[gpick24]

It doesn`t have to cost the earth, plenty of places sell dresses second hand, and you get most of your money back when you sell it on again. You don`t have to pay for an expensive car, although in her case, there were 16 ( I think ) sharing a car, so while the car was expensive, shared between 16 it wasn`t too bad, and there were lots who turned up getting lifts from parents.
I agree about it coming from America, but it`s only taking place of the school disco`s that were around when I was at school, but on a bigger scale.
Let them have their Prom, it`s a once in a lifetime thing for them, to say goodbye to a lot of their school friends.