Prom Night Dress Code
Sure, it matters who wins in November. But by my lights, we'll still be in a heap of trouble. Consider, for instance, the culture. It's Prom Season. And schools are worrying about the dress code for that event. On the one hand, it's the usual set of concerns. From the WSJ:
Schools from Connecticut to Arizona are responding to risqué prom dresses with elaborate dress codes. Prom fashion in some stores goes way beyond plunging necklines and hiked-up hems to include low-slung backs, thigh-high slits and midriff-bearing cutouts.
To avoid having to turn away tearful girls on the big night, prom organizers are taking pre-emptive action, issuing specific guidelines early, offering dress approval in advance and relying on image-heavy PowerPoint presentations to make it crystal clear what styles will, and won't, be allowed at the dance.
Makes sense, right? But then there's this:
Dress codes focus mainly on girls' attire, but boys aren't exempt. Most schools ban sneakers, jeans of any color and pants that sag. Others require accessories, such as hats and canes, to be left at coat check. Southmoore High's guidelines say male students must keep their shirts on all night. "We don't care that you work out," the guide states.
That's a rule, now? You must keep your shirt on? Shirts were coming off? At the Prom?
So, basically, we're doomed as a culture, wouldn't you say?
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May '11
Re: Prom Night Dress Code
John Murdoch: Simple solution:
[...]
Make a point of sending one of them home. Publicly. Yes--that means damaging the self-esteem of some tramp-stamp-wearing hussy.
Problem solved. · 3 hours ago
First: It's not just girls that dress inappropriately as indicated by the rules for boys too.
Second: The kids are NOT stupid. If they think their prom is threatened, they will have "another" prom somewhere else. They already have "after proms" in rented rooms in the hotels hosting the prom. Many parents look the other way about this because the kids aren't "drinking then driving."
I don't know what an answer to this is. Our culture has fallen a LONG way from the Cleavers.
Oct '10
Re: Prom Night Dress Code
Rob Long:
Southmoore High's guidelines say male students must keep their shirts on all night.
And the shirts of female students…? Southmoore High co-eds, I want to party with you!
Sep '10
Re: Prom Night Dress Code
Despite widespread use of mobile phones with cameras, Google Images turned up no clear instance of such behavior. You may be "doomed as a culture," but if so, that's not the reason.
Aug '10
Re: Prom Night Dress Code
Abs must be the new boobs in some alternate universe. I have already bought my daughter's first prom dress , even though she is a freshman and it's for a small town high school prom nearby where she has friends, mosty farmers.Somehow, I feel fairly secure . These guys spend most of the summer working, not alot of shirts. Paying hardearned cash renting a tux means that they will take care. Their clothes don't matter at all anyway. First I ever heard of people caring what boys wore. Metrosexual was a big selling point for the crossbred media.Sure do miss Mitchum , Wayne, and the rest- can't remember one thing any of them ever wore in a movie that wasn't a uniform.
Edited on April 3, 2012 at 2:14amFeb '11
Re: Prom Night Dress Code
Granted, my daughter is only 3, but I have already prepared a simple statement which will immediately remove any and all desire to wear a piece of inappropriate clothing. Upon seeing the offending garment, I will say: "If I want to see your mother in it, then I don't want to see you in it." That works on just so many levels.
Jan '11
Re: Prom Night Dress Code
As a high school teacher I'm in the thick of prom season. I also have a teenage daughter. While the following recommendations may be obvious, I've seen some clueless parents, jaw-dropping outfits & behavior over the years.
1. Thoroughly know the high school's prom policy.
2. Do not let your daughter get ready at her friend's house. That appropriate dress you & she chose may be replaced with an inappropriate dress hanging in her friend's closet.
3. No after prom parties.
4. Do not rent a hotel room or grant permission for your child to go to a hotel room. Your child, of course, may disobey but you've made your views clear.
5. Dads, with love & frankness talk with your children about sexuality. Odds are your daughters are thinking about romance and love. What are your sons thinking about? Moms, do this, too.
I've found that teenagers want respect from adults & appreciate being spoken to on an adult level. Prom provides a perfect time for some adult talk.
P.S. Doc Jay, kudos on the formal wear.
Aug '10
Re: Prom Night Dress Code
How many schools bother to specify that boys not wear dresses and girls not wear tuxes?
Aug '10
Re: Prom Night Dress Code
I skipped the "graduation dance" to get drunk at a buddy's house.
Totally do not regret that decision.