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Help! Overpriced ballet outfit

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24

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  • elvis86
    elvis86 Posts: 1,399 Forumite
    Gingham_R wrote: »
    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.

    Pffft! I doubt it, if they're all gormlessly willing to dutifully hand over the £35 the teacher is demanding for a £10 bit of tat for a 3 year old to wear once!
  • Nicki
    Nicki Posts: 8,166 Forumite
    Maybe, as the tutu is for a show, she wants all the kids to be in identical tutus. Even if the one you have seen online looks similar to the one she wants to sell, the dye could be different, and your little one could look very different to all her friends on stage? That kind of very small thing can be very upsetting to little ones, especially when they are nervous and overwrought anyway.
  • peachyprice
    peachyprice Posts: 22,346 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper

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

    Tell me about it BS, DD is fast approaching the inter-foundation/pointe stage, I'm dreading the bill for that lot! :o

    OP, that isn't fair, you shouldn't be subsidising the costumes for the older girls, it's inevitable that the older they get the more the costumes cost but for the littlies it's not that expensive. DD's fist costume was a little crushed velvet tutu and a veil (so cute :D) that was only about £10.

    Tell the teacher you're not paying it. Some dance schools just see parents as a cash cow and are only putting on shows to make money.
    Accept your past without regret, handle your present with confidence and face your future without fear
  • I would look for another ballet school with a reasonable teacher, from here on the expenses will just mount.

    I was lucky enough to find a lovely teacher who understood DD's 3 classes a week were quite a financial belt tightening. For the big end of year shows she would order the costumes through a discount dance company and everyone would pay a set fee, and she would only order costumes if she felt it was needed (she kept a stock of once used items which graduating students turned in to her) other than that she told me where to buy the ISTD dance uniform on ebay, and advised me of the cheapest but best place to buy the jazz/ballet/tap shoes. The most I ever paid for a costume was £35, and that was for a full 'CATS' jumpsuit/ears/tail etc, and she was 14 at the time so it was obviously bigger than a 3 year olds tutu!
    No buying unnecessary toiletries 2014. Epiphany on 4/4/14 - went into shop to buy 2 items, walked out with 17!


  • home bargains was selling ballet kit, personally id get her a cheap outfit and then say you dont need to purchase one a your daughter has one.
    the ballet teacher probably gets commission for selling them ones...i wouldnt be splashing out till you know your daughter is definately going to be doing ballet longterm:(
    ***MSE...My.Special.Escape***
  • lbeaton
    lbeaton Posts: 24 Forumite
    Nicki wrote: »
    Maybe, as the tutu is for a show, she wants all the kids to be in identical tutus if the one you have seen online looks similar to the one she wants to sell, the dye could be different, and your little one could look very different to all her friends on stage? That kind of very small thing can be very upsetting to little ones, especially when they are nervous and overwrought anyway.

    Thanks! The teacher does want the girls in identical costumes and is striving to produce a really professional looking show, which is really great. My little one tried the tutu last week for size and I saw the make and it's just plain white, so I know I'll be getting the exact same one. It's really frustrating - I really don't think I should pay out of principle, but I also don't want a big fuss. My daughter loves the class and she might end up stuck in the middle of bickering!
  • peachyprice
    peachyprice Posts: 22,346 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Could you not put it to the teacher in a way that makes it sound like you're doing her a favour, something like 'I've found the exact same costumes for you for a lot less money than your supplier is charging you, here's the link, I don't mind placing the order for you if it helps'
    Accept your past without regret, handle your present with confidence and face your future without fear
  • jenhug
    jenhug Posts: 2,277 Forumite
    The thing is, if she had put say a fiver on each costume to make a little extra, then you would probably have swallowed the cost. But to almost TRIPLE the cost is just ridiculous. I'd say sorry nanny has already bought one the same and leave it at that.
  • lbeaton
    lbeaton Posts: 24 Forumite
    Could you not put it to the teacher in a way that makes it sound like you're doing her a favour, something like 'I've found the exact same costumes for you for a lot less money than your supplier is charging you, here's the link, I don't mind placing the order for you if it helps'

    I tried that in a really nice way. I even asked whether tights and shoes would be included to justify the cost - but it was a resounding no! She replied with a long rambly text saying how time consuming organising the show is for her and how she has all these additional costs of buying samples, sending them back if poor quality or not suitable, and added to that the extra costs and stresses of guaranteeing that the costumes will be available for all the girls and not sold out. Then she said she was balancing the costs and making it £35 across the board for all stages, and told me to remember that my daughter will benefit from her system when she is older!

    It's such a dilemma for me, I really hate causing conflict but I really feel I should take a stand this time, otherwise the costs will go up and up and she'll walk all over us like this every year.
  • balletshoes
    balletshoes Posts: 16,610 Forumite
    Tell me about it BS, DD is fast approaching the inter-foundation/pointe stage, I'm dreading the bill for that lot! :o

    I know what you mean, my DD has a couple of years before she's at that stage, but don't they look stunning on pointe!
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