Someone posted a set of prom images, apparently from a predominantly African-American high school, to a bulletin board I run.
Some of these images are … well, interesting. A pregnant girl with her belly sticking out. A girl with just a small bit of ffabric covering her aerolas. Lots of sports uniform variations. Lots of pimp wannabes. Lots of cops, and an ambulance on standby.
I went to an integrated inner city high school in the 1980s, and blacks wore the same traditional formalwear that whites wore to the prom; it’s not really different than promwear now. Is the extreme bling-bling look the norm now for promwear?
Er, I’m guessing these girls didn’t leave the house in those outfits.
“Honey, don’t you think it’s a bit hot for such a large coat?”
“No, mom, it’s my outfit. I’ll be alright (snicker).”
I don’t see anything wrong with it, other than that a few of the designs are rvealing. I think the sports-themed ones are pretty cute, and I love the picture where all of the kids match. I htink they look really creative!
Proms in general, everywhere, are getting less and less formal. At my prom, last year, there were a lot of themes going on: guys dressed like pimps, dates and whole groups of friends in the same colour, etc. It’s pretty neat.
And why are people disapproving of a pregnant girl going to the prom? This might be the last time in 18 years she will go out and have fun? What’s wrong with that.
*Note: my predominantly white, private high school had guards at the dances, as does my college. In some places, it’s just a plain old city regulation, not a race thing.
I saw some prom kids at a very swanky local hotel (Opryland in Nashville). The young men and young women were all very well dressed, regardless of their race. (I’m showing my age when I thought they were all as cute as could be) This could be because the South is a bit more conservative, or perhaps the hotel or school had some say in a dress code.
I went to my last prom this past year. And I think most of these outfits are disgusting. Creative, yeah, sure, but trashy as hell. It’s because of kids sporting outfits like this that school administrations enforce dress codes at proms. What’s wrong with kids today?! Gah!
I sent that link to Catalyst and I couldn’t agree more with his response.
Here in the South, I’ve noticed that the black kids dress really nice for prom. I’ve never seen the slutty dresses in the link; instead, the guys especially do it up quite lovely. Often in hats. The couples often match, also, but usually not in a “matchy matchy” kind of way - the man’s accessories might match the girl’s dress. As a rule, the black kids always look a lot more interesting than the white kids. More skin is shown than when I was in high school - two piece dresses that leave the midriff bare, or seriously plunging backs, but not at all distastefully slutty. I love going out to eat in the spring and seeing prom kids.
Here in the South, I’ve noticed that the black kids dress really nice for prom. I’ve never seen the slutty dresses in the link; instead, the guys especially do it up quite lovely. Often in hats. The couples often match, also, but usually not in a “matchy matchy” kind of way - the man’s accessories might match the girl’s dress. As a rule, the black kids always look a lot more interesting than the white kids. More skin is shown than when I was in high school - two piece dresses that leave the midriff bare, or seriously plunging backs, but not at all distastefully slutty. I love going out to eat in the spring and seeing prom kids.
I thought the outfits were pretty fun and creative. At my prom, everyone wore the same stupid blue poufy dresses. It was pretty depressing. This high school certainly has a lot of people who know how to take some risks and develop some personal style. Although some of the outfits show a bit of skin, no one looked like they would be out of place at your average Hollywood movie premiere. Looks like it was a fun party. Wish I could have been there.
The black girls at the high school I teach in did NOT dress this way at prom. Yes, a few of the guys did some of the modified zoot suit look, which I thought came off really well. I’ve never seen the sportswear gowns, but that’s kind of clever. But the girl with the bits of fabric taped to her nipples? That’s just yucky. I don’t think she would have gotten in the door at our prom. And while the pregnant girl is welcome to come to prom, I think the dress cut open to reveal her stomach is a bit of a fashion faux pas.
On the other hand, these kids’ children are going to see these pictures someday and get an enormous amount of entertainment from them. I’m picturing the daughter of Nipple Girl, especially:
“You are NOT going out dressed like that!”
“I don’t think you have any room to talk, Mom… or do we need to bring out … the Prom Picture?”
I didn’t want to go to the prom. I was peer (and mother) pressured into the whole thing. The thing that I made it annoying was picking out the dress. We went to hundreds of shops and I could not be satisified. All the dresses made me look like Cruella DeVille.
We went to Macy’s lingerie department to get accessories for my sister’s dress, and I stumbled across a slip. Now, this wasn’t your mother’s slip. This was a white, silky thing that a glamorous woman would wear on a Very Special Night. I’m not girly girl at all but I thought it was sexy and cool. I tried it on and liked it. Because it was thin, I had to wear two of them but it looked like I was wearing a million dollar dress. I only spent $50!
The prom still sucked, but I least I could say I showed up in my underwear and no one even knew the difference!
Interestingly enough, the ittybitty town of Lexington TX, has clearly defined rules for what is acceptable dress at the prom and the principal publishes them two weeks prior of the local newspaper.
One of the rules is “no bared midriffs” and “private parts must remain private.”
In another small town in central TX, the adults set up in the park and each prom couple parades over a bridge and poses for photographs.
It’s a big damn deal for all concerned.
Somehow I doubt that there are a lot of kids wearing really revealing outfits there either.
