ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

Teen Wants to Go to Prom in a New Dress but Her Mom Disagrees; Here’s What Netizens Had to Say

The teen says that she had her savings and could afford to buy herself a new dress but her mom didn’t want that to happen either.
PUBLISHED APR 16, 2024
Cover Image Source: Teen refuses to go to prom in an old dress (representative image) | Unsplash | Photo by Long Truong
Cover Image Source: Teen refuses to go to prom in an old dress (representative image) | Unsplash | Photo by Long Truong

This is the prom season, with most schools hosting prom events between late April and early June. During the various themed and special prom nights, teenagers are set to make core memories that will last forever. However, there may be a few heartbreaks as well which would leave people in tears. One such sad story was shared by a 17-year-old user (@ViolinistNovel3752) on the Reddit forum, “Am I The A—hole? (AITA?)” about her mom asking him to wear an old dress. The story divided the internet with people arguing about what the teen should have done.

Image Source: Unsplash | Photo by Hannah Busing
Image Source: Unsplash | Photo by Hannah Busing

Here's how prom dress negotiations went 

This user who originally made the post on the forum where people ask others if they did something wrong (if they were the a-hole), said her mom wants her to wear her sister’s prom dress. She said that she had told her mom she didn’t want to wear the old dress as it was not her style and it wouldn’t match with her boyfriend’s outfit either. Her mom told her that she did not have enough money to buy her a new dress so the old one was the only option. However, the teen says that she had her savings and could afford to buy herself a new dress but her mom didn’t want that to happen either.

Representative Image | Unsplash | Photo by Photos by Lanty
Representative Image | Unsplash | Photo by Photos by Lanty

“She told me that she didn’t want me to do that because she wanted me to save my money,” the user said. So in the end, the user decided that if she wasn’t allowed to buy a dress of her choice, she simply wouldn’t go. This made her mom upset and she called her “selfish” and “unfair,” according to the post. “She’s mad at me right now and told me that I’m hurting her feelings by choosing not to go which I don’t necessarily see how,” the user said. She then took to the Reddit forum to gather opinions on whether she did the right thing by choosing not to go.

In a reply to one of the comments, the user further added that it was her senior prom and she did not go for her junior prom as she was still a sophomore then. Thus, the event held importance as she wanted to just go to the first prom event in her life.

Image Source: Reddit | r/AmITheAsshole
Image Source: Reddit | r/AmITheAsshole

A fair majority of users who read the post sided with the teenager. While several commented that she should be in charge of her savings, many had useful advice to share. One of the users (@PabloDabscovar) recommended she hit a thrift shop where dresses are available for a fraction of the price.

Image Source: Reddit | r/AmITheAsshole
Image Source: Reddit | r/AmITheAsshole

Meanwhile, several users were worried about her savings. One user (@Unholy_mess169) asked the poster if her mother had access to her savings because if she is so against the teen spending her savings, she may have already used it up. To this another user (@FrostyIcePrincess) added that they had seen way too many posts on Reddit where parents used their children’s savings.

Image Source: Reddit | r/AmITheAsshole
Image Source: Reddit | r/AmITheAsshole

In the end, a few users also supported the teen’s mother as well. One user (@Icy_Sky_7521) said that people were making wild guesses. The user said that her mom may just want her kid who is about to graduate and go off to college to not spend hundreds of dollars on a dress that she would wear only once, for a few hours. Given the current economic climate, the user said it was “smart financial advice.”

Image Source: Reddit | r/AmITheAsshole
Image Source: Reddit | r/AmITheAsshole
MORE ON MARKET REALIST
A Michigan couple’s viral membership photo struck a chord online as shoppers shared decades-old stories featuring their kids and even pets.
Mar 16, 2026
A shift to electronic payments is slowing refunds for some filers, even as the IRS grapples with staffing cuts and a heavy tax season workload.
Mar 16, 2026
The warehouse retailer is urging customers not to consume these ready-to-eat meals sold earlier this month
Mar 16, 2026
The product was distributed in several but no illness has yet been reported.
Mar 14, 2026
While most people disagreed with what the mall did, there were some who understood the reason.
Mar 14, 2026
People are seemingly having a hard time saving apart from their retirement funds.
Mar 14, 2026
“These people are working and contributing and helping to reduce the debt and deficit,” an economic expert said.
Mar 14, 2026
As per a provision in US laws, the IRS had no right to levy penalties in the pandemic years.
Mar 14, 2026
The US had sanctioned Russia heavily over its military exercise in Ukraine.
Mar 14, 2026
While gas prices have jumped, diesel prices have skyrocketed across the country, averaging at $4.78
Mar 13, 2026
Last year, Buffett stepped down as the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway.
Mar 13, 2026
Many who feel financially behind are embracing “financial nihilism,” placing bets on high-risk options instead of traditional investing.
Mar 13, 2026
It was one of the rarest instances in the show in which a contestant had won two cars in one episode
Mar 13, 2026
Housing search data flags a shift in buyer sentiment as Californians look beyond Las Vegas for cheaper housing.
Mar 13, 2026
The company is doing whatever it can to stay ahead of its competitors in the field of AI.
Mar 13, 2026
Industry leaders warn that the Iran conflict could push fertilizer costs higher and eventually drive food inflation.
Mar 13, 2026
This could lead to domestic migration of the wealthy from the state before the law takes effect
Mar 13, 2026
Karoline Leavitt says it won’t affect married women, but critics argue name-change documentation could create new barriers.
Mar 13, 2026
As regulators tighten rules and refineries shut down, the Golden State, also known as the ‘fuel island’, grapples with extremely high gas prices.
Mar 12, 2026
The answer isn't clear yet, but early signs point to his policy backfiring in a bad way.
Mar 12, 2026