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Monday Memories--the last prom dress
This week there's a lot of talk about proms--how expensive they are, the cleavage, the skimpy dresses, the school rules, and the music. I've been listening to the moms call in to Laura Ingraham's show who's talking about the influence of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan on the clothing fads of middle school and high school girls. I went to my high school prom 4 years, and folks, you've just got to realize that strapless gowns were very popular in 1954. By 1957, I think they were less so, but I'm not sure why. I had a mother who sewed. I never had a strapless prom dress or strapless anything, nor did my sisters, but they were very popular in the 50s. There were girls wearing summer shorts and tops in the 50s that really you couldn't tell from underwear. Peasant blouses with elasticized scooped necks were pulled down over the shoulder to mid-arm. Halter tops were very popular. Short shorts were much shorter than anything I've seen in public in recent years; sheer nylon dresses that revealed every piece of lace in your slip were all the rage. Swim suits were more modest in the 50's and day time dresses had a lot more fabric, but it was not a modest era except in the minds of today's grandmothers.
Senior prom, May 1957, sheer flocked nylon with crinolines, forest green linen top, with matching, pleated cummerbund, made by my mother, who didn't use a pattern. No one I dated knew how to dance, so although I went to 4 proms, it was mainly to shuffle around and talk to the other kids. No one went out for dinner--the school had a banquet attended by all students in junior and senior classes The 60s fashions were far worse of course, because dresses got short, really short, barely over the buttocks short, couldn't sit down short. The 70s saw a trend to ethnic and folk dress with more coverage, fringe, bandanas, flared slacks and more color. The 80s were big hair, and big shoulders, baggy bulky knit sweaters and tights. So if today's teachers and mommies are objecting to the prom dresses, ask them about theirs!
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