FashBlog.com

By Christina VanGinkel

Renting your teen's tuxedo for the prom, can be nearly as frustrating as shopping for the girl's dress, especially if this is not something you have ever had to do before. In addition, if you have, chances are each of your teens are so different from each other, there is no real comparison between how the two shop anyway! Part of the difficulty may extend right to your teen, who in this modern day and age, has most likely never had to be fitted for something such as this, unless they have stood up in a wedding, or needed to attend some other event that required formal wear.

Some of the frustration will surely be the cost involved, for one night of what amounts to playing dress up. Yet, it seems to be such an ingrained right of passage from teen to adult, that who are we as the parent's to even bring up the issue of what the rental costs will be? If it is a big issue, discussing with your teen beforehand what the probable costs and limitations are, and what part of it you expect them to pay, if any, will surely make the day of shopping for the tuxedo go that much more smoothly. Surprises are never fun, and if there are limits, it is always easier to work within them, then trying to figure out to make them work after your teen sees a tuxedo they ant that is way over any budget you may have!

To make the excursion more enjoyable, you can do several other things too. Ask them, for instance, if they would like to go as a group to get their tuxedos ordered. Talk to a few other parents, and maybe two or three parents could arrange to go on the same day to the same stores. Some parent may jump at the notion of even staying home and allowing their teen somewhat free reign with a bit of adult guidance from you. However the adults work it out, your teen may enjoy having his friends along with him, so they can all be in accord as to what they will be wearing. This alone can be a comfort, as the mode of dress a tuxedo exhibits, is so different from what they would normally wear.

Grab a magazine or two, showing formal wear, before you take him shopping. If you cannot find any on your newsstands, stop in at the shops that you will be taking him to, and ask if they have any brochures showing what is available this season. Better yet, get online and type in a search such as 'tuxedo styles for prom'. You will soon have a front seat view of exactly what all the styling teens will be showing up in at their date's door in just a few weeks time! Colors, styles, lengths, all are open to discussion this season, and hardly anything is taboo.

Do not balk at what your teen chooses. Some may feel comfortable in only a very basic tuxedo, while others will automatically lean towards the more extreme, flashy styles. My oldest son, who always wore nondescript clothing styles, shocked me the first time I took him shopping for a tuxedo to wear to prom. He paged through a few style books, then zeroed right in on one that looked like something a mobster from back in the 1920's would have been wearing. Not a mobster who was trying to lend into the crowd, either, but one who wanted everyone to know that he was there, right down to the white tipped shoes that reminded me for some reason of a penguin! I did not tell him that then, and I never would, but shock me he did, as it was the flashiest tuxedo I had ever seen, then or now. He wore it with all the class anyone would have to have to wear such an outfit, and had a fantastic time, in part; I am sure, because of all the compliments everyone gave him on his stylish attire!

Let this prom season be the prom of your teen's dreams. Help him pick out a tuxedo that will go down in the pages of your scrapbook as the tuxedo to be remembered for all time!