“These Kids Are Lying”: Costs of Matric Dance Outfits Leave SA in Disbelief

• A local content creator went to a school's matric dance and asked the learners how much their outfits cost
• 'The outfits ranged from four to five figures, with one girl revealing that the fabric of her dress was imported from the United Arab Emirates
• The amount the pupils (or rather their parents) spent left many South African online community members in utter disbelief

Matric dances allow high schoolers to show off and stand out, with parents forking out thousands to make their child's day special. A few local learners received such treatment and revealed how much they spent on their outfits, but the price tags left some South Africans raising their eyebrows.

On 24 July, 2025, content creator Oswald De Great shared a video on his TikTok account asking matriculants from an unknown school how much their outfits cost.

While one girl shared that her dress cost R2 200 and was made by her mother's friend, a young man stated that his suit was R7 000 and his shoes were R4 000, totalling a whopping R11 000 for the entire ensemble.

Read also

"Link up with BI Phakathi": SA loves American man paying for South African strangers' rent

One learner even said that the fabric for her garment came from Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates.

Price tag leaves Mzansi in disbelief

Social media users who saw the clip on their For You Pages thought there were a couple of exaggerations when some learners shared the cost of their outfits for the special occasion. Fortunately, some pupils were also praised for their humble nature.

@yaziedkrynauw told the online community:

"These kids are lying about the high prices."

@blondiejay9 shared with a laugh:

"I bet almost all the suits were hired for R450."

@uncle_viggie stated in the comment section:

"Marietjie will never lie about the costs, but Nicky! Nicky will tell you that the Shein dress is seven drillion."

@aliagani8 revealed to internet users:

"I love how down-to-earth these girls are!"

@user9802903528017 noted with a laugh:

"We listen, and we don't judge. We were all young."

Read also

"It was already marked down": Woman pays R259 for R3k Le Creuset whistling kettle, reveals how

@ajb_taurus jokingly added in the comment section:

"The one not knowing what 7+4 is should've spent the money on extra classes."

@atkaylakay said to people under the post:

"Go and find out how much suits are going for. My brother's matric ball is in October, and custom suits start from R6 000."

@kmg_uuuu asked the public:

"My matric dance budget is R20 000. Is that bad?"

Take a look at the TikTok video below:

3 Other stories about matric dance outfits

• In another article, Briefly News reported on the jaw-dropping moment when KwaZulu-Natal high school learners turned heads with their stylish outfits for their matric dance.
• A girl showed the Shein dress she ordered compared to what came in the mail. Social media users loved how beautiful and affordable the garment was.
• Last year, a girl stood out for all the right reasons when she showcased her anime-inspired outfit for her matric ball. A woman shared that the girl's mother made the unique dress.

Source: Briefly News