In an event that has slowly become more elaborate than the MET Gala, what people wear to prom has become increasingly important. From poofy, sequined dresses to dapper tuxedos, what seniors wear to the seemingly most important high school event is a major point of contemplation.
The process starts months before May 17, with many looking around in person and online for options. For Vivian Rizer ’24, the process started with browsing the internet for inspiration. .
“With a lot of girls I know, we looked at different things online to get an idea of what you want before you even go to a store to look at dresses,” Rizer said.
After looking online, Rizer said she went to a few stores with friends to try out a few of the options that they liked. Later, she went back with her mom to finalize her choices.
“With my friends, you would pick something up and you’d (say) ‘This just looks kind of crazy. One of us should try it on,’” Rizer said. “You kind of grabbed everything you could. With my mom, I was much more intentional about what I picked. I didn’t really want to waste either of our time if I knew I wasn’t gonna get the dress.”
A factor that was very important to Rizer was the reusability and price of her dress. She said she looked for a reasonably priced dress that she could rewear after prom, which is also something Quin Grabowski ’25 looked for.
“I definitely do want a reusable dress especially since this is not my senior prom,” Grabowski said. “I definitely want to get a dress that can be reworn at other events.”
Between trying on multiple dresses and picking one that she likes the look of, Grabowski said she found the process of picking a dress to be quite stressful.
“You just have to try things on and there’s a lot of mental energy needed,” Grabowski said. “You have to think about ‘Do I actually like the dress, or is this just the fifth store I’ve been to and I’m trying to find something?’”
The majority of the stress for Grabowski boiled down to the actual shopping, but Rizer said her stress came down to worrying about whether or not she could find a dress she liked.
“The more times you go shopping, the more stressful it gets,” Rizer said. “The first time it’s just kind of fun, but then the second or third time you’re (saying), ‘Oh my God, I need to find a dress. What if I don’t get one?’ You kind of start to get scared.”
On the stress-free side, Jack Slawson ’24 said shopping for his tuxedo was quite relaxing thanks to Men’s Wearhouse.
“I went to Men’s Wearhouse and they just take you through the different steps of what kind of suit you want and colors and costs and stuff like that,” Slawson said.
Thanks to the help of his mom, Slawson said his experience renting his tuxedo was smooth and problem-free.
“I was pretty relaxed,” Slawson said. “(My mom) kind of helped me pick out what I want and I usually listen to her because she has a better taste in fashion.
No matter what other people are wearing, Rizer recommended wearing whatever makes you most comfortable and feel the best in your last moments of high school.
“If somebody wants to wear a big, poofy sparkly dress and you’re wearing a more supportive cleaner dress, don’t hate on them for being extra because it’s prom,” Rizer said. “They can wear whatever they want.”
