Prom Through the Ages: 1960s

The 60s contributed some fashion edits and Rock n Roll to the Prom cause. They weren't really a milestone decade like the 50s. They just kept Prom going.

Dresses moved from the 50s cupcake, A-line, tulle variety to more simple, baby doll creations. These designs often had empire waists and basic design. However, they were still extremely feminine. Think early Barbie Doll dresses. At this time, they were often still handmaid like Nannie's (including the one pictured at left).

The major activity of Prom is dancing. The 60s gave birth to Rock N Roll music and provided the Beatles to us. That would not be enough to power through the Troubled Decade.

The 60s were fraught with turmoil. They were mid-Civil Rights, mid-Vietnam War and mid-Cold War. By the late 60s, Prom almost died as youth rebelled against "the Man" and the establishment. Prom, formally an institution of the Elite, was seen that way and the working class abandoned it until later in the reaction decade, the 7os.

1963:

- Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream Speech

- President John F. Kennedy assassinated

1964:

- The Beatles appear and become WAY popular. We still love them today

1965:

- War in Vietnam begins in earnest when President Lyndon Johnson orders bombing raids on the North Vietnamese.

1968:

- Martin Luther King assassinated

- Robert Kennedy assassinated

- Richard Nixon elected; first Republican to take Southern states in AGES

1969:

- Woodstock concert: Anti-Vietnam doves fight the establishment in earnest.

- Apollo 11 puts man on the moon

Image courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Museum.

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/

Historical Background on the decade courtesy of APUSH last year and

http://www.kyrene.k12.az.us/schools

/brisas/sunda/decade/1960.htm

"Sister Says..." ~ Shopping for a Prom Dress with Family

Shopping for a Prom dress with family is like coming full circle. When we were younger, we played Dress Up with our sisters (and forced our brothers into tutus... You know you did it). Pretending to be princesses, we'd swirl around and attend fantasy balls. My mum even saved her old prom dresses and would tell my sisters and I the stories behind them as we tried them on for tea parties with our stuffed animals. Now, I go with my mum (and this year, my little sister), to find the dress I will one day tell my daughter or niece about.

In a prior post, I mentioned that searching for and selecting a prom dress is an experience. As seniors, we're heading off to the next stage of our lives in the Fall. In my case, that's college - several hours away from home. I believe that in these last few months of high school, it's important to gather a few more family memories to remember in college. Besides, for me, it's been a fun mother-daughter thing.

The first time I had to find a prom dress, we were very last minute. I had looked through magazines for a while but we had not made an actual excursion. (My family is tragic with regards to online shopping, too. It's stores or bust with us). We headed out to a department store to try and tackle this one. I tried on a bunch of dresses while my mum helped me with zippers and sizes - like grown up dress up. Because it was so late in the prom dress season - last week of April/first week of May - we got it way on sale. We laughed as we pranced out the store with our steal. It was perfect until we got home and my mum realized I did not own a matching pair of shoes. I have size 11 feet. We hunted for DAYS. We were not successful in finding shoes until 2 days before prom - the night before my AP World History exam. That was stressful. The following year, I vowed I was going to take the pair of shoes I now had and find a dress to match.

Last year, I did indeed take my shoes with me. My mum and I decided to look more locally. In the next town over, we explored a variety of consignment shops. In one of them, I found the Cinderella dress every little girl dreams about. It was a pale blue ball gown that fell to just above the ground. It had a stunning, gorgeous, beaded bodice. It would have been perfect but it did not quite fit. Nevertheless, it's proof that consignment shops are worth the time and effort. They are perfect for finding a one-of-a-kind dress because often that gown has been discontinued or is vintage. Later that day, I made my first trip to my now-favourite dress boutique shop: Helen Ainson.

I've been to department stores and consignment shops. I have explored the online options. Nothing beats the boutique store. The ladies at Helen Ainson for example, truly care about you. They make you feel so special. Between my mum and Suzanne and Cynthia, it's the perfect place to feel like a million bucks. I remember my mum's face when I came out of the dressing room in my future Junior Prom dress. She had these tiny dew drop

s in her eyes. Pride emanated from her. It was priceless. We had such a good time.

