This is a paid collaboration.
The prom is something seen as a coming-of-age celebration at the end of the final year of high school. Year elevens everywhere now prepare for months ahead of the event, some putting more time and effort into finding the right dress and sorting their make up, than they do their actual exams. But what is the big deal about it, how much are people spending on it and where did this trend of the prom come from? Let’s have a look.
What’s It All About?
The high school prom has been around for a long time. The name comes from promenade dance and it’s basically a dance party for high school students moving on, towards the end of the year. It can be fairly formal, with dresses for girls and suits for the boys. The popularity of over the top proms and the importance of them has traveled across the Atlantic. There have been loads of films which include high school dances, like Back To The Future, but more specifically prom has started featuring more heavily, showing it’s importance. These newer films include a full range from the hilarious American Pie to Blockers, staring John Cena.
Back In My Day
I think I left school just before it started to get super popular. I remember school discos well and for our end of year celebration before we moved onto college, we did have a ball. There wasn’t really any massive glitz and glamour about it. It was fun but it was more about spending time with friends and teachers before we left, no one really cared about turning up in fancy cars or outdoing each other on dresses. Simpler times!
Peer Pressure
These days, with the rise in those films I mentioned and there was even an American TV show about prom at one point I think, there seems to be a pressure about prom. Whether it’s about how you arrive, who you go with, perhaps the pranks you’ll pull on teachers when you’re there, there is lots of organise. For girls, there seems to be pressure to find prom dresses that suit you. With reality TV and the rise of social media influencers, the pressure seems to be mounting. With that, there can be a huge pricetag. Dresses can be £500, maybe £1000. That’s just for the dress. Suit hire for the fellas isn’t too bad but it can all start to add up.
Looking Instagood
Some people even get professional photographers. You know, the type that do wedding photos for brides and grooms. Folk want to turn heads with their social media posts and get as many likes as they possible can. Hit those hashtags and be the most popular person there. Homecoming queen isn’t what it’s all about anymore, it’s the car you turn up in, the designer you’re wearing, the height of your heels, the lipstick pout and the filter you slap on it all.
Enjoy Those Carefree Days
Kids leaving school should be enjoying the carefree time they have coming up. A summer of fun before the next step into college or taking a gap year. You don’t have to spend a fortune on your prom to enjoy it. I’d encourage them all to save some of the money they might spend and use it for something else.
