Overbearing mom shames 18-year-old daughter for prom dress, faces petty revenge on prom night: 'The look on her face was incredible'

Author image for Ally Perry
Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Jun 1, 2024 6:00 PM EDT

There is barely a teenager in existence who hasn't felt insecure about their appearance in one way or another, and it's something that parents should do their best to understand. This is especially true when it comes to clothes—finding a style, as well as garments that suit you, is something that many struggle with well into their adult years.

No time is this dilemma more fraught than prom night. It's an event with a lot of expectations, one of which is that you should look good. The least you can hope for from your family is a compliment or two, which is not what one Redditor got when she bought a dress to match with her friend. Her mom made it clear that she didn't approve and that she found it embarrassing, which led her daughter to retaliate with a radical wardrobe change. It served her right for being judgmental. 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 9984902912
    via Amy Kate
  • 02
    Mom shamed me for my dress; I got revenge
    via throwawaychi2
  • 03
    This happened ten years ago, but I still think about it from time to time. The plot might not be that crazy, but at the time it was a real victory for me. Background: I (then newly 18F) went shopping for a dress for my senior prom with my best friend. We decided to get the same dress in different colors to match (I now recognize this as cringey, but we were eighteen). It was a one-shoulder mermaid-style dress.
    via throwawaychi2
  • 04
    I showed my mom the dress when I got home without actually putting it on, and I don't remember her having any sort of reaction, positive or negative. The skirt needed to be hemmed, so my mom said she would take me to her friend who does tailoring.
    via throwawaychi2
  • 05
    We went to the tailoring appointment a few days later, and on the way home, I could tell she was angry. She told me that she was ashamed to be seen with me in the dress and that I had shamed her in front of her friend. I was totally blindsided, because I hadn't thought of the dress as in any way scandalous, and my mom is not usually overly conservative. (The dress was figure-hugging, but there were no cut-outs, and it was absolutely a typical prom dress, not something that would draw special att
    via throwawaychi2
  • 06
    She didn't forbid me from wearing it or even /offer/ to get me something else; she just acted disappointed, and I felt like there was nothing I could do about it. I cried for a little while, but then came up with a plan.
    via throwawaychi2
  • 07
    Revenge: I put the dress on Facebook marketplace and sold it a few days later without my parents' knowledge. (I did the exchange in a shopping center parking lot near my house; I didn't give a stranger my parents' address without telling them, don't worry). I got about 2/3 of my money back. I told my best friend about my plan, and she understood even though it ruined our plans to match.
    via throwawaychi2
  • 08
    The weekend before the prom, I had my boyfriend drive me to a mall where there was a pop-up tuxedo rental shop, and I rented a women's tuxedo and bought cheap shoes to go with it. (I had a driver's license to use for ID even though I didn't have a car). I brought my stuff home and stashed it in my closet.
    via throwawaychi2
  • 09
    The day of the prom, and I had my boyfriend and some friends over at my house to get ready. I hid myself from my mom while getting ready, and when everyone walked out into the yard where my mom was waiting to take pictures, I walked out last in my tux.
    via throwawaychi2
  • 10
    The look on her face was incredible. She is rather homophobic and generally critical of gender non-conforming clothing, so I knew she wouldn't approve. She clearly didn't want to say anything in front of my friends, though. She pulled me aside before we left, and I told her something like "I know you didn't approve of my dress, so I decided to wear something a little more modest." I told her I'd sold the dress and gave her some money to cover the alterations (even though I think she'd gotten the
    via throwawaychi2
  • 11
    We have never talked about this incident (my boyfriend's dad drove me home and my parents were already asleep when I got there, so there was no awkward ride back), but I think my mom treated me with more respect ever after.
    via throwawaychi2
  • 12
    Bean-candle 19h ago • While I applaud you for the revenge, I'm so sorry you felt like you had to do this. My best friend and I also matched for our senior prom and it's still something I look back on and smile about. I hate that you missed out on that :(
    via Bean-candle
  • 13
    Suzibrooke 18h ago • I wish I could have seen her face both when you came out and when you explained why you did it
    via Suzibrooke
  • 14
    PoliteCanadian2 • 16h ago A straight girl wore a white tux to our high school graduation. It looked fantastic. You can tell it made quite an impression on me because that was 1985.....
    via PoliteCanadian2
  • 15
    CoderJoe1 19h ago You certainly a-dressed the main issue
    via CoderJoe1
  • 16
    This_Is_Beanz ⚫20h ago This great! well done
    via This_Is_Beanz
  • 17
    Angryspitefuldwarf • 17h ago "We decided to get the same dress in different colors to match (I now recognize this as cringey, but we were eighteen)" Why is this cringy?
    via Angryspitefuldwarf
  • 18
    throwawaychi2 OP • 17h ago I guess it's not actually cringey. It's something I probably wouldn't do as an adult, but there's nothing actually wrong with it. Indeed, it would have been nice to have pictures with my high school best friend in the matching dresses.
    via throwawaychi2
  • 19
    conditerite ⚫16h ago Please tell me you also got a top hat & a monocle.
    via conditerite
  • 20
    Pedantic_Inc 18h ago That is legendary! You're a force to be reckoned with.
    via Pedantic_Inc

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teens prom dress teenagers petty revenge high school prom dress reddit thread daughter Reddit mom
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