This year, my mother and I returned to Helen Ainson - with my 10 year old sister in tow. We'd gotten a flyer that they were having a sale so we figured why not? Well, nothing quite tops your sister critiquing your dress fittings. My sister and I had been passing time going through fashion magazines and Seventeen Prom, playing imaginary dress up, critiquing the outfits. She turns up in Helen Ainson and, with Cynthia and Suzanne, picks out all three dresses I eventually actually considered. It was excellent! She was adorable! She had thoughts on everything! She helped me see reason, too. One ballroom style dress I tried on that fit me was absolutely stunning. I was sold. My sister, however, knows me well. I like to dance. She knew immediately that I could not be permitted to go home with that dress. Thank you little sister! The dress I actually did bring home, I wasn't going to try it on at all - my sister told me to: thanks to her, I have an amazing dress to wear in May.

I'm going to college. We're all moving into the next stage of our lives. Prom, like Graduation, celebrates a beginning and an end. Consider going out to look for a dress with your family. Whether you make a purchase or not, you will have one last Dress Up party to remember.

Thank you little sister,

the prom chair

Helen Ainson:

http://helenainson.squarespace.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Helen-Ainson/

Start Thinking About the Dress, Ladies!

I realize this is months in advance. Fine. The industry doesn't realize that. I've been receiving dress catalogues since early December. Seventeen Prom hit the shelves before Christmas. Google turns up 10 800 000 results for "prom dress".

The Dress is widely considered to be quintessential to a girl's perfect prom night (heaven forbid someone else have the same one). I disagree with that - you can have a wonderful time even if someone else has your dress or it rips. But it sure helps to be comfortable and feel beautiful in your gown. A little advance research online, in catalogues and teen magazines, your friend's closest, helps you get an idea of what you want. Plus, starting ahead of time lets your shopping experience with a family member, friend or by yourself truly be relaxing, magical and an experience - which it should be.

Dress Types

http://www.promgirl.com/shop/body_types

http://www.bestpromdresses.com/prom/2007/06/prom_dress_types.html

"Hot Prom Dresses for $100 or Less" Seventeen Magazine Mar. 2006: 74-75. Print.

When you go into a shop to look for a prom dress, you may want a particular style. Some sites, like the first one listed above, will recommend specific dress shapes based on your body type. Here, as the second site does, I will endeavor to provide an image and description of each of the dress shapes. Additionally, Seventeen Magazine in March 2006 featured a spread called "Hot Prom Dresses for $100 or Less" in which it suggested certain dress designs to suit the reader's style. These designations are also added here.

A Line/Princess-Cut Gown

Form fitted bodice flares out from your natural waist, typically to a full skirt. Recently, however, A-Lines have developed into bubble s

kirts. These dresses tend to stop just above or below the knee. These dresses are CLASSIC according to Seventeen.

Ball Gown

Its main feature is a very full, floor length skirt originating at the waist. The bodice may be cut and decorated in a variety of fashions. Visually, it slices the body in half. These dresses are very stunning but they can be very heavy. The hemming is often floor length or longer. Scientists are still trying to figure out how Cinderella waltzed in hers!

Bouffant Gown

The Bouffant is very similar to the ball gown. The main difference is that the skirt is usually made of a sheer fabric such as stiffened rayon or silk. Furthermore, it usually involves lots of tulle - the stuff from which Ballerina tutus are often made. It can be itchy (see rash comment below).

Empire Gown

Empires have a very high waistline, just beneath the bust. The skirt flows straight down from this waistline. Length can vary from above the knees to trailing on the floor. These kinds of dresses tend to add height to a person.

Audrey Hepburn was known for her Empire line gowns.

High-Low Gown

The front of the dress stops just above the knees. Meanwhile, the hem in the back may trail along the floor or cease at the ankles. These asymmetric lines have become very popular in recent years. Variations include dresses cut diagonally across the front. They can be ECLECTIC, FLIRTY or even ROMANTIC depending on the feel of the dress. These dresses also present a balance between long and short dresses.

Tea Length Gown

Hemmed to end between the knee and the ankle, these dresses are more laid back, fun and flirty. It's often easier to dance in this sort of dress because it is shorter. According to several sources, you're guaranteed to rock a tea length if you're tall, thin and have great calves.

