Attending a prom can be an exciting and memorable thing for young people; however, it can be a cause of stress and anxiety for families, especially those on low incomes. Pop-up prom events are aiming to alleviate this stress and increase the accessibility of proms for students who do not have big budgets to splash out on the parties.

Events have popped up around the country offering affordable prom dresses and prom attire for young people, including a major pop-up prom partnership in Newcastle run by Children and Families Newcastle and Action for Children.

Expensive occasion

While stores such as https://www.ohelloclothing.com/collections/debs-prom-dresses work hard to offer prom dresses and other items at the best possible prices, some students still struggle to afford the demands of this rite of passage. It is estimated that the average cost for a young person to attend their prom is around £764. Figures show that 51% of all parents will use credit cards to pay for the prom, while 83% feel pressured to fund this important event for their children.

In Newcastle, a pop-up boutique aimed to minimise the stress and lower the financial outlay by offering hire outfits for £20. Outfits were also available to buy for £50 at the spring event, and suits were added to the collection for the first time this year to increase the choice available. There were even some outfits available, which were sponsored by local businesses, completely free of charge.

Repeat success

The pop-up outfit event followed on from successful endeavours in 2024, when a two-day event supported youngsters from thirteen North East schools. Young people had access to prom dresses that had been donated, along with a free salon experience offered in collaboration with Newcastle College.

Carly McLeary, Action for Children’s community development coordinator, said that around one-third of youngsters in the North East are living in poverty, which poses challenges when it comes to enjoying the prom experience. She said the pop-up events offered an opportunity to combat the income challenges these youngsters and their families can face.