<p>I find it amusing that a parent said this to me the other day. </p>
<p>"I guess you're lucky that you don't have to rent a tuxedo for prom because your son already owns one"</p>
<p>As if the reason for his owning tuxedos and dark suits, bow ties, etc. hasn't already cost me how many 10's of thousands of dollars in lessons, instruments, camps, travel, competition money, audition expenses, etc. etc. etc.</p>
<p>Oh well....</p>
<p>As a mother of a devout music geek, I would consider myself lucky if my D were even interested in going to the prom! or was asked out on a date! </p>
<p>But I know what you mean … and I know how proud of your son you must be. :)</p>
<p>SO true…</p>
<p>Daughter received nice scholarship…1st year of it already mostly eaten up by all the audition expenses we laid out this year…flying coast to coast to coast (east, west, south) … Music parents certainly are LUCKY…HA!</p>
<p>My son announced last night that he actually has a “date” for the prom. I don’t pretend to understand the parameters of “dating” for my teens (s & d) these days but I try :-)) </p>
<p>I am certainly unabashedly proud of both my kids and their dedication to music.</p>
<p>They are lucky to be able to pursue something they love and we are lucky to have them - not to mention the inexorable pleasure of being able to hear their music in our houses and in our minds. </p>
<p>Funny story about the tux. My husband suggested that my son wouldn’t need his during the summer since he has no plans to do any formal performing. My son adamantly refuses to leave it at school. He can’t imagine not having it on hand!!</p>
<p>At their prom last year, my D’s friends all told her last year that she was lucky because, for her, wearing formal attire will be an everyday thing once her singing career is on a role. They expect to dress formally three to four times in their lives.</p>
<p>I thought my S was pretty astute to contact the band director at his chosen college to see if a tux was needed. He wanted me to buy a tux now, in time for prom, rather than him renting. Well, yes, band director said he needed a tux, so I found one online. Now, however, prom is no longer in the picture. Oh well, I was going to have to buy the tux before August anyway.</p>
<p>The Mom: I agree – kudos to your son.</p>
<p>stringfollies, your son has the right of it. A musician has to be prepared to take advantage of any opportunity that may occur, including being asked to substitute for an ill colleague on a moment’s notice. I have gotten some very nice gigs that way myself. “Sorry, but I don’t have anything to wear” is a pretty lame excuse for having to turn down a well-paying job that falls your way unexpectedly.</p>
<p>don9992, had to laugh re the dresses. I have gotten very good at haunting the sale racks and web pages so that DD now has a selection of formal dresses in various colors at nominal cost each. Worked fine until the dry cleaning bill comes at the end of the year 
She just took them all for dry cleaning before leaving school for the summer. I cringe thinking of the bill.</p>
<p>We haunt GoodWill (a thrift store chain) for DD’s performance wear – and have found some knockout stuff, to the point where that is her preferred place to find unique gowns. She likes that so many of them there have sleeves, which she kind of needs, as opposed to the slinky, spaghetti-strap fashions that seem to prevail at department stores.</p>
<p>My favorite “find” she has yet to wear, though, is this totally-sequined, very basic cut dress with 3/4 sleeves, hem about mid-calf. It looks just like something Ella Fitzgerald would have worn in the jazz heyday, and it is so ballsy and fun. I live for the day where she is singing with a big band, it would be perfect! On that day, I will feel completely vindicated, lol.</p>
<p>About clothing - my D was excited when a chain called “Black and White” opened nearby.
Yes - your guessed it - only sold black and white clothing; dresses; pants. She was like
a kid in a candy store. Too funny.</p>
<p>“As a mother of a devout music geek, I would consider myself lucky if my D were even interested in going to the prom!”</p>
<p>Do we have the same daughter??? D is much more interested in seeing NY Philharmonic perform Mahler the night of her prom! Pretty cool, I think! Although I did have a mom tell me she kinda felt bad for her because she hasn’t really experienced a childhood because of Saturday orchestra rehearsals, summers at camp, hours of practice…ect. Ouch. All of these decisions, I informed her, were completely up to my d…and she begged to do them all. </p>
<p>And we too have a closet for the black gowns, some white too. One of her absolute favorite stores is…White house Black Market.</p>
<p>DD works at White House Black Market and is heaven when she can scoop up a bargain. Her prom dress one year came from there. Unfortunately she has found she cannot wear white on stage since it washes her complexion out too much and she does not want to compensate with that much makeup…</p>
<p>Speaking of Black/White gowns -
Am I right in assuming that some of the beautiful gowns we’ve acquired from places like Southeastern Performance and Rivars aren’t really acceptable for anything other than performing in those specific choirs…sigh…
My daughter’s Madrigals gown is gorgeous - satin and organza - and I’d had faint hopes of her using it again some day. It’s WASHABLE!!! We’re misfits in an Abercrombie community, so I find I need to do a reality check with the rest of the world sometimes. </p>
<p>On the other hand, I just found a site to order gowns from that will actually do a made to measure gown with custom colors at a reasonable price. If it comes in as good as the picture, I’ll share the resource - I’m choosing to take the gamble, but I’d like to see the quality first before I endorse them. </p>
<p>And singersmom - I had to search out that website because my daughter’s date/just a friend asked her to prom because she looked good in his favorite color! Luckily, he has a good eye. Hey, at least it’s not Black OR White - a nice break from concert colors.</p>
<p>ooo BeezMom, please do share that web site if it works. Always on the hunt for one that looks better and does not cost a fortune. Like VicAria I am on the hunt for dresses that are not spaghetti strap. Before singing, she was a butterfly swimmer and has those shoulders. Her voice teacher does not like her on stage with the expanse of very white skin under the lights. 
And, VicAria, I will tell her about the Goodwill stores, too.</p>