Sheath Gown

Slim, fabric-mininal dresses that hug your curves. They outline the shape of your body. Many sheaths are sleeveless. Depending on the length and cut of the hem, these are considered ECLECTIC, GIRLY, FLIRTY, BOHO, GLAMOUROUS or ROMANTIC.

Mermaid Gown

A variation of the sheath gown. Instead of falling straight all the way down along your curves, these dresses fan out around your knees or mid-calf, like a fishtail. While beautiful, they can be movement restricting. This 2010 season, this design is VERY abundant. These are often considered to be very GLAMOUROUS gowns while their short counterparts are WILD.

Some dresses are composites of A-line, empire, sheath, tea length, and/or mermaids. It's a good idea to consider how you want to move and to explore dresses of a variety of lengths and designs. Only ball and bouffant gowns are more set in their shape.

Other Considerations when Selecting a Dress

• Check locally!! For vintage-y dresses - explore local consignment shops. It really works! You can find GOLD there. Boutique shops will pamper and be sweet to you, allowing you to have a personalized experience. Besides, return trips will be extra special because they will remember you and want pictures from the previous event.
• Are you a big dancer? Consider a shorter dress - you don't want to destroy the hem as you twirl up a storm. Also, try out your best moves in the dressing room. You want to make sure you can perform them.
• Beading, while elegant, adds POUNDS to weight of a dress and could make you feel sluggish or tired
• Are you comfortable? That pesky piece that pokes you in the changing room will bug you all night at Prom. It may even bruise or mark up your skin. One person I know got a rash once. Eek!!!
• Complexion: don't pick a colour that makes you all one colour or washes you out.
• Can I go to the bathroom? My mum is obsessed with this question... She's right though - you should make sure that you can use the facilities without assistance - because otherwise, that's just awkward.

Other Resources

http://www.cosmogirl.com/fashion/prom/

http://seventeen.com/prom

Hope this is helpful!

the prom chair

Prom Through the Ages: 1950s - an Interview with Nannie

Nothing beats a first hand account right?

My grandmother, Nannie, attended Prom in 1954 and 1955. She attended both the Junior and Senior Proms. Today, she shared her experiences with me. Thanks Nannie!!

So Nannie, would you tell me about your High School Proms?

We danced in the gym. There was a disk-jockey (D.J.) and we listened to old records.

What did you wear?

My Junior Year, I wore a yellow dress (at right). Senior Year, I had a blue one. Both were made by Big Nannie (Nannie's grandmother). We also wore flats, no heels -- we called them 'ballerinas'. My date wore a white tuxedo suit jacket and black pants.

Did you have a Class Song or Theme? What did the decorations look like?

We did have a Senior Class song but I can't remember what it was at the moment. The prom wasn't really decorated well - just crepe paper on basketball poles and loop-de-looped around the bleachers of the gym. There wasn't a theme.

Who'd you go with?

I went with your mother's biological father. He was in college and a wonderful dancer. We danced all night!

Was there any kind of after-prom?

Prom ended at midnight - nothing afterwards like y'all have now.

Did you have fun?

Of course I had fun! I loved to dance!

Thank you so much Nannie for your time for this interview. I really appreciate it :)

the prom chair

Prom through the Ages

This series of posts (all indicated by Prom Through the Ages in the title) discuss the origin and history of the high school prom in the United States. This first entry relates the basic, general history while subsequent posts will take a look at each decade, beginning with the 50s.

'Prom', short for 'promenade' (a.k.a. the formal march of guests at the beginning of a ball or some other kind of formal event), first appeared as the name of the customary Senior Class ball when an Amherst student wrote of his attendance at Smith College's prom in 1894. Interestingly, Prom wouldn't really make High School big time until the 1930s and 40s - when it started to make the Yearbooks.

Prior to its Yearbook days, Prom was a relatively small affair. While pres

ent in the 20s, Prom was a relatively small, conservative affair. Historically, the 30s and 40s were also not fund-friendly enough for Prom to evolve. All that changed with the 50s.

