Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Will You Go To Prom With Me?

(This is not my real hair color -- I dyed it a dark eggplant red)

It's prom season here in the New Jersey area. Remember the prom? I always find it funny how kids on television and in movies always refer to this big formal end-of-the-year dance as "prom" and not "the prom" ... anyone know? Example "I'm going to prom" vs. "I'm going to the prom" ...  Is it like a California thing "prom" vs. "the prom" -- I need to know!


Back in 1990, I attended my senior prom. Although, I'm not entirely sure why. I loathed high school and everything it stood for. Hated most of my classmates. They hated me. Douchey tough guys and mean, angry big-haired Long Island girls armed with Fendi bags and long nails. But I went. Mom must have told me I might regret not going.


I don't remember much about prom night. Yes, it was 20 years ago, but truth be told I was super nervous and felt completely out of place. I sucked at trying to fit in.


10 Fun Facts About Prom Night 1990


  1. My Prom was held at the legendary Tavern on The Green in New York City. 
  2. I didn't enjoy paying $100 per ticket (a pretty hefty bill for a kid in 1990). 
  3. I wasn't really a fan of my dress. I dieted hardcore all winter, losing over 40 lbs just for the prom. Honestly, it was the only dress we could find in my size. In 1990, a size 14 dress was nearly impossible to locate. Torrid and Alight.com did not exist back then.
  4. I didn't drink or smoke the night of the prom (or ever in high school).
  5. With Penny Saver coupon in hand, I asked our local florist for black roses for my corsage. They refused, but provided dark red roses.
  6. Someone's boyfriend played Pink Floyd tapes for us in the limo. I wished we were listening to The Smiths or Depeche Mode. To this day I hate Pink Floyd.
  7. Oddly, the two girls in our limo were both wearing royal blue dresses.
  8. Like most of the guest, my boyfriend and I took a carriage ride around Central Park. 
  9. I own very few photos from the prom because my boyfriend tore them all up after a fight we had.
  10. Prom night was the first time I had ever heard of "arugula" salad. At 17, I couldn't pronounce it and nudged my boyfriend in a panic. My boyfriend worked at his uncle's restaurant in The Hamptons and assured me it was delicious. Today it's one of my favorite types of lettuce.

52 comments:

Sylvia Plathypus said...

LOL I'm still trying to forget my Sr. Prom...it was godawful!! Tough to be the only preggers girl in the Sr. class....o_O Should definitely have skipped that one. =) Jr. Prom was better, but not great....the best one was the one my super fancy rich school had...for the 8th Grade Class! That was the shit, I'm telling you. =) Love the Top 10 list!! Now I'm going to have to dig out my lovely prom pics and reminisce...LOL

~tracy~ said...

I always thought that was so strange also. I am in Utah, grew up here, and we always called it THE prom as well. Must be a regional thing.

And I really actually like your dress a lot. I owned one quite similar. :)

Riot Kitty said...

We didn't have a prom when I was a senior, oddly enough. Like you, I hated every minute of high school and everyone in it, and I would have *loved* to wear a black flower! I did go to a couple of "formals" just because I wanted to dance. But holy shit! They were like $15, not Tavern on the Green.

TS Hendrik said...

It is a good lettuce, but there are too many awesome ones for me to choose a favorite.

That sucks that most of your the prom pictures were destroyed.

Lady Hill said...

I was a prom WHORE. I went to any and all proms I could score an invite too. It was quite amusing since I hated highschool and actually didn't go to my own senior prom. I feel a blog post coming on...

One prom I went to we all wore dresses in the same color family, we all matched so well everyone thought we did it on purpose. I was PISSED b/c I picked my gown thinking no one would wear the color b/c it was a light blue and everyone was talking about wearing red or some other whore color. LAME.

Fromlazytolady.blogspot.com

Wild Child said...

1989 was my year and um, I wore royal blue. LOL

Jane said...

My date wore a white tuxedo with a pink tie to my Jr. prom. So hawt!

Ms. A said...

Never went to one.

Jerry said...

I actually don't regret going to any of the proms for my school I too hated high school and most the people their.

But I would have liked to have one of those prom moments in the movies where the really hot chick falls for the nerdie me. LOL

carla said...

***plunges head in sand****

yep

still trying to forget the prom here as well....


MizFit

ScoMan said...

We don't have prom here.. although I guess we do have "The Formal".. which I guess is like prom. (I'm saying prom too.. I watch too much American TV)

But I don't know what the formal was like. I didn't go. I had no interest, and it wasn't until years later I thought about a strange conversation I had with one of the girls I'd never talked to until just before the formal and thought she may have been hinting she wanted to go with me (but my "I have no interest in going" attitude but a stop to that)

ISRAEL CARRASCO said...

In CA we say "The Prom". Here is what I remember about one of my proms.Rented a limo and I sat up front with the limo driver. There were 3 couples, including a short dude in a wheelchair. My other friend looked like Clark Kent and we called him Superman. His date had a crush on me but I had a girlfriend (who was my date). Superman hit on my girlfriend behind my back. Superman's date did not like him. I got my revenge on him by making out with his date after dropping off my GF. Did I feel bad? Sort of.

