Prom Season is Upon Us, But Here's the Question...
Prom is surely a great moment in history. Not only a night to remember, or an end to an era, but it also marks a beginning: into adulthood, responsibility, and opportunities.
The word “Prom” has some sort of effect on everybody. It’s known as a night they’ll never forget, a night they wish they could forget, a night they regret missing, or for those coming into the age, a night they can’t wait for! It’s the one night where ideally girls can pick out the fanciest gown that catches their eye, and boys get to button up with the flashiest tuxedo.
There certainly is a long history behind Prom. It wasn’t always the night of broken curfews and promises, and maybe an interesting punch bowl – prom can be traced back to the 19th century where co-ed universities would hold banquets together in celebration of the graduating class. Soon enough, however, proms were pushed younger and younger. It’s not that very surprising, as the teenage culture seems to be pushed younger more and more today. Not only do we have a Senior Prom, but there is also a Junior Prom. In addition, we have “Freshman Formal’s” in some schools as well. But that Grade 12 Prom is one that we as a society seem to hold most precious. In fact, studies show that this prom is the second most relevant experience of the modern teenager, only being surpassed by passing their driver’s license.
Where prom has originated, here in America, there are also a few fun facts. In 1963, President Kennedy rescheduled a fundraiser at the Beverly Hilton to accommodate a local school whose prom had been booked for the same time. Needless to say, this wasn’t a cheap affair either. Kennedy wasn’t the only one who contributed to a prom; In 1975, President Ford’s daughter, Susan, got the biggest prom of all: her classes prom was at The White House! That’s definitely a night to remember for that class, I’d say. Prom clearly is an important experience to even the biggest icons.
But back to that question…
You gave that big prom-proposal, right? Oh yeah, that’s another thing that has changed throughout the years. What was once a simple, “will you go to prom with me?” has escalated to a big show. It’s not all that surprising considering “celebrity status” has grown astronomically in today’s culture, meaning we have entered into a world where we all want to be doing the biggest thing and being remembered. In 2004, MTV debuted a television show, “Laguna Beach,” which detailed the lives of high school students in The Real Orange County. When prom season came around, they went all out for their prom dates, whether it was a big sign with the words, “PROM?” or asking the stated question in the sand. Asking your ideal date to prom has become more like a marriage proposal, it seems. However, do we really see anything wrong with that? It seems this new tradition is asking young adults to jump on the romantic side early in their lives and who is to complain about that!?
So, we have that date now but more importantly do you have the look? Here’s the question that is asked over and over…. Long tie or Bow tie? Which do we go with? Which is the best look? Our answer is you can’t go wrong with either. That being said, if you want to truly go formal, you need a bow tie.
One of the strongest elements to this look is the manly physique the bow tie gives off to a young person. To honestly complete the ensemble to a tuxedo, a bow tie is the finishing touch. If you were wearing a suit, now that’s a different question – but for Prom, you want that tux and you want to impress your special date with a bow tie that matches their ensemble.
Once you have that look, you’re ready to take those awkward pictures, dance the night away and make some questionable decisions: Prom season is upon us!