Following World War II, the United States entered an economic boom period. Consistent with its new found affluence, the American High School population began to develop its Prom towards the more extravagant parties we experience today. The tradition of Prom Court began (Prom King and Queen) and the dinner-dance started to move from the Gym to a local hall or hotel. The infamous Prom Dress Search also began in this decade. These developments marked a transition in the tradition: suddenly, Prom wasn't 'just another dance (or 'sock hop'). It began to evolve into more of a milestone in high school.

Then came the 80s: high school milestone to Lifetime Milestone. Hollywood declared Prom the pinnacle of the high school experience through their teen movies, including: Pretty in Pink (1986), Karate Kid II (1986), Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985), Valley Girl (1983) and Prom Night (1980). The 80s truly initiated the typical gripes about Prom: Who shall I go with? What should I wear? More famously, Prom Court became a mark of full-fledged royalty for a night - and even more so in the 90s.

The 90s continued the 80s tradition of the teenage movie. Some of the more popular works included Never Been Kissed (1999) starring Drew Barrymore, 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) and She's All That (1999) - and yes, remaking Shakespeare and the Classics in the image of the Modern Day was a theme ( 10 Things I Hate About You was a take on "The Taming of the Shrew" while She's All That attempted to capture elements of "Pygmalion"). All three of these films placed significant value on who might be Prom Queen, although the most extreme case was She's All That. In that film, the male lead declared he might turn any girl into Prom Queen in a mere six weeks - in a bet, naturally. With all of the attention from Hollywood, Prom continued to develop as an American Institution. Today, I'm trying to capture the history of what has become a momentous event.

So, sparknotes version: Prom was a small-time, end-of-year banquet for students completing their college educations. Now, it's a high-charge, cultural event where anything goes. Its transition was facilitated by greater affluence among the American middle class and Hollywood's teen movies (although it should be noted that without money, Hollywood materials, and therefore its impact, would be less prevalent.)

the prom chair

http://www.prettyforprom.com/prom-history.html

http://www.historyofwaterfilters.com/prom-history.html

40 Things to Find Out about Prom

More questions that I'll try and address with this blog. Feel free to send your own to nchspromcommittee2010@gmail.com :)

Girls can ask Boys to Prom. How has this changed over time? Do girls generally ask boys to prom? Who pays in this case?

How do you ask someone to prom?

What’s it like to go with a group of girls/boys/friends?

What’s it like to go with your crush who you’ve never talked to?

What’s it like to go with your just-a-friend?

How do people shop for a prom dress?

How do you ask the boy nicely to match your dress without giving away what your dress looks like?

How do you make a prom dress?

How have dress styles changed over time?

How have tux styles changed over time?

What are the different styles of dresses? Do they transmit different messages/have different purposes? What are those?

What are the different styles of tuxedoes? Do they transmit different messages/have different purposes? What are those?

What is the most popular colour for prom dress?

What is the origin of the cummerbund?

What’s the purpose of a cummerbund?

How do people celebrate post prom?

What goes into a pre-prom party?

What is the purpose of a pre-prom party?

What other forms of transportation are there to prom?

Who is invited to a pre-prom party?

How do you keep your flower after prom without it rotting away?

How do you make a boutonniere? Corsage?

What do different flowers mean?

What is a corsage/boutonniere?

What is the origin of the corsage/boutonnière exchange tradition?

How has Prom changed over time?

How much money does prom generate in the USA each year?

What made it the ‘night to remember’?

What was the original purpose of prom?

When and where was the first prom?

How many police officers/chaperones must you have per individual in attendance?

What happens with the police regarding curfew for both Senior and Junior Prom?

How does the media drive prom? Or is it the other way around?

There are many negative aspects/pressures presented related to Prom by the media. How many of those actually take place?

What are the common ‘rituals’ in preparation for Prom a week+ in advance? Diets, exercise class?

What are the common ‘rituals’ in preparation for Prom the day of? Do people skip class to get their hair done? mani-pedis? What do boys do?

How is the theme incorporated into Prom? Do people actually remember the theme and care about it?

What are the most common prom themes? Why?

How do people usually get to prom? not everyone can rent a limo

Why take a limo to prom?

the prom chair