Aisling O’Toole

It was 1998 and I was the height of style. Well, according to my mam and Aunty Anne who convinced me to part with £110 in a local bridal shop. “It’s very classy,” they said. I don’t know about that, but I felt only beautiful in it. It was the first time I wore red lipstick and was my first introduction to sucky in knickers and Sally Hansen, both of whom have become good friends in the subsequent 16 years. Shockingly, I did my own hair, and still stand over the fact that I wore a tiara. I loved it. The gloves and questionable necklace I can no longer explain. We went for breakfast in town afterwards and my abiding memory is running up the quays (still in my shoes I might add) to catch an early morning bus home. As for the dress? It’s still in my wardrobe and still waiting to be dry cleaned.

Aisling Hussey

I had great plans for my debs and asked the dressmaker up the road to make a replica of a dress that Rihanna wore. Unfortunately no amount of shiny teal fabric and sequins could make me look like a Barbadian beauty. I loved my dress at the time though, thinking the sprinkling of beads and sequins on the neckline and skirt was oh-so-classy. It was slightly gathered at my knees and had a fishtail skirt, which did absolutely nothing for my 5 foot 1 frame. I won’t even go into the fake tan or fringe. I’m cringing typing this - Rihanna has a lot to answer for.

By the way, the man in the photo is my granddad – not my date!

Ruth Fennell

The search for a dress was impossible- I just couldn’t get one long enough that I could wear even a small heel with, and I also wanted a scooped back. I eventually found one in Hickey’s in Dublin a couple of weeks before the debs. The night was great- it was held in the Carlton Abbey in Athy. I remember the minute we started dancing some spilled a Vodka and Cranberry drink down the front of my dress, a lovely big purple stain, so thank goodness we got pictures beforehand and that our laundrette is a miracle worker!

Maria Moynihan

I still have my debs dress in the back of my wardrobe at home: though I doubt I’d fit my big toe in to it now, seeing as I was a tiny size eight 13 years ago! At the time, two piece dresses (a corset and skirt) were all the rage, and I also had a bolero made to match. My friend’s sister designed it for me and the navy material was bought in a local haberdashery shop, now closed unfortunately. I had short hair at the time, which didn’t allow me to do much style wise, but my hairdresser gave me a few highlights and also found these little diamond-style adornments, which she placed carefully in the back. I loved the dress and wore it to my own debs and my then-boyfriend (now husband’s!) debs two nights later... though I was only in the door one minute when somebody spilled a pint of Guinness all down my front! Thank God it was a dark colour.

Klara Heron

Purple was big the year I made my debs. Purple and anything bejewelled. Looking back it does make me cringe a bit. I wouldn’t be caught dead in something that is low cut, backless and legs out these days! At the time, though, it was the height of style and I felt like a million dollars going to my Debs, and isn’t that what it’s all about?

Maura Fay

I really loved my debs dress. I paid for it myself out of wages I earned painting a pebble-dash cottage by hand - no paint sprayer! However, I had to get it taken in along the bust and the seamstress made a bit of a mess. If you look closely you'll see the neckline is uneven. Still though, I felt really happy and elegant wearing it.

Ciara O'Kelly

I go against the fashion faux pas of Debs dress. I loved and to this day, still love my debs dress. It had a fitted corset and a flowy skirt in a deep burgundy colour that I danced in all night. On a warm summer’s afternoon back in 2002, my mother and myself walked into a boutique in Cork City. It was the second dress I tried on, and the choice was made. But alas, it wouldn’t be a debs story if there wasn’t some kind of fashion disaster. My oh-so-trendy dress required a very fancy backless bra that had to be stuck on with tape. Needless to say, the tape didn’t last too long and a roll of Band-Aid plasters was sent for the rescue. There were tears at the time, but now its laughter looking back.

Check out our fashion focus on the debs here