An Athletic Year in REVIEW:

FACEOFF: Old Prom Vs New Prom

old: new:

Old prom generally defines the era of prom dresses from 2000 to the early 2010s, and often faces criticism for its outward “tackiness” and overall outdated style. However, as modern day prom fashion slips into more and more simplicity, the fun of senior prom — which should contain sequins and sparkles and colors — is lost with the rise of new prom.

Old prom is special because it embodies the spirit of teenage prom, which should be fun, loud and sparkly. Senior prom embodies a teenager’s last hoorah before they transition from high school into the real world, so the dress one wears should equally resemble a quality of playfulness that one does not wear every day.

Often, people argue that these dresses are “tacky,” as they can sometimes be loud with multiple sparkles, colors and patterns. However, prom dresses are supposed to represent one of the most important nights of a teenager’s life. With prom being such a big deal, new prom defeats this purpose, by having teenage girls dress in dresses they would wear to Sunday brunch or to a wedding, which one can wear at any given time. Additionally, wearing the “old prom” style does not need to automatically equate to wearing some of the old dress silhouettes back from the 2000s. Wearing old prom-style dresses can just mean wearing simple floor-length dresses with fun colors, sparkles and sequins.

Those who argue for new prom also generally argue that old prom is wasteful in that one wears their prom dress only once and never again. However, a similar case can be argued for many other special dresses, such as a wedding dress. Like wedding dresses, prom dresses symbolize sentimentality and are often kept for the purpose of looking back on a memory, or passing down to one’s child or loved one. However, even if the dress does not get kept, one always has the option of renting out a prom dress, which remains significantly cheaper.

If one is thinking of what dress they should go and wear to prom, they should consider an element of playfulness and fun in their dresses. Prom is only one night of the year, so one should make it count through the special dress they wear.

As the years go by, fashion trends constantly change and evolve to best fit the interests and tastes of consumers. Many fashion trends today reference past decades, such as the recently popularized grunge style of the 1990s and the bohemian style of the 1970s. Despite many trends being samples of the past, certain areas of fashion are particularly unique to the present, such as formal wear.

“Old Prom” is the term used for the types of formal wear dresses of the 2000s and 2010s, characterized by extravagant details such as bright colors, sequins, ruffles and more. While these dresses have remained popular for many years, recently formal wear style has altered significantly. What was once considered popular and chic is now tacky and outdated.

“New Prom” is the term for the new, more casual style of formal wear that girls are wearing today, looking somewhat similar to sundresses that one could wear to many different events. One of the primary criticisms of prom dresses is that the practice of purchasing a dress to only wear once is wasteful. With new prom, these dresses are not as ostentatious and can