday, April 11 is the perfect time for senior boys to shoot their shot at the beautiful girl that they have admired all year. What is a night full of love and gratification without stressful, behind-the-scenes planning?
“I am very organized so I got my dress two months before, but different financial situations made it stressful while planning,” senior Ana Buendia said.
Arguably the most important part of prom is searching for dresses and tux. It is a fever dream moment for many students during the prom process. Maybe seeing a sleek tux through the window of a local boutique, or aggressively swiping through a number of racks and admiring the beautiful princess-looking dresses in the fitting room. Either way, purchasing a dress or tux is not a cheap item to invest in. Plus, the outfit alone is already a hole in the pocket, so once all accessories and transportation are added in, the price just continues to rise.
“I found my dress in Katy Mills Mall at H.Harloquin. I was just scrolling racks and I liked their system where nobody else could have the same dress as you from your school, so that just really caught my attention,” Buendia said.
For reference, the average girl pays between $350-$650 for a high-quality dress. This 2026 top prom dress style includes sparkly, corset-looking, vibrant looks. Many go for the slits on the sides or ruffle styles with luxurious fabrics like velvet or satin.
“I had a dress style in mind, I wanted ruffles because it seemed like the trend was mermaid and so I wanted to do something a little differently. My dress in total, with alterations was $250,” senior Bethanie Montano said.
A dress calls for elegant hair, makeup, and accessories to match it just right. On average, about 50 percent of girls get their hair professionally done, and 50 percent of girls do their hair themselves. To get it professionally done prices range from $50-$150, so there is definitely a wide range of spending on hair. In addition to hair, jewelry and shoes are essential for a complete prom look. Jewelry ranges from $40-$120, while shoe pricing ranges from $20-$200. Overall, depending on if you shop at a high-quality boutique, or a common thrift store determines the price you’ll pay for a complete prom look.
“With my dress, dinner, ticket for prom, prom after house, and just stuff here and there for lunch, the total was about $500,” Montano said.
On the easier side, boys get the simple dress code of a simple tuxedo and maybe a cheap chain. For rentals, which most boys choose, the cost can range from $100-$150, but if you purchase a full tux it can cost up to $300. On the bright side, boys typically do not have many other expenses besides transportation and a pretty bouquet for their girl. Bouquets typically only range from $20-$50, so the total price a boy may pay for prom could be just under $500, if he does not spend too much on his date of course.
“My tux was $250 and the total money I spent on prom was about $350,” senior Gavin Wendt said.
