It’s prom season! You only get two chances to attend, yet you’re probably very familiar with the dance already, as the cherished tradition is emulated in media constantly. It is the fairy-tale ending to nearly all teenage romcoms, of course. Prom is a spectacle for young people: it’s their chance to dress up, impress their peers, and spend a night dedicated to romance or camaraderie, in a social twilight zone where they will never be again.The Promenade has been around since the early 20th century, and is meant to celebrate our youth, academic achievement, and the bright futures ahead of us. Throughout the years, the dress for celebration has shifted dramatically, you can read the detailed account of trends in each of the era’s below to find which dresses you would want to dance the night away in.
1950’s:
In “the golden age”, Christian Dior’s “new look” completely controlled womens fashion of the 1950’s. The only dress you could find for miles was always going to be a swing or cupcake dress. The cinched waist and the wide skirt painted the picture of the ultra-feminine, ultra-youthful, ultra-all-american girl. The appreciation for formal and party events rose with the intake of Hollywood culture. Stars like Elvis created massive fan bases that were yet to be seen in such large volumes. The newfound commonality of dances, live music, and glamour was an important part of the decade. Dresses varied widely in color and pattern because the silhouette of the gowns were so inherent to the evening of the promenade and fashion of the time as a whole. While the dress itself was structured, designers often played with their preferred fabric tool to create layered skirts and drop lines in order to add an element of interest. Additions to dresses such as emblems, florals, or bows were often added to customize a look more or to add more interest. Necklines were often shallow sweetheart necklines or straight across necklines with excessive tool gathering to prevent cleavage. More conservative states and families had their young debutantes wear white gloves, symbolic of purity, high-society, and coming of age.
1970’s:
The 70’s offered a more relaxed, natural, and softer look than other eras. Silhouettes would often feature empire waist lines that supported long a-line skirts, structured or flowing. Sleeves often had some type of loose structure such as pleating. As the decade went on, dresses became less modest and sleeves became shorter. Designers also utilized the use of diversity in their designs by laying mesh, lace, ribbon, and a main fabric is a mosaic-style design on the sleeves, chest, stomach, or back. Large ruffles/pleats around the neckline, sleeves, and hem are reminiscent of prairie styles that were popular during the time. The simplicity of the cut allowed for more interesting patterns such as flowers of ‘psychedelic’ prints that were popular at the time. Popular colors included baby pink, powder blue, yellow, and white. These details were definitely more youthful and seasonal than modern styles. Necklines often went deeper than in the past, opting for sweetheart and even plunging necklines, which were popularized by the resurgence of jumpsuits and leggings from performers like David Bowie and movies that depicted prom such as Grease.
1980’s:
Everything’s bigger in the 80’s! From hair do’s to sleeves to skirt trains, everything looked like it was pumped with helium. The influences from disco have culminated to a conceptual futuristic and relaxed style. Musical artists such as Cyndi Lauper and actress Farrah Fawcett made outrageously large hair the signature of the decade. Grab your aquanet and hold on tight cause you’re in for a wild ride! This decade was the mastery of texture. Skirts had as many layers as possible, and cinched bodices had as many pleats as possible. Fabric texture was often illuminated with the use of chiffon or silk that gave it a metallic appearance. Dresses were known to appear most “costumey” rather than elegant or mature. Another distinctive style about dresses were their unique hem lines. Prom dress skirts in the 80’s often opened up in the front with a train or had an asymmetrical hem and a tiered under skirt. Oversized bows and flowers were often incorporated for some over-the-top feminine detail. Dresses were often one color as opposed to patterns because of the exaggerated silhouette and difficult texture to print on.
2000’s:
The 2000’s were defined by y2k fashion. This means excessive visual interest and glam. Sparkles! Sequins! Feathers! Gems! Your dress should be a threat to pilots! Prom-goers of the early 2000’s also preferred their zebra print with bold colors, you know, to stand out. A more elegant side of the drama could be expressed through a dramatic draping of your skirt or ruching on the sleeves or seams. We are talking camp with a capital C! There is no such thing as too much or too gaudy. Rhinestones and jewels are IT, no matter how fake they look. Summery colors like hot pink, sea foam green, orange, and electric blue are shades that say you are ready to party. Popular necklines are halters, strapless, and spaghetti straps. Beachier and less modest dresses started coming into style, featuring more key-holes and cut-outs in fabric. This time also popularized low-cut back silhouettes for prom. Accessories such as scarves and eccentric hair pieces were trending. Ombre designs and simple beading is most popular. Most interest is found in the texture of fabric, with luxurious silk ruching being a staple of the decade. Hair should be bleached, fried, crimped, and cut all within 24 hours of this magical night. But beware! Don’t wait too long before prom to get your spray tan, or you’ll end up getting orange all over your dress. At the end of the night don’t forget to post a status to your MySpace page to let your friends know how much fun you had.
2025:
This year is vintage-inspired. Historical Icons, old films, and natural trend cycle’s have a heavy hand in fashion this prom season. Flowing A-line and even ball-gown skirts are becoming a trendier option, after years in the trenches of the mermaid cut. The 2020’s are filled with romanticism, unpredictability, and nostalgia. The popularity of vintage dresses, such as an a-line beaded 90’s staple, or a 50’s inspired tea-length petticoat skirt result from the trend in second-hand and vintage shopping. And, older movies that have seen a resurgence in the mainstream such as 90’s and 2000’s romantic comedies have become popular inspiration for formal fashion. For example, Kate Hudson’s yellow silk dress, seen in How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days (2003), has heavily influenced the popularity of the color butter yellow for gowns this year. Or, Julia Stiles’ curly slicked back updo and her elegant scarf she wears at the prom in Ten Things I Hate About You (1999) are both reflected in the common gravitation toward updos and formal scarves this year. Additionally, Modern live-action remakes of our favorite Disney films are popularizing the ball gown skirt for that “princess” look. Emma Wattson as Belle, Rachel Zegler as Snow White, Elle Fanning as Aurora, and Halle Bailey as Ariel are all examples of recent big-budget releases of iconic princess stories. These films premiered in the years leading up to 2020 and after, and are responsible for the re-established prominence in our generation’s pop culture. Evidently, Films and art are largely responsible for the romanticization of vintage or specific styles this year. This is because emulating these Cinderella transformation moments in film makes your night feel all the more nostalgic and unforgettable.
Another key aspect of our vintage-geared styling is our current pop-culture role models. Lana Del Rey often wears ornate vintage clothing and Sabrina Carpenter’s blowout hollywood curls are a very popular hairstyle option this year. Of course, these legends are inspired by fashion icons like Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Priscilla Presley, Anna Nicole Smith, Heddy Lamaar and more. Their recycling of fashion keeps the vintage styles in the zeitgeist. Keep in mind that when I say this year is vintage, that’s a loose and versatile term when applied to a modern execution. As everything that’s in fashion should be. We want vintage to represent the revitalization of the most camp, glamorous, and unique trends, not just the classic simple styles. We can mix our modern trends with classic callbacks that highlights how much the 20’s are about experimentation. What’s distinctive about the 20’s is the wide variation we have as our fashion emulates all the years of art before it and the innovation we have made since. Something like bold patterns and intricate beading are a great way to stand out among the crowd this year. We’re going big and bold and loud! Stripes, polka dots, applique florals, and leopard print will make you the it-girl this year. Prom is about celebrating our youth and what’s unique about ourselves, so don’t be afraid to do something fun.
