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Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,941
Registered: ‎03-30-2010

It's been many years since I attended a prom. {#emotions_dlg.scared}

My dresses and my daughter's were similar with bare shoulders, long full skirts. Now that I have a granddaughter attending a prom, I see that styles have changed dramatically. Her dress is long with spaghetti straps and cut high in front, which is fine, however the sides are bare! There are huge areas that are bare skin. I wanted to ask her if she planned on wearing a t-shirt under the dress.

I realize that girls want what's in style, but when did things change so drastically? These young girls are not Hollywood stars on the red carpet. Obviously, I had no vote in choosing her dress! Sad that girls feel that they need to show so much skin when attending a formal dance. Are parents ok with this?

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,827
Registered: ‎03-15-2010
When did things change so drastically? Probably in the 25 years since your daughter when to prom and the 50 years since you did. My DD went to prom last year and all the girls wore long dresses. They looked stunning.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,941
Registered: ‎03-30-2010
On 3/27/2015 scatcat said: When did things change so drastically? Probably in the 25 years since your daughter when to prom and the 50 years since you did. My DD went to prom last year and all the girls wore long dresses. They looked stunning.


You're right about the time frames! And, I'm sure your DD was lovely in her long dress. My DD and I also wore long dresses, however there were no huge cut outs that showed bare skin or plunging backs that went to the butt. In other words, we didn't look like we were Hollywood wannabe's on the red carpet. We looked like young ladies.

My question really was, are parents ok with all this bare skin at formal dances? Seems a bit much for high school.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,401
Registered: ‎03-15-2010
My daughter is 9. Thank goodness I have a few years before worrying about her prom dress. She's happy in her shorts and tee shirt for now!
Valued Contributor
Posts: 597
Registered: ‎03-10-2010
Then you haven't seen it all yet! How about a 2 piece....picture a jeweled bra style top...sort of something out of a Cleopatra movie....and a full length long slim skirt bottom with a V-cut out on the back side of waist, just below the waist band, and the bottom of the V goes down to the crack!....Yup!....saw it because I've been working at a shop where they sell thousands of prom gowns...difficult to look at on a hanger...cannot even imagine it on a 17-18 year old...but it was sold!
Honored Contributor
Posts: 41,253
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

i have gone through this the past few years......times have definitely changed. LOL

if anyone is interested, CACHE is going out of business and they are now at 30%-60% off the entire store.

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,766
Registered: ‎05-09-2010

What I don't understand is the really short short dresses. When picking my son up from the HS Homecoming dance, all the girls' dresses were really short and they were constantly pulling them down. How much fun can that be, to be tugging at your dress all night?

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. Margaret Mead
Honored Contributor
Posts: 43,246
Registered: ‎01-08-2011

Until about three years ago, I attended prom as a chaperon. The cut out dresses have been on the market for maybe as much as eight or ten years. The cut out areas got so drastic that the principal required all the girls to bring a picture of their dress and be approved. That happened because some girls had worn some overly revealing dresses which the parents had let them out in, of course!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,941
Registered: ‎03-30-2010
On 3/27/2015 ECBG said:

Until about three years ago, I attended prom as a chaperon. The cut out dresses have been on the market for maybe as much as eight or ten years. The cut out areas got so drastic that the principal required all the girls to bring a picture of their dress and be approved. That happened because some girls had worn some overly revealing dresses which the parents had let them out in, of course!

I guess that's what bothers me, the fact that parents willingly purchase and allow their high school daughters to wear such revealing clothing. A formal dance is not the beach. Sad that young girls are dressing in such adult clothing when they have still have growing up to do.
Super Contributor
Posts: 431
Registered: ‎07-19-2013

A woman, even a young one, should wear exactly what she pleases. It's not up to strangers to dictate what is "appropriate".

I shudder at the thought of the girls having to bring a picture of their dresses to the administration for preapproval. Do they insist the guys bring in pictures of their outfits, too? If I had a daughter attending a school that tried dictating what she could wear, I'd raise holy heck!