Magical Prom Dresses and GQ Suits

For teenagers everywhere, that magic night is fast approaching. You know the one I'm referring to, that unforgettable night that every teenage girl looks forward to from the time she begins kindergarten. Hoping that her hair will look just right, her makeup can be applied just so, she dreams of finding the perfect jewelry, shoes, and of course, the dress, a night when everything has to be perfect. Yes, I'm talking about prom! As all of us parents with teenagers know, its coming up all to soon. And our kids, in there excitement and desire for everything to be perfect, are wanting to go searching for those perfect prom clothes.

For girls, that means endless hours of hunting through every store in town looking for that perfect dress. For some of us, it means going in debt, so our kids can have that magical dress, the one that's sure to transform her into a fairy princess, or the perfect suit for our boys, one that makes them look like they just stepped off the pages of GQ. Not me! I love my kids and want them to have anything and everything they want, but lets be realistic, in today's economy its impossible for any of us, no matter how hard we work to have everything we want. Sometimes even having things we need is a stretch. So you wont find me shelling out hundreds of dollars on clothes my kids are only going to wear once. Yes, a prom dress is special, its something magical they'll remember forever, something they'll wear for that one night, then hang in there closet and not see again until years later, when there looking back on that special night and decide to go digging for it. When I take my children shopping for prom clothes this weekend, we'll be frequenting yard sales, thrift stores and consignment shops. Of course we'll also be looking into, what my kids consider 'real' stores, like Marshalls and Kohls, sometimes you can find dresses and suits in there really inexpensive. I'm one of those lucky parents, my daughter doesn't mind if her dress is bought in a second hand thrift store, she's very creative and is looking forward to finding something she can alter to make uniquely hers. We went looking for prom clothes last weekend and found some really nice dresses cheap, we just never found that 'one' dress that made my baby's eyes sparkle. But thrift stores, flea markets and yard sales are definite places to go looking for prom clothes. Consignment shops are good also, you can find really unique dresses at great prices, and of course, if you want to have that unique, one of a kind look, you can alter it, creating your own design, adding beads, lace, whatever you feel like, making it original. If you're talented enough to be considered creative, and can design and sew, then why not make your own prom dress? Creating something that that is uniquely you, something you'll be proud to wear and show off, a dress created for, and by, you. Or, if you prefer to go with something a little more simple, with less fuss and no cost, ask your family members. You're likely to find a relatively who has a prom dress or suit hanging in there closet, who would happily donate it to you. Also, you could take up a collection from relatives, or, if your birthday happens to fall close to the time you need to shop for prom clothes, ask for gifts of money instead of material things, and put it all in a prom dress fund. Whatever you decide to do, shopping for prom clothes doesn't have to break your bank or your allowance.