Help! Overpriced ballet outfit

lbeaton

Hi, need some advice please.

My 3 year old daughter goes to a ballet class and the annual show is approaching.

The teacher wants £35 for a tutu and hairband, but I've sourced the exact same tutu online for £12.95. She has given me various excuses regarding the inflated cost, but I really grudge just throwing my money away when I know I can save the cash instead. She's insistent the outfit is ordered through her.

What should I do?

Lx

daska

Have a word with the other parents, you might find they feel the same way.

bigmomma051204

Ask her WHY she is insistent that you buy through her. Ask her whether she realises that the UK is in a state of economic crisis at the moment... ask whether that is the reason she feels the need to make you guilt tripped into buying overpriced material!

Then tell her you WILL be buying the 12quid one. If she doesnt like it, you will find another ballet teacher and she can do without your hard earned cash!! Cheeky mare!! :mad:

Also... your daughter is 3years old.. make the most of these years of NOT having to buy overpriced clothes and branded everything lol! Give it til she gets to school and everything she touches will have to have Barbies face on it LOL

lbeaton

Thanks for advice. I've got 5 other mum pals whose daughters go to same class and only 1 is willing to stand up to her. The others are paying just to keep the peace. Seems crazy to me!

She hinted at us all paying a bit extra to subsidise the cost for the older girls whose costumes cost more. Doesn't seem fair to me. We work hard for our cash and always shop around for the best prices - hate the idea of being fleeced!

:mad:

meritaten

surely she has a contract for parents to sign? if this specifies that the outfits are supplied by her - then she has parents over a barrel. If it doesnt - then parents are free to shop elsewhere for suitable clothing.
oh and no contract - she cannot dictate clothing.
Personally I would find another teacher - seems this one is more interested in making money.

Murtle

Tell her your *Mom, *Auntie, *insert name kindly bought it without realising that you were going to buy it through her!

Older kids parents should be paying more for their kids costumes.

Mayflower10cat

My younger sister went to ballet for a number of years and there was a healthy, inhouse market for second hand tutus and costumes etc. Plus when they needed character costumes, most of them were homemade. Everyone, including the teachers understood it was an expensive activity, certainly with little children growing out of ballet shoes so quickly. Maybe all the parents could unite on this issue and start a 'preloved shop'???

balletshoes

lbeaton wrote: »

Thanks for advice. I've got 5 other mum pals whose daughters go to same class and only 1 is willing to stand up to her. The others are paying just to keep the peace. Seems crazy to me!

She hinted at us all paying a bit extra to subsidise the cost for the older girls whose costumes cost more. Doesn't seem fair to me. We work hard for our cash and always shop around for the best prices - hate the idea of being fleeced!

:mad:

no, thats not fair.
My DD has danced and been involved in shows for the last 6 years. Whilst almost all the costumes have been provided through the dance schools, the cost to us as parents is dependant on how much the costume and alterations cost per outfit, not all added up and split between all the dancers, no matter which number(s) they are performing in. And none of the individual outfits have ever cost as much as £35 - including either the full sailor suit tutu, cape and hat, or her finale costume last time of gold lame suit and top hat!

Be aware OP, if your daughter carries on dancing, its only going to get more expensive .

balletshoes

Mayflower10cat wrote: »

My younger sister went to ballet for a number of years and there was a healthy, inhouse market for second hand tutus and costumes etc. Plus when they needed character costumes, most of them were homemade. Everyone, including the teachers understood it was an expensive activity, certainly with little children growing out of ballet shoes so quickly. Maybe all the parents could unite on this issue and start a 'preloved shop'???

thats great for practice wear and festival/competition wear, and thats what my DD's school does too. But both the schools my DD has been to insist on new costumes for each show, and they are not used again for shows in the future (although of course some of them are suitable for comps/festivals afterwards).

Gingham_R

They're 3 years old. Why is she fussing about where it's bought when the chances are the skirts will get pulled over their heads and chewed?

I'd tell her it was out of the question and you'd be buying the outfit elsewhere. I'd do it in front of the other mums and if she tells you your daughter is no longer allowed to take part as a result, I'd like to think that the mums would stand up for a 3 year old who has every right to take part regardless of the ability of her parents to buy overpriced goods from the teacher.

lostinrates

[QUOTE=
Personally I would find another teacher - seems this one is more interested in making money.[/QUOTE]

Well, tbf, what is wrong with trying to make money from her job? It might be that the costume selling boosts income and keeps lesson prices down a little.

I too, would buy the costume elsewhere at such a mark up, but vilifying a person for wanting to make money in their job is imo unfair.