13 yr old grls...1 formal or 2?

[cruisecrazymama]

Our family is cruising and taking our DD's best friend along. They each have one formal. They were purchased off the cleareance rack at Dillards 75% off so were not very expensive. DD's best friend also purchased a very nice pansuit which will work for one formal night. Question is, should we get DD a second formal? She will be able to wear one to her 8 grade prom this spring. DD found what she wants, and it looks beautiful on her.This one however is NOT on clearance....106.00. Opinions please?

Thanks Brenda

[monakayk]

Our family is cruising and taking our DD's best friend along. They each have one formal. They were purchased off the cleareance rack at Dillards 75% off so were not very expensive. DD's best friend also purchased a very nice pansuit which will work for one formal night. Question is, should we get DD a second formal? She will be able to wear one to her 8 grade prom this spring. DD found what she wants, and it looks beautiful on her.This one however is NOT on clearance....106.00. Opinions please?

Thanks Brenda

 

I would advise...if you have the money and know that your daughter will wear a second formal before she outgrows it, go for it.

However, I would advise discussing the situation with your daughter and MAYBE she would understand about the extra cost of an 2nd formal could be spent else where for her. Then she might be more willing to wear the one formal she has on the 2nd formal night or she could dress in a really nice pair of dress pants with a nice top. With nice shoes and a bag or accessories, she would most certainly look 'dressy' enough for the 2nd formal.

All in all, don't spend more than you can afford! That is money well wasted! She will look lovely in anything nice that she could wear at a wedding or church.

:) Happy Cruising!:)

[caviargal]

Will you end up buying a new formal for the 8th grade prom? Or will she wear the Dillards formal?

 

If you are going to buy her a new dress anywayand (1) she loves the one for $106 and (2) it is within your budget, it seems to me you should go ahead and buy it. But if she is not sure, or you don't want to spend that much then don't buy it for her. If you do buy it, then she needs to agree to wear it to her prom right now and not want yet another new dress later.

 

I see a lot of teen dresses in consignment shops around here; not sure if that is an option.

 

How nice that the girls want to dress up and are looking forward to the formal nights onboard!:)

[ncdazz]

My concern as the mother of a DD would be that there will be multiple pictures of her in the same dress. I would want the formal pics to be different than the cruise pics. To answer your question, only because of the pictures, i would have her wear a nice outfit on 2nd formal cruise night and wait to buy a new dress for her dance.

[miami]

Sorry, I have to disagree. I would not spend $106.00 on a formal for a 13 yr. old.

[ncdazz]

i probably wouldn't spend that much either. but i WOULD get a different outfit for the cruise (she probably has a nice skirt/dress in her closet) and then she can have a new dress for the dance. i was answering the question of whether to wear the same outfit, not whether she should spend $106 :)

[cruisecrazymama]

She probably wouldn't wear the same dress twice during the cruise. The dress she has now we bought from Dillards for 50.00. The other one she likes is also at Dillards and is 106.00. We can afford the second dress, and she will wear it to prom in the spring. My thought is what about after the prom? We certainly couldn't get near half what we will pay for it should we sell it. I think we will forget the second dress. The one she has now will prove well worth the cost after wearing it on the cruise and prom.

[bld16]

:) This summer I purchased 2 formal/pagent dresses at Salvation Army/Goodwill stores for $10 each. Just had both of them cleaned and pressed at the drycleaner. My DD13yo picked the dresses, used them for a pagent and is bringing them for formal night on our December cruise. What a bargin

[Ula]

Cruisecrazymama,

You have a good handle on what to do with your daughter. The age 13 is not senior portrait or senior prom. It is the puberty type age where the body can still change so the clothes may not fit six months down the line. Hard to justify buying two gowns.

Something out here that is done is if you attend like your daughters sporting events at the local gym/HS. The mothers have a formal dress exchange program. The younger daughter will not wear the older daughters dress, but you can trade and that is alright. They do not know. I learned that when we hosted exchange students. I was able to "borrow" some nice gowns for the girls and not spend a cent.

I remember my mother doing the same thing when I was of that age.