“… Today’s proms are big business: According to a 2015 Visa survey, the average cost of prom was $919 per person, which includes everything from attire and flowers to dinner, tickets, limo services, photography and after parties, as well as the phenomenon of ‘promposals.’ The survey found that American households spent an average of $324 alone on this practice of making elaborate, over-the-top invitations to the dance,” reads a statement from history.com on the evolution of proms, their origin and overall history.
What does that look like now — hardly a decade later? With inflation and prom continuing to be a carefully curated event for upperclassmen in high school, those numbers have likely increased.
And with fashion evolving rapidly, how has that aspect of prom flourished?
Like many lavish happenings, prom has always been a reflection of the style at a given time. The ‘80s embraced puffy princess sleeves and layers of colorful tulle cut to hit either right at the knee caps or just above the ankles. The 2000’s offered extraordinarily bright colors with a hint — or a splash — of animal print (most likely zebra) and a hefty amount of sequins.
Today, prom dresses have a more Hollywood-inspired touch, featuring corseted v-tops and sleek satin fabrics. Rather than dresses being cut short like past trends, the modern gowns we girls are now attracted to lean towards “must have” elements, like a more tailored silhouette that accentuates the body for a contoured look, with a high slit on one leg. Meanwhile, the boys’ biggest challenge tends to be far simpler: coordinating a tie to match the color of their date’s dress, and constructing an extravagant invitation that makes you say “yes” without having to think about it.
We’ve moved on from playful Barbie-doll-like colored dresses to gowns that feel more refined and mature. It’s as if we’ve begun to slowly let go of the idea of enjoying our youth in the simplest, most playful ways, which once characterized our lives in some manner. But maybe that’s also a factor that makes prom what it is, marking the closing chapter of adolescence and serving as a rite of passage towards adulthood and independence as we disperse into college or directly into an occupation.
In the long run, the evolution of prom fashion mirrors the expansion of prom itself and its reasoning behind it. As the event has grown more elaborate and expensive, it has also become a highlighting event for personal style in some ways and cultural influence in others.
Regardless of whether it was the playful, over-the-top details of the ‘80s, the bold factors of the 2000s or today’s sleek Hollywood glamour, each generation has left its distinguished mark on this anticipated night in terms of fashion.
Yet, at its core, prom isn’t just about the dresses of the decade or the trends that make it what it is. While in many ways prom has shifted in regards to uniforms, its memory-making purpose remains.
This year, I hope you reminded yourself of what awaits you as we finish this hell (or heaven, if you were lucky enough) of a journey, and of the promises that await us as we transition into this new chapter.