On Friday, we told you about the student's lesson in prom economics – where high school finishers and their parents have to find the money – hundreds of dollars to pay for the biggest party of a student's young life. Years ago – that meant turning all kinds of tricks to get a suit from the states or to have one sewn locally. But one local business has filled that vacuum with a service that has the high schoolers lining up every year. Monica Bodden found out about the economics of renting a top notch prom outfit:…
Monica Bodden reporting
Belize Dry Cleaners has an inventory of hundreds of suits , every style, color and flavor imaginable. And every year in May and June these suits leave the warehouse and go into the show room where they take on a new life as prom suits giving some young man shining social armor for the biggest night of his life.
Malva Palacio - Supervisor
"Right now, business has picked up and it's hectic because there is lot of high schools and colleges that are having proms and graduations at this time"
Monica Bodden
"Can you tell us how far how many outfits have you guys rented?"
Malva Palacio
"In numbers, I cannot give you a definite number but for the amount of different high schools that we have in Belize, we have a high volume that we have rented so I can give you a definite number as per say"
And there is a preference in suits when it comes to looking good
Malva Palacio
"Black and white. If you notice up here they have like a notch in the collar, the notches in the white and the black, those are the ones that are rented more"
But it's good looks that comes at a great cost. To rent these suits cash strapped students and their families have to come up with at least three hundred dollars.
Malva Palacio
"The cost varies, depend on what you are getting, so, it depends on what you are getting. If you are getting a vest, it depends on the color of the vest, the color suit, it depends on the color or the style, then that defines the price of your outfit"
Monica Bodden
"So the color would be a little more pricier than just getting a regular black and white suit?"
Malva Palacio
"Well, the white would be a little bit higher because these can be damaged more quickly than the black, it stains easier, so the price might be a little bit higher than the black outfit. We don't have a high rate of people destroying our outfits and stuff so that is a good thing, we don't really find people destroying the outfits, so we really don't have that."
And during prom time the Belize Dry Cleaners offers students the opportunity of getting a 10% discount off all suits.
Malva Palacio
"This right here is our discount card, we ask that you come in two weeks before the time and you get 10% discount off your rental. For this prom season we have started something new and if you look over that side they have the colored shirts. That is the new stuff we have brought in, people are going for the shirts more than anything right now so if anybody needs to rent anything for prom, any outfit, they can ask us for the colored shirt. We have them in a wide variety of different colors, those are really hitting the mark right now. As you have known and seen in our commercial, if you want to look your best, come to Belize Dry Cleaners Tuxedo Rentals."
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