Fashion Moment

The Prom's The Thing

A Fashion Moment by Sophie Seymour

A far cry from the Debutante Balls of the 1900s,  prom is equally removed from the mere tea dances which required your Sunday best.  Originating in America, prom really kicked off  in the ‘20s yet in terms of fashion what tends to spring to mind is ‘50s style full skirted tulle gowns.  Hopefully, you forget about Lily Allen wearing them with trainers and cheap gold jewellery. 

Prom dress styles have changed in popularity over the decades but fail safe options always include the princess cut, the empire line, and the classic full length ball gown.  In contrast,  over the past decade we have seen the rise of short strapless dresses, with full tulle skirts seen frequently by designers such as Betsey Johnson.  Luella Bartley has become  equally well known for her signature quirky prom dresses such as the tiered Edith bustier dress worn in pink by Alexa Chung in 2009 and her well received Spring/Summer 2010 collection which featured her heart shaped cut-out necklines, a clear winner for wooing your prom sweetheart. 

Prom now requires teenage girls to embark on a journey filled with spray tans, manicures, and a battle to get the best dress.  You could say that in comparison the boys have it easy, simply having to rent a tux but then you must remember that they have the task of finding a date, choosing the right corsage and booking an obscenely extravagant limousine.

The crowning of prom king and queen started in the ‘50s and remains essential in setting yourself at the top of the school social hierarchy... well you didn’t expect those girls to put in all that effort for nothing!  Move along ten years and we start to see themed proms – underwater, Hollywood, Casino Royale – you name it, there are dresses,  decorations and invitations that can be co-ordinated with it.    More recently, the traditional hiring of a photographer has been replaced with shots taken in the reflection of the mirror, later aired on your choice of social network website.