An A+ idea! Teens looking to save money on prom threads can cash in on their good grades. The Black Tux’s Suit Up Bot allows high schoolers to send the Facebook messenger bot a copy of their report card and get a discount on tuxedos in return.
Unlike college admissions, a few subpar marks won’t negatively affect a student’s chance of scoring a discount. The Suit Up Bot wants everyone to save — and avoid showing up to the dance in a cheap, ill-fitting tux! And while the app only focuses on dressing guys for the big day, we’re hoping a female equivalent can soon help save the ladies a couple dollars on their prom looks too.
The coupons are especially helpful, as prom festivities have cost families over $1,000 in some parts of the country. Last year, Visa released a study that said northeastern families spent an average of $1,169 between proposals and prom night necessities (formal attire, limo, tickets, etc.). Their western counterparts spent $973, followed by southern families, who dished out $859. Midwestern families spent the least, averaging $733 in 2015.
Even the stars appreciated doing prom on a budget. Kate Moss’ younger sister, Lottie, wore a $59.50 cream gown from British clothing store Missguided to her Leavers Ball (the U.K. version of prom) last year.
“She found it herself and didn’t need styling,” Moss’ stylist Emmanuel Ezugwu told Teen Vogue in June. “She wanted to do it by herself like the rest of her mates, which I think was the right thing to do. I joked that I would have probably put her in a couture gown!”
