With the prom season upon us, HILARIE STELFOX takes a look at how this strongly- American tradition has been embraced by celebrity-loving British teenagers – and on the eve of the royal wedding we transform one Huddersfield New College student into a prom princess

IT’S NOT unknown for 16-year-olds to wear £400 gowns at their Year 11 high school prom.

Even those who have not spent a fortune on a dress arrive in limousines with carefully coiffured hair and St Tropez fake tans.

Until a decade ago, most British teenagers were happy to put on their party clothes and attend an end-of-year disco. But then the American-style prom hit these shores and things have never been quite the same since.

The prom has rapidly become a major highlight in the school calendar and, as such, requires serious forward planning. In some cases, no expense is spared.

At Mia Sposa – the bridal and occasion specialist in King Street in Huddersfield town centre – it’s last orders for this year’s prom dresses which take up to eight weeks to make.

Business has, so far, been surprisingly brisk, given that we’re in a recession.

Bridal assistant Karen Henghan said: "We’ve seen it grow gradually year on year. It’s become very competitive. One girl came in and bought a pink bridal gown for £400 to wear at her prom. They all want to be different."

But with the cost of a made-to-measure dress starting at £225 and off-the-peg from £175, it’s easy for girls to rack up a hefty bill.

"You can see the worry on the parent’s faces when the girls start looking," said Karen. "I have noticed it this year. I think the recession is having an effect."

While some families can clearly afford to lash out at prom time – paying for beauty salon treatments, hairdressing and limousines – others have to shop around. Discount retailers have now embraced prom season and discovered that they can sell as many evening dress in the spring as they can at Christmas.

"We’re very busy," said Mandy Parkin- Rhodes, manager at Dress for Less in Lindley, where prom dresses can be picked up for as little as £40.

"When I was at school we used to have a disco or a bit of a dance at the end of school. It was nothing as formal as a prom and we certainly didn’t go to the lengths they go to now.

"They are treating their prom as if it was a mini-wedding. Maybe it’s the celebrity culture we have now – they all want to look really glamorous."

This year short dresses have been in demand. Mandy added: "A couple of years ago everyone was wearing long dresses, but I think they are now looking for dresses that they can wear again. They want to get more use out of them."

Our prom model, 18-year-old Rosie O’Hare from Birkby, agrees that shorter-length dresses are popular because of their versatility.

"You can wear them for the prom or just for a night out,’’ she said. "You don’t want something you can only wear once."

For her Year 11 prom, Rosie wore a dress by Huddersfield designer Kevan Jon – donated to her after she helped to organise a charity fashion show – and says his creations are popular with her age group, as are those of another local designer, Hardy Punglia from Left Bank.

"But there are all sort of places where you can get dresses quite cheaply," she said. "There’s a lot of hype about proms, but you don’t have to spend a fortune.

"Some of my friends got their dresses online and one made her own."

Rosie, who is taking A levels in English language, performance studies and textiles at Huddersfield New College, plans to attend the prom at her former high school in Rastrick.

In the autumn she will be taking up a place at the Arts Education college in London and has ambitions to go into showbusiness.