Wednesday, April 21, 2004

Ah, prom night. Its a rite of passage for every high schooler a night where every girl is the belle of the ball and every boy becomes a slick, tux-wearing gentleman. But all that glitz and glamour can be a little rough on the adolescent wallet. Thats why experts are offering advice on how to make it through prom night without breaking the bank. For starters, theres the prom dress drive at Bowling Green High Schools Youth Services Center. The drive features gently used, fairly recent dresses that are given away for free, according to coordinator Misti Carrigan. The prom dress drive is usually advertised to Western Kentucky University sororities and anyone else who may have dresses hanging in their closets. Consignment shops such as Elite Repeats have also donated dresses to the drive. But the sale isnt just for girls. We also have some coupons for tux rentals, Carrigan said. Tara Coones, prom committee co-sponsor at Bowling Green High, said girls looking for a nice dress for little or no money should ask older friends if they can rent or borrow a dress. That goes for guys, too, if they know someone their size who owns a tuxedo. Shop yard sales, Coones said. People get rid of prom dresses because they have nowhere to store them. I would also go to wholesalers as much as possible. Another good way to keep the teenagers wallet nice and fat is to gasp get the parents involved. Parental involvement is wonderful, Coones said. If parents have insight into what youre doing, then thats awesome. Teens can offer to do extra chores around the house in exchange for some assistance with the prom budget. Girls can turn to Mom for nice jewelry to complement the dress promising, of course, that it will arrive back home safely. But thats not where the value of parents ends. Last year, there was a group of students whose parents did dinner for them, said Coones co-sponsor, Karen Swiney. They did the potluck thing. That way, they saved money on going out to eat because they had dinner at the parents house. Speaking of dinner, thats the next thing on the prom-goers mind after the formal wear is picked out. Its not necessary to travel to fancy restaurants in Nashville Bowling Green has plenty of fine cuisine to offer on prom night. Popular restaurant choices around the city include 440 Main, Outback Steakhouse, Red Lobster, The Mandolin, Raffertys, Montana Grille and Mariahs. One other thing that boys and girls need to remember are corsages and boutonnieres. At Kroger, prices vary depending on the number of flowers. A triple-rose pin-on corsage is about $20, while a wrist corsage is $23. For the guys, a single-rose boutonniere is $13, a double-rose is $16 and a triple-rose is $20.And if youre a Bowling Green High School student, you could win a prom package from sponsors. This package, which was given away to three couples last year, includes dinner, pictures and prom tickets for two. The deal is raffled at the school, Coones said. OK, so you look good, you know what to eat and your tickets are bought. Heres a few more tips to make prom night special:Do a dress rehearsal sometime before prom night to make sure there are no holes in your clothes or runs in your pantyhose. Girls, do a trial run with makeup. Dont think you have to pile it on you want your date to recognize you. For girls who are used to wearing sneakers every day, dont pick stiletto heels for the prom; very high heels require practice and conditioning. Try smaller-heeled shoes instead. Guys, practice your manners before picking up your date, particularly if youre meeting her parents for the first time. And dont forget the corsage. Warren East High Schools prom will be Saturday at Garrett Conference Center, while Warren Central Highs prom will also be Saturday at the school. Bowling Green High and Greenwood High proms will both be May 8 Bowling Green Highs at Jennys Creek retreat center and Greenwood Highs at Lost River Cave. Daily News ·813 College St. ·PO Box 90012 ·Bowling Green, KY ·42102 ·270-781-1700