Proms have a rich and interesting history behind them, and it’s fun to see how they really evolved up until now. This extravagant event, one of the most important ones in a teenager’s life, used to be a modest affair. Read on and find out 10 interesting facts about proms.
1. History of Prom
Prom is shortened from “promenade”, a slow introductory walk that debutantes did at their first ball. Back in the 19th century, college students had their first formal event where they were introduced to polite society, and these events were only reserved for the most elite private colleges. These weren’t posh parties made for posh kids, but formal events that were meant to teach all the participants good manners and proper behavior.
As the economy got better in the 1900s, these elite-only events quickly found their way (and popularity) to high schools, and now proms are here to stay. Proms used to be simple, modest and homely, the entire class would put on their best clothes, get together in the gym for tea and sweets, and to dance under the protective gazes of the chaperones.
2. Proms After World War 2
After World War 2, the USA had an economic boom and a growing middle class. These two combined meant that proms will become even more extravagant, with better shoes, corsages, dresses and makeup than ever before.
Proms turned into beauty contests and got very competitive, with some very passionate girls planning their prom up to two years in advance (some use the derogatory name “promzilla” for these girls). These days you’ll find many prom pictures with smiling faces and incredible dresses on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and other social networks.
3. The Average Prom Budget in the US
The first proms weren’t expensive, just like we said; put on your “Sunday best” and go to they gymnasium and you’re done. Over time the quality, design and material of prom dresses improved, and so did the cost. If they could, most old-time prom queens would have liked to have today’s dress.
These days, prom night costs an average of $1,139, a lot more than it did back in the older days. There are many costs to consider, including the dress, accessories, shoes, limousine drive, venue ticket… But it’s a special, one of a kind night, and spending some money is in order. Every parent will go through this, don’t worry.
4. View the Prom Dress is an Investment
Finally, time for some good news; the dress your daughter is eyeing up can be used again on many occasions! Prom is a coming of age ritual and it’s the first contact most teens have with the “grown-up” world.
Most prom dresses can be reused and worn many times over unlike wedding dresses (there are some really good ways to reuse your wedding dress too).
Be patient with choosing a prom dress, as girls on average try out (and often even buy and return) up to 10 dresses!
5. The Prom Corsage
A corsage is both the upper part of a dress and a bouquet of flowers worn on the upper part of the body. It’s a French tern bouquet de corsage, and it means “bouquet on the bosom”. These days, corsages aren’t just worn on the dress, but can be worn as a bracelet, as a purse pin, or even as a flower head. The boys can wear a boutonniere that matches their date, for a refined couple’s look.
It’s customary for boys to buy corsages for girls, and it’s an even better idea to buy a boutonniere and the corsage at the same time, ideally made from the same kind of flowers. The other great idea is telling the boy what to do because they can be very dense or forget about this important detail.
6. “Promposals”
Promposals are the next new thing that high-schoolers have been doing for a while. The deal is that the boy has to “prompose” to the girl and ask her in a very elaborate way if she wants to go to prom with him. To the casual onlookers, this might seem like a stupid idea made to garner social network points, but it’s actually a sweet and considerate way to surprise a loved one. They’re often not expensive, such as scavenger hunts or a public display of affection (and sometimes spray-painted vandalism which is not a good idea), but some boys go the extra mile and really impress us!
Most teens don’t “prompose”; only those that are already in relationships do because nothing would hurt more than going through all that trouble and getting a resounding “No”. Here are some of the sweetest promposals we found online in 2019.
7. Prom Limousines
Every couple dreams of coming to the prom in a long limousine, to show off how fabulous they are. All sorts of limousines, from Stretch Hummers to a nostalgic Luxury Trolley that can seat up to 30 passengers, are in high demand on prom night.
Most limousines are rented by the hour, and the cost can be split between several couples that ride in one. Only the richest kids rent an entire limo for themselves, and have the driver roll out a small red carpet when they reach the venue.
The more budget-mindful parents just drive their child and their date to the prom, and this is fine too; this is the old, traditional way of saying goodbye and good luck to your child on their big night. Some kids might want to have their parent drive them to the venue, but are too shy to say that.
8. Splitting The Costs
Most teens and parents split the costs, with an average split looking like 59% parents 41% teens. Most teens have a summer job or somehow save up for their prom night. There’s a difference between boys and girls too that parents should be mindful of.
Girls spend more money on their dress, makeup, hair, and other expenses, while the boys have the simpler task of being groomed and buying (or renting) a tuxedo. This is why boys take care of the transportation and buy the venue tickets, keeping everyone’s investments about the same.
9. Girls can ask guys out too!
While it’s customary to wait for a boy to ask you out, some boys can be incredibly dense and slow to catch your obvious flirts. So go right ahead and ask him! Chances are he’ll definitely say yes, and you can even do a small promposal if you want to.
Many schools have the Sadie Hawkins dance (maybe it’s called something else in your school), and in this dance the girls ask the boys for a dance, where girls can practice their dancing and even practice asking guys out. Up to 10% of girls ask guys to prom, so you’re not alone. If you’re really nervous about asking someone from your own school to prom, ask someone from another school.
10. Susan Ford’s White House Prom
Last but not least, the greatest prom ever was hosted in the White House, by Susan Ford, President Gerald Ford’s daughter. Now that was an event! Up to date, it is one of the rarest events that happened in the White House’s history. While it might seem like a magical event now, for the kids back in 1975, it was a pretty regular prom night, and the event was lightly guarded which we cannot imagine happening in these days.
Seventy four seniors and their dates were at the dance, and the event ended at 1AM. After this, the kids went to numerous after parties, and probably saw their first “grown-up” sunrise later on, maybe while they embraced their high school sweetheart.
