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

[Becky2005]

I know we saw the girls at Prom last year by default. My DD has a cheer class at the High School and it was ending as all the prom couples were arriving (good thing or they would have been cheering in the upper gym that is open to the gym below where Prom court was being held! ).

Anyway, they got stuck in the sea of Prom couples as they were lining up. DD actually knew at least one girl who stopped to talk to her.

ALL of the gowns were very classic, absolutely nothing trashy. They were similar to what I wore to Prom over 20 years ago. Think of a ball gown type. Almost all floor length, full skirt, just the bodice was the difference.

We stuck around in the hall and watched the couples go in because DD wanted to see the dresses.

I do believe they probably have a dress code for Prom here. I can't even imagine anyone wearing the pictures on the first page. They would stick out like sore thumb and it would be in a negative way.

 

[EUROPACL]

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

No they weren't meant to be a joke...people really do dress like that. Those are some pretty famous Internet pics.

 

[Camicar]

Ten years ago, when I was in bridal I was scandalized by the way the MOTHERS of prom girls would encourage them to dress. I never had a girl herself come in and want her dress cut down to there or to have falsies put in to pump her cleavage up to her chin or want to wear a dress without underwear so that there were no lines. These were all situations caused by mothers, who IMO were dressing their dds like tramps. And then they wonder why their dds end up delivering babies 9 months after prom night.

 

[RUDisney]

ALL of the gowns were very classic, absolutely nothing trashy. They were similar to what I wore to Prom over 20 years ago. Think of a ball gown type. Almost all floor length, full skirt, just the bodice was the difference.

Sounds like my gown. Only thing is that when I started showing my Mom what I liked, she told me that these pictures were very similar to what she wore to hers. She went into the attic and brought down her gown. It was so beautiful, but instead of being white anymore, it was yellowed. We dyed it pink and I wore my mother's prom dress from the early 60's to my prom in 1984.

My sister wore my mother's wedding gown in 1995.

Mom bought nice dresses, what can I say?

I see what some of my friends' teens and early 20s kids wear today and I just cringe. There's a lot to be said about giving someone a hint at what's under the clothes instead of parading it around like a trophy.

 

[D L and K's Mom]

There are some really beautiful ones and some really HORRIBLE ones. I just could not believe some of the slits and the necklines.....down to the bellybutton...really. Some look like I dream of Jeanie.

 

[PrincessTiff]

I'm sure yall would cringe at the site of the dress I wore to my prom a couple of years ago.

 

[nataliela]

I have plenty of formal dresses, my dad belonged to a Mardi Gras krewe and my sister and I were presented, so we always needed a long gown.

I would still wear them all now if I had some where to go! I love them!


95%(probably more) of the parents purchase these dresses.....They have the right to say no, and they don't.

 

[Ride Junkie]

When I was in high school in the 80's, all the promgoers looked like they were going to a hoedown!! Maybe it's a good thing I never got invited to any...?

I did go to a homecoming dance my senior year, and I wore a vintage dress that my mom wore to my grandma's wedding back in 1956! I guess that was kind of unusual for 1987, but I just couldn't do the big dress. I did have the big hair though!

 

[Scoobmuzic]

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

Sorry, a bit OT but..

Hi Blueeyes!! Just had to say

GO COWBOYS!!!!!

 

[MosMom]

I wore a long black strapless fitted dress to prom and it had a slit up to the knee. I drove a pickup truck back then and went to get into the truck and the slit went mid thigh. I was a hussy. I didn't mean to be a hussy. I actually ended up getting a few safety pins and fixing it.

The year before that I wore a big white gown that had rosebuds on it. I thought it was gorgeous. Looking back, I think I looked like a deranged bride. I must have acquired some taste between my jr. and sr. prom.

 

[Stacerita]

Look at what most of them wear to school. That gives you an idea of where they are coming from.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I've chaperoned a prom or two and some girls dress trashy, and some don't. My own DD is in 10th grade and probably won't go to prom until next year, but whenever she does a formal dance I go shopping with her because she is big on top--things that would not be trashy on a flat-chested girl will look trashy on her, so we have to be careful what we choose.
In my experience so far, the one store I will never buy her a dress from is Deb. Every dress she tried on there made her look like a Vegas cocktail waitress.
Robin M.

 

[momof2inPA]

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

Aw, those were fun to look at. I liked the second one on page four, the first on page 8, and the white and buttercup one on page 13, but I'm not sure how practical those big poofy skirts really are.

 

[bicker]

Look at what most of them wear to school. That gives you an idea of where they are coming from.

Attire is not a reliable reflection of where people came from. Also, it is rude to arbitrarily classify people in such terms.

 

[Charade]

Attire is not a reliable reflection of where people came from. Also, it is rude to arbitrarily classify people in such terms.

I don't think she meant her comment to be a reflection on them personally. I think she meant the desire to wear "trashy" prom dresses was based upon what they currently wear at school or in general.

However, if one wants to avoid the misconception of being classified as "trashy", perhaps they should spend a few extra minutes reflecting on their reflection in the mirror before stepping outside.

 

[Disney Doll]

Attire is not a reliable reflection of where people came from. Also, it is rude to arbitrarily classify people in such terms.

ctually, usually it is. The majority...again, not every single person, but the majority...of people dress to assimilate into their surroundings.

I grew up in a city. I went to a parochial high schoool in the suburbs. I can tell you without question that if you looked at every kid in my high school, when they were dressed in their regular clothing as opposed to the school uniform, you could tell reasonably well where most of them were from.

 

[Buckalew11]

Our school does not have a prom but it does have a banquet where the attire is just like prom wear. I am still in shock that each girl has to bring in her dress and have it approved by an appointed teacher at school. But that is what it has come to. this is a private school so I guess they can do what they feel they need to do. Where are the parents? (Oh and I have heard that the guys also must be approved. I have not figured that one out yet.) I think DD can actually go to this shindig next year.

 

[bicker]

I don't think she meant her comment to be a reflection on them personally. I think she meant the desire to wear "trashy" prom dresses was based upon what they currently wear at school or in general.

Thanks for the clarification. That does make sense.

However, if one wants to avoid the misconception of being classified as "trashy", perhaps they should spend a few extra minutes reflecting on their reflection in the mirror before stepping outside.

To be fair, those folks are generally only being classified as "trashy" by people who don't know or explicitly disrespect the prevailing cultural norms that apply to those folks who they're judging. No one should care about what such disrespectful people think about them -- indeed, no one should respect such classifications or give them any credence, explicitly because they are out-of-touch with today's reality.

 

[Camicar]

To be fair, those folks are generally only being classified as "trashy" by people who don't know or explicitly disrespect the prevailing cultural norms that apply to those folks who they're judging. No one should care about what such disrespectful people think about them -- indeed, no one should respect such classifications or give them any credence, explicitly because they are out-of-touch with today's reality.

So today's reality is that showing your ****s down to the nipple, your navel and your back down to your butt crack is a sign of high intelligence and good judgment?

Wow, Britney must be a rocket scientist then. Thanks for the clarification on today's reality.

I'm glad that my dd and her friends are out of touch with that reality too and don't conform to prevailing cultural norms.

 

[RUDisney]

I'm sure yall would cringe at the site of the dress I wore to my prom a couple of years ago.

If no one else will... I double dog dare you to show us some pictures.