Prom 2005: Teen Shoppers Rank What's Hot and What's Not with ''Shopping in America'' Survey; Prom-Goers To Spend $379 On Fashion and Fun For The Big Event

Business Wire, March 31, 2005

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Prom night will be filled with sexy dresses and traditional tuxedos inspired by celebs like Jennifer Garner and Usher, shows the latest Shopping in America survey conducted for The Macerich Company (NYSE:MAC) by August Partners. The survey polled more than 1,000 teen shoppers aged 15 to 18 on prom fashion as well as related anticipated spending.

Prom Attendance & Spending

About 37 percent of teens surveyed plan to attend the big event this year; 44 percent do not plan to attend while 19 percent are undecided. Girls are somewhat more likely to go to the prom than guys (40 percent vs. 33 percent, respectively).

Overall, teens say they will spend $379 for this year's prom. Female teens plan to spend the majority (60 percent) of their average $317 budget on a dress at $190. Males, who were also asked about additional prom expenses, plan to spend an average of $455, with the majority going toward the tickets, dinner and transportation at slightly more than $300.

Female Prom Plans          Expected    Male Prom Plans     Expected
                             Spending                        Spending
-----------------------    ------------- ----------------   ----------
Prom Dress                      $189.91  Prom Outfit          $152.45
-----------------------    ------------- ----------------   ----------
Personal Look                            Tickets, Dinner,
(Hair, Makeup, Etc.)             $59.30   Transportation      $303.10
-----------------------    ------------- ----------------   ----------
Shoes & Accessories              $67.40
-----------------------    ------------- ----------------   ----------
Total                           $316.61  Total                $455.55
-----------------------    ------------- -----------------------------

"Teens plan to invest a significant amount for prom night to make the most of this memorable and often once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Garry Butcher, Macerich vice president of marketing and consumer research. "On average, parents and teens can expect a $379 price tag for the big event."

The Dress

The "sexy" look wins out as this year's hottest look for prom dresses, according to 27 percent of the female teens surveyed. Girls are also going for glamorous (19 percent) and elegant (18 percent) looks, selected as the next most popular styles. Flirty (12 percent), romantic (8 percent), vintage (7 percent), sophisticated (6 percent), flashy (2 percent), and dramatic (1 percent) came in at the bottom of the list.

Short or long? More than half (53 percent) surveyed will purchase a long dress, 24 percent plan to go with the new tea length "pouf" look, and 23 percent have not yet decided. Girls are thinking pink, as it was overwhelmingly selected as the most popular prom dress color by almost 40 percent of the female teens surveyed. Black (18 percent), blues (12 percent), and metallics (10 percent) also ranked among the top.

The Look for Guys

Among males planning to attend prom, 44 percent will wear a traditional tuxedo, followed by a suit (15 percent) and a vintage-look tuxedo (14 percent). Zoot suits are still in the mix, as 11 percent plan to go with this look.

"Prom-goers are looking for traditional tuxes and long dresses this year, emulating a variety of popular celebrities," said Butcher.

Star Appeal

When asked which celebrity will most inspire their prom look this year, guys ranked Usher (27 percent) as the top pick. Aston Kutcher (14 percent) and Snoop Dogg (14 percent) were also popular. Jennifer Garner (15 percent), Halle Barry (14 percent) and Jennifer Lopez (12 percent) were hot picks for female prom-goers.

Female Celebrity        Female Teen        Male Celebrity   Male Teen
   Style-Setter           Responses          Style-Setter    Responses
--------------------------------------    ----------------------------
Jennifer Garner            15.2%          Usher               26.8%
--------------------------------------    ----------------------------
Halle Berry                14.3%          Ashton Kutcher      13.7%
--------------------------------------    ----------------------------
Jennifer Lopez             11.7%          Snoop Dogg          13.7%
--------------------------------------    ----------------------------
Jessica Simpson             9.9%          Johnny Depp          9.8%
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Paris Hilton                8.1%          Jim Carrey           7.8%
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Alicia Keys                 8.1%          The Rock             3.9%
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Sarah Jessica Parker        6.3%          Orlando Bloom        3.3%
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Ashley Simpson              5.8%          Jude Law             2.0%
--------------------------------------    ----------------------------
Mischa Barton               4.9%          Tony Hawk            0.7%
--------------------------------------    ----------------------------
No Opinion                 15.7%          No Opinion          18.3%
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