Tranquillo Beauty Clinic owner Sue Dewes, whose business offered popular ball services for tanning, lashes and eyebrow shaping, said she had noticed a slight decrease in school-aged customers.
“As for the price, with the products becoming more expensive, the lease and even power going up, we can’t not increase it,” she said.
My Hair and Makeup owner Carron Wells said she still had a regular swarm of ball customers wanting their hair and makeup done professionally despite the high cost of living.
Ball dresses dance again
Ōtūmoetai College Year 13 students Charlotte Willacy and Maddy Jolly, who run the school store, said they believed spending several hundred dollars to go to a ball was “not worth it”.
The price of a ball ticket had risen from $85 to $95 at the college this year.
Some students were spending up to $600 on a dress, while opting for professional services for nails, hair, makeup, tan and new shoes it could add hundreds of dollars to the total cost.
The school’s dress and suit op shop started last year when a student realised how many ball dresses were hanging in people’s closets.
Maddy Jolly (17) and Charlotte Willacy (17) in Year 13 from Ōtūmoetai College are running a second-hand shop for students going to the school ball. Photo / Alex Cairns
“There was this realisation of – we spend so much money on the dress and never wear it again so what are people doing with it?” said Ōtūmoetai teacher Megan Fritsch, who co-ordinated the shop.
Fritsch said she had “absolutely” noticed students spending less on the big night out, with the shop “a clear example”.
“Last year, we almost had to stop accepting donations because people were so generous. Buying your dress was not something everyone can afford so it’s a great thing to have to help people out.”
Senior students’ top tips for keeping ball costs in check
Charlotte and Maddy shared tips for how they keep their budgets low.
Cheap high-heeled shoes, for example, could be removed as soon as the girls went inside and switched for a pair of sandals.
“Why wouldn’t you buy the cheaper option when you only wear them for a photo and they are hidden by your dress anyway?” Jolly said.
Maddy kept her budget at an estimated $200, plus ticket, last year, most of that going on a new emerald green dress and shoes – she was planning to wear the latter again this year.
Her top tip to those struggling to buy ball attire was to reach out to local charities for a leg-up and to visit the store often to see the changing stock.
Harriet Laughton is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty.
