Street Style: Prom Season 2009
There was a time in my life when I positively LIVED for the day that the prom-themed issues of my favorite teen mags (YM and TEEN) would show up on the shelves at the Harris Teeter. I would buy them all, and then lie on the floor in my bedroom ripping out pictures of dresses and updos and makeup ideas, all the while imagining how beautiful I would look slow-dancing with my blue-eyed date. Back then (and no, it wasn’t THAT long ago), the trends in prom fashion were pretty tame: strapless necklines, princess ball skirts, and lots of bright colors like hot pink, lime green and aqua. Make up was glittery and girly. Hair was often twisted into little rows along the crown before being wound up into a “sophisticated” up-do. Getting dressed for prom was the ultimate female indulgence – it took all day and at the end of it boys showed up looking cute in tuxedos and you got to have your picture taken. Sigh. Those were the days.
I lost track of what was “hot” in prom fashion in the years following high school – until I was asked to be a chaperone the prom at my alma mater two years ago. I was shocked to discover that the provocative necklines that I thought I would only see on Hollywood red carpets and skinny sorority girls at formals in college had somehow infiltrated the glorious, magical, romantic bubble of little girls playing dress up that I remembered from my own prom days. I saw more underage cleavage that night than anyone should ever see. Ever.
After that eye-assaulting evening, I thought the innocence of prom beauty was lost for good… until I laid eyes on what was stepping in and out of the limos during this year’s prom season!
(See Above)
Behold how precious they are!!! I am positively swooning over these delightful frocks! The decolletage on display is flirty without being trashy, the cuts of the dresses look comfortable and romantic, the prints and colors are refreshing and completely, innocently playful. There are no high-maintenance updos, no Taylor Momsen-style eye-liner disasters – just beautiful young girls looking beautiful and young.
I am feeling supremely optimistic about the world all of the sudden. Thank you Prom 2009!
