Yikes, I MUST be old, When did prom dresses become so Trashy?

[D L and K's Mom]

DD 16 will be going to the prom this year. Last year she went to the dinner dance and wore a very nice strapless CANDIES brand dress. She looked very nice. Ok so we buy Teen Prom and Seventeen Prom and I am flipping through them...GOODNESS!!! I just can't believe some of these gowns. YIKES. I know my daughter and thank goodness I wont have to worry as she is a tomboy so she will choose something plain and all her body parts (well, maybe not shoulders ) will be covered. Some of the necklines, backs and slits are just unreal. I just can't believe some of them!!!!!!

 

[mandy200587]

The magazines when I did prom in 05 didn't really cover the wide variety of dresses. I had a few sites I used to look at all the different designers and the dresses they offered but some of them are trashy.

 

[MinnieMe87]

I can't believe some of them either! My prom was almost 3 years ago, and I can remember a few of the girls showing up in scantily clad dresses.

 

[NMAmy]

DD and I were looking through the Seventeen Prom magazine the other day and, yes, some of the dresses were really trashy looking. Some of the models looked like they were about 35 yo, too. It was really weird.

 

[ducklite]

I think it's the Hollywood affect. Look at the way Paris, Lindsey, Brittney, etc. dress. Kids want to emulate these "role models."

 

[EUROPACL]

Why whatever do you mean???

 

[CEDmom]

What's wrong with this one? - I have it in blue .

It's terrible what clothing is out in so many stores for girls in general.

Maybe LLBean, Lands End or Eddie Bauer should get into the prom dress business .

 

[nsyncraider17]

I went to prom in 2004, 2005, and 2006, and there were a ton of trashy dresses in the catalogs and magazines then, too. I think most girls agree that they're trashy, though. At all 3 of the proms I went to, there were 1 or 2 girls wearing extremely revealing things, but almost everyone else was wearing more classic dresses.

 

[Aidensmom]

Clothing in general is less conservative than it used to be. I mean really, is there a purpose of ultra low rise jeans other than to be revealing? IMO, they are not even flattering on ANY body, and they certainly aren't comfortable. Until bermuda shorts became a trend recently, finding a pair of shorts that didn't have a 2 inch inseam wasn't so easy either.

I must say, some of those gown pictures in the earlier post are hideous....if you are going to be skimpy, my goodness, at least get something that flatters you!

 

[babieemelly]

I must say, some of those gown pictures in the earlier post are hideous....if you are going to be skimpy, my goodness, at least get something that flatters you!

Those are meant to be a joke All my friends either graduated from high school a few years ago or have done so recently, and no one at any of these proms ever wore anything like that

 

["Got Disney"]

Good Grief it seems that unless you have a lot of breast showing it's not the right dress! Could you imagine letting your child dresses like that go out of the house

 

[glass slipper girl]

Oh my goodness do I feel old! I went to prom in the eighties Yeah, we kept it covered a bit more back then. I remember thinking my dress with a slit up to about 4" above my knee was hot stuff! Of course I was such a goody two shoes that it actually never occured to me that a lot of people were drunk at prom. I just though they were having a really good time.

I think I may be glad I have boys.

 

[bicker]

As pointed out earlier, clothing in general is less conservative than it used to be. We recently started watching Las Vegas -- that's not teens, but it does project what is apparently the prevailing perspective of what pretty young women should be wearing these days.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

I was in high school about 5 years ago and alot of the dresses were so trashy..it was crazy

 

[Melrosgirl]

...when parents stopped saying NO you can't wear that!

 

[goofy4tink]

I have a 31 y/o dd. When she went to her prom, back in the dark ages of '92, I couldn't believe the dresses they were wearing then! A lot of the dresses seemed more suited to the Vegas strip than a high school prom!! My dd, because she was bigger (in many ways!!!) than her friends, chose a bridesmaid type gown...very pretty, but covered her quite nicely.
Now I get to worry about what my 14 y/o dd will have for dress choices in a few years.

 

[Charade]

...when parents stopped saying NO you can't wear that!

Actually, it started when some parents thought it was OK.

When people think it's OK to wander around Walmart in their PJs, is it no wonder they think it's OK to show up at Proms in trashy dresses. Or to a wedding in jeans and flip flops (witnessed this not to long ago). Or to...

Our desire to "express" ourselves has trumped our sense of propriety and modesty.

 

[bicker]

Our desire to "express" ourselves has trumped our sense of propriety and modesty.

"Trumped" or simply "superseded". A lot of perspectives have simply outlived their alloted time. Remember, if that were not the case, we'd all still be dressing like this:

​

Attire will change over time. And it will change with the times. As we get older, we have a choice whether to accept and adjust or to remain glued to the prevailing attitudes of our formative years. Which do you think leads to greater satisfaction with life?

 

[Charade]

"Trumped" or simply "superseded". A lot of perspectives have simply outlived their alloted time. Remember, if that were not the case, we'd all still be dressing like this:

​

Attire will change over time. And it will change with the times. As we get older, we have a choice whether to accept and adjust or to remain glued to the prevailing attitudes of our formative years. Which do you think leads to greater satisfaction with life?

If history is the measure, then at some point we'll be running around naked.

Just like in the beginning...

 

[Saphire]

I actually think it is getting a bit better. I have seen many gowns over the last eight years as my kids went to the prom, and thought they looked more conservative the past few years. My DD graduated from HS last year and we didn't have a problem finding nice dresses. She chose a Mori Lee. Thay are so feminine and pretty. Take a look.

http://www.morilee.com/Prom.aspx