Prom season is upon us and Santaluces is gearing up for the big night. However, in recent years the extravagance of prom has elevated; with girls going as far as getting custom made dresses and guys shelling out big bucks to rent luxury cars like Lamborghinis and Ferraris. Of course students want to go all out for their senior year, but is the real purpose of a high school prom being lost underneath exorbitant gimmicks and show-boating? Are all of these expenses really worth it for just one night?

Some students see differences in other’s perception of prom today. It’s not just a dance held in high school gyms anymore but a whole production with: a venue, theme, corresponding decorations, and catering. It’s been imperative that you look your best on the biggest night of high school but does that mean it takes a certain monetary value? For some students, they see prom as the last “harroah” with their friends before graduation and the amount they spend shouldn’t outweigh the overall experience.

“I decided to go to prom after all my friends encouraged me go, saying it’s our last year and we should spend it together and have a good time. People who spend a lot of money on prom are dumb. Just go to the store and buy a $300 dress at the maximum. You’re only going to wear for one night,” says senior Brittney Louiscar.

Prom season is a huge market for freelance and professional designers. They start taking orders as early as January through Instagram and from there schedule appointments, collect deposits, and hold multiple fittings. It takes weeks for them to finish these dresses that can cost a minimum of $500. In any given prom season designers can make a handful of dresses. It is also a great way to express your own style and creativity through fashion in a dress no one else will be wearing. Some popular designers in Florida are Dare to be Vintage by Shane Justin and Adonis of Miami.

Senior Tatyanna Horeb describes the process of getting her custom made dress.

“I found some dress inspirations and showed the designer and his team, chose my own color and added my own style to the dress. I had approximately 3-4 meetings with him, which included a consultation, making measurements and gave a $250 deposit. Then a follow up meeting for approval and a try-on of the dress for any last alterations and made the final payment of $300. I got to take home my beautiful dress which in total was $550 made by celebrity designer Shane Justin. I’m more than excited to wear his unique piece.” said Tatyanna.

Here are some examples of custom made prom dresses from designers Shane Justin and Adonis:

It seems as if prom has turned into some sort of competition. Now, all people care about is who has the best dress, car, or cutest overall couple. The competitive nature starts with the “prom proposal”-as if couples don’t already know who they’re going to prom with- where everyone looks to see who will be the most creative and get the highly anticipated “awww” from on-lookers, but that is not where the theatrics stop.

Prom “walk throughs”-which are pre-prom photo opps-have become a big thing . This is where students show up at a disclosed location in their rentals and walk a make-shift runway in front of fellow classmates to show off their outfits. It’s basically making sure that enough people get to see you before prom and take pictures and videos for social media.

After that comes the actual prom which is 4 hours of dancing-if you consider what happens on the dance floor dancing-and enjoying the night with friends. Some students continue the party after prom by going to see a movie, getting food or going to after parties. The after parties are organized by outside groups and are for all schools with proms on the same night, even people who didn’t go to prom go to these after parties. After all the festivities expect to get home around 4 a.m and if you’re someone who values sleep this sounds terrible.

A night filled with many thrills can cost a lot of money. Prom tickets cost $65 and go up $10 every week. From getting a dress or tux, accessories, a rental, and then the actual ticket, prom is one of the most expensive things you’ll pay for during high school and students seem to agree.

“Prom is a waste of money in my opinion. You can do a lot of other things with the money like go on a trip. I don’t know why guys are trying to show off in expensive rentals? Is it to gain reputation or impress a girl who’s already there with you?” says senior Zack Mackey.

Prom today is a different experience from what is use to be. Whether you rock a store bought or custom made dress or pull up in your mom’s mini van or Maserati, your senior prom is a memorable night no matter the cost. It’s about enjoying the last moments of high school with your friends and being able to make those moments last a life time.