Parents spend up to £392 on prom for girls – £157 more than boys, survey finds

Parents are forking out up to £392 for a girl to attend a school prom – £157 more than the £235 average for boys, according to research from buy now pay later provider ClearPay. The costs include tickets, travel, make-up, clothing, accessories and hair-styling. The disparity comes as primary school proms grow in popularity, with nearly a fifth of parents surveyed saying their child had attended one. The East Midlands leads the trend at 26%, followed by London (25%) and the North West of England (23%). Social media is fuelling the spending pressure: more than two-thirds of parents agreed it has made prom spending feel more competitive, and two in five admitted feeling judged by other parents if their child’s outfit is not impressive enough. Despite the strain, nearly seven in 10 parents view prom as an important milestone, and more than three-quarters said seeing their child dressed up was worth every penny. Many families are finding ways to manage the cost – two-fifths set a strict budget, a fifth do hair, make-up or nails at home, and 14% buy preowned outfits. Grandparents help finance proms in nearly a fifth of families, while aunts and uncles chip in for 14%, and the child themselves contribute in around 12% of cases. Clearpay’s own sales data shows annual growth in children’s formalwear. For those looking to cut costs, renting from retailers such as John Lewis and H&M is cheaper than buying new, and second-hand options on Vinted or in charity shops can save hundreds.