Anonymous said...

I never noticed "the prom" vs "prom," but here in Illinois it was just called "prom." My junior year's was just ok, but I wanted to skip senior year altogether. I regret going! Our tickets were pretty expensive too, but the cool thing about our tiny little Midwestern town was that you didn't have to have a date to go to prom. I just went with friends.

Copyboy said...

Hey I think you looked way pretty. And definitely had a better dress than my date had at my '89 prom – pink with ruffles. P.S. I passed out from drinking too many wine coolers that night. Since then I heard my date has been involved in some sort of cult. Ahh memories.

mamahasspoken said...

Never went to my proms either. I always felt like I didn't fit in at my high school too. There were clicks galore, and I never fit into just one click. Instead, I was the kid who couldn't wait for high school to be over so I could get out of there. Loved college more, now that was some good times....

1950s Atomic Ranch House said...

pffffft I skipped my prom. I had an older more "mature" BF at the time and thought it better to just spend time with him instead.

To this day I have NO regrets skipping my prom, so all those Moms who say you will, are WRONG! lol...

baygirl32 said...

Back home we called it "the grad" its only for seniors and their dates. I hated my own, but enjoyed the other 2 I was invited to.. go figure!

AngeliStarr said...

LMFAO ive never heard of THE prom. Its definitely been just prom for me growing up. LOL I loved my dress and my date was awesome. I actually wrote a post on my prom sometime ago.

http://angelistarr.blogspot.com/2009/08/prom-fairy-tale-or-another-party.html

Jill said...

Here in central IL, we say "Prom" vs. "the Prom." I hated how there was so much pressure to have fun on that one particular night.

Funny how they wounldn't give you black roses.

Caution/Lisa said...

It was THE prom in Kentucky, too. Hated it. My boyfriend complained about the $$ so much that I broke up with him and went with his buddy. No one would talk to us that night. Lonely. Boring. A lot of $$ for nothing. Should have stayed with the boyfriend.

Unknown said...

I didn't go to my prom but it was at the garden city hotel. instead i took a limo to NYC and hung out there. plus only one person asked me and i was too shy to say yes. i was a dope. and, arugula is the best. i wish i was eating it right now!

Alyson said...

I didn't stay at the prom very long. (the prom) It was all about drinking booze and getting laid.

How can you HATE Pink Floyd?! I am deeply saddened.

Kate_at_TAL said...

YES!!! i thought i was the only one that ever thought calling it "prom" was stupid. like what, you and the prom are such close buddies that you get to drop the "the?"

my prom was boring. i went to an all girls' catholic school so none of the guys knew each other. what a dumb idea.

Unknown said...

@ Israel LOL....

Tiana Smith said...

In MT we called it prom, not The Prom, so who knows. I remember hating everything about it though. I was set up on a blind date (because no one would go with me) and he wore a cowboy hat. I was so embarrassed :) I still had braces on, so I never look at those pictures. I've tried to forget it :)

The Cupcake Cauldron said...

My senior prom was interesting. My high school boyfriend had just got into the Air Force and I was single again! Woo hoo! I took my crush/best friend at the time. We didn't hook up, even though we spent a whole night at Sleeze Side the night after!! I didn't wear a typical prom gown, and I also had blood red roses. My date wore tails...it was pretty cool.

I need to show you a pic!

Sadly, the last dance of the night, my friend Jon and I found that our dates were smoking outside together. HAHAHA. So, we danced the last dance and we still laugh about it today.

Kristie said...

One thing I remember about my prom date was that he had on a really nice tuxedo but he wore Hush Puppies with it. My Mom kept saying...he's wearing Hush Puppies, he's wearing Hush Puppies. God help me.

Salt said...

Wow Tavern on the Green? THAT is cool. Even though the price tag sucks for sure. I don't think I had $100 to my name back then.

My prom was on a boat downtown in the harbor. We sailed around. It was pretty cool. My date was my boyfriend who I broke up with as soon as I got to college. He wore a top hat and carried a cane and I wore a feather boa and long black gloves. VERY glam.

Bossy Betty said...

Prom--don't get me started. I wrote a four part blog piece about mine. Love seeing this picture and I love the eggplant hair, honey!

Sara Louise said...

Tavern on the Green! What an amazing place for 'the prom'. No way I would have missed out on the prom if it was there (I did have my 15th birthday there though).

And royal blue prom dresses... so 1990!

jayayceeblog said...

I don't have particularly fond memories of prom. (We just called it prom, not the prom, in Utah in the 70s.) I think I've blocked them out. Loved the telling of yours!!!

liz said...

those are some fun factoids! tavern on the green sounds like a pretty fancy prom! i can't imagine why jersey proms are like today, though. probably a lot different than 1990.

did the florist give a reason for not providing black roses?

LaraAnn said...

I did not care for my proms either. I wish that I hadn't even gone. Maybe if I had a boyfriend instead of being set up for them I would have felt differently. Hated my high school too. Can't stand Pink Floyd also but for different reasons. My brother obsessively listens to them.

