Has your town had Senior Prom yet? Ours is this coming weekend, but we've been seeing girls in pretty satin dresses, and uncomfortable-looking guys in tuxedos around town for a couple of weeks.
Just this past weekend, on my girls' night out, we ran into a Prom couple--all decked out--and walking into a MOVIE. Thankfully, I was with my friend Janna, who is not shy about talking to strangers, and she asked them if they'd just been to Prom. The young couple grinned, and the fellow with the royal blue bowtie puffed up his chest, grinned a cheesy grin, and said, "Yeah, and I PROPOSED to her tonight!"
My friends and I all looked in amazement at this young couple, this baby couple, who surely didn't seem old enough to be walking into that movie with the uncomfortably long you-know-what kind of scene...much less old enough to be going to the late movie after a Senior Prom!! But, here they were, grinning and holding hands like young little love birds. We asked the girl if she said "yes"--to which, she said, "Of course!" and patted her little rounded belly, "I'm due in October!"
All righty, then. Prom is a little different these days, I guess.
But, back in the glorious 1980s, when I went to Prom, NO ONE was ever pregnant at Prom. Or, maybe I was just naive. Okay, probably so.
But, seeing all the girls in their pretty Prom dresses, always just takes me back. In honor of all the Prom nostalgia, I thought I'd share my own Prom pictures. But first--guess who STILL has her Prom dresses??? Oh, yes I do!!!
Before I show you the truly retro 80's Prom pictures, I thought it would be fun to have a photo session with my girls. When I asked if they wanted to try on my Prom dresses, they ran to my bedroom closet before I could even finish the sentence.
I bet their daddy will not like these pictures. (Sorry, honey!) I am sure these pictures will conjure up for him visions of shotguns and large redneck men threatening skinny adam's apple boys...already terrified of some certain girls' crazy-eyed daddy.
I hate to say it...but I think my husband will rather enjoy terrifying interested boys ringing our doorbell. But, I guess daddies do need things to look forward to, don't they?
So, here are our precious darlings that caused their daddy to tell me way back when I was first pregnant with them... "I sure hope I don't have to go to prison some day because of some boy."
First, I would like to introduce you to Sara Beth, who is modeling her mama's Junior Prom dress of a pastel pink moire taffeta. This Mrs. Hanry couture dress has a sweetheart neckline with spaghetti straps, with a dropped waist cascading into a 2-tiered ruffled tea-length skirt. The outstanding feature of the dress is the over-sized bow on the back of the dress that Mrs. Hanry herself designed. This dress is a classic example of the preppy year 1987.
Our next model is Rebecca. Rebecca is modeling a Senior Prom dress of black satin with a black lace overlay, fabrics specially selected from Hancock Fabrics for this very occasion. This dress is also a Mrs. Hanry couture, featuring a strapless sweetheart neckline of the shiny black satin. The fitted bodice gathers gently at the waist to fall into a full tea-length skirt with a lace overlay. This dress also features the dramatic over-sized bow, once again a Mrs. Hanry original design.
And without further ado, I present to you...1987, in all of its glory!!! Please welcome MarytheKay and her dear friend Stacey! MarytheKay and Stacey met on the first day of junior high, and were the best of friends all the way through high school. How fitting that we have prom pictures together. *smile* (I miss you, StayJack!!!)Okay, do you see the pink high tops? Yes, I was very proud of those shoes. Actually...I wore pink dyeable heels (of course), and took the high tops to change into. Oh yeah--tha's a dancing girl you see there!!! I am very sad to say that I can't find my Junior Prom picture with my date. Junior Prom was actually my FAVORITE dance...with none other than John David. (Little shout out to John David! I'd better shout loudly...I'm pretty sure he doesn't read this blog!)
Drum roll for the Senior Prom, folks... Please help me usher in 1988, in all of its glory...
Sadly, no high tops for this dance. I am sure you're not looking at my shoes, though. You're looking at my hair--wondering how in the heck did I get it so tall? I hate to confess...that is natural cowlick height, baby. There is a little White Rain to smooth it, but that cowlick is doing all the manual labor.
(My fire engine red fingernails make me giggle a little. Va Va Va VOOM. Those nails remind me of my very first professional manicure, earlier that day. Miss Sheila was so kind to me that morning.)
Oh! Forgive me for being so rude! I would like to introduce you to John David. By the time Senior Prom rolled around, John David was already an important college boy. We went to this dance as just friends (note the yellow roses - for friendship). The fact that he still drove down for the dance, and kept his promise to take me to Senior Prom meant a lot to me, and surely exemplified his integrity. Now, the fact that he kept looking at his watch all evening did not mean so much... (Oh, you know you did!!) But, a girl can't have it all, now can she?
Before I close, I'd like to say that these Prom dances for me were wonderfully and innocently fun. I know there is a lot of talk these days (and on t.v. shows) about the heightened pressures of Prom night. That was not my experience at all. My experience was all about dancing and laughing the night away with a group of good friends. My prayer for our daughters is that they will be able to have the same innocent and memory-making kind of fun someday.
And, of course, if their dates have anything different in mind...they can consult the scary man in the back seat holding the shotgun.
(*Much of this content is re-posted from last year.)