Girl Interrupted said...

Aw, I'm glad you managed to keep at least one pic, I think you looked lovely in your dress and it seems to be quite a big deal there? So it must be nice to have something to look back on. I lost an entire photographic year once, due to a messy break-up, so I sympathise.

I'm not fussed by Pink Floyd either, and I'm English, it's practically law that you have to think they're awesome over here. I don't hate them, I just don't think they're THAT good. Although I do have a sentimental attachment to 'Wish you were here'

Unknown said...

You were lucky. Our prom was at the Berkeley Cartaret Hotel in Asbury Park, NJ. Yes, fun crack den Asbury Park. I prefer to block that memory out of my brain as my date was an ass!

MoonDoggie said...

'Proms' are becoming really popular here in England. I don't know what it's like over there but people (with daughters in particular) are spending silly money. My colleague's daughter's prom dress cost more than my wedding one!

Macey said...

I'm just drooling over the "tavern on the green" for the venue. OMG!

Marlene said...

Love your prom photo! Shame on all those nasty girls that didn't like you. :( You looked very likeable.

I attended my prom....and wore a huge freaking blue frou frou flower in my hair. Of course, that was back in 1981. Ick.

Ian said...

damn you popular yo, I dig it!

Ashley King said...

i LOVE this!!!!

i was totally going to post my picture!!! that's sooo funny!!! however, i look a lot of bit sleezy in my picture.... i was SUCH a tomboy in school. didn't like anyone or anything about high school either!!! i ALWAYS wore jeans and overalls (CK jean overalls), and decided to go ALL out for prom and shock the absolutely CRAP out of everyone in the dress i showed up in.... J Lo style.... i didn't enjoy my date, not even a little bit.... there was one point in the night he ended up crying and it was just awful!

i didn't dance. i couldn't enjoy the night.... i should have just followed my gut and stayed home....

i LOVE your picture!!!! you are a doll!!!!

Nat said...

Hi there

Thanks for stopping by my blog and great to find yours!

Loved your post about your prom....where I grew up we didn't go in for it in such a big way but we did have a School Leavers' Dance...bad memories of feeling totally out of place and wanting to be anywhere else :-)

MWalker said...

I didn't have a prom. I went to a extremely conservative Christian school and dancing was the devil. Think Footloose. My husband's school had one, but he skipped it because his buddy told him it was a rip-off to pay and go listen to bad music (my hubby doesn't dance).

Crazy Brunette said...

Didn't have my glasses on and at FIRST glance at the tit;e I thought it said,

"Will you watch porn with me?"

HAHAHAHA!!!

nikki said...

I'm another one who only went to prom b/c people told me I'd regret it if I didn't. Somehow I doubt it. I wore a hand-me-down dress from my sister and did my own hair. Then I went dutch with the foreign exchange student. He was nice enough, but it was just a dull bland night.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

You're an attractive couple, and the picture is classy.

I didn't go, wasn't asked, and the guy I got up the nerve to ask turned me down. I was jilted. I'm over it by now. Maybe.
xoRobyn

Unknown said...

Makes me wanna go find my prom photos!!! yours is cute. I love the 10 things, too. And Depeche Mode.

;-)

Amber Von Felts said...

Man, nice post! I also strangely went to prom. I was a total weirdo in a school of about 500 total kids (including the middle school kids) in rural Ohio. My then "straight" now totally Gay BF and I went. I wore a sparkly short & tight pink dress, styled my platinum blonde hair up into a 1960's bouffant hair do and wore some major platform shoes. Much to my surprise I was awarded a Prom Princess sash, I guess people had voted me in. Luckily I was fashionably and intentionally late and missed the ceremony. If it was to be a "Carrie Moment" they missed their chance! LOL!

Tracie said...

I hated everyone so much that I didn't even go to my senior prom. My junior prom date was a closeted homosexual. For a while he told everyone that I made him gay because I wouldn't have sex with him after prom.

PS Back home we say 'prom' not 'the prom'. It is weird now that I think about it.

The mad woman behind the blog said...

Oh shit, this takes me back. I was just thinking about one of my jr prom dates this morning. I liked his truck more than I liked him.
I wore white. HEH! Short and strapless but white nonetheless and BIG HAIR!

Thanks for sharing this! I loved it.

Unknown said...

i love that hellogoodbye song.....
my date and i didn't even take pics at our prom. i have a few my mom took outside my house, but that's it. i went with one of my really good guy friends, but he "liked" me and i didn't feel the same. it was totally awkward :-( we're still awesome friends to this day though so at least it didn't ruin our relationship.

Unknown said...

Cute pic! Never saw it before now. That cat you're with looks kinda like Adam Richmond from the Travel Channel!

b-chica said...

Glad to know I'm not the only one confused by "prom" being used in movies instead of "the prom". I always want to say, "Its not a proper noun, people!" (I grew up in Massachusetts, land of "wicked"; didn't realize that wasn't a legit word the way we used it until college.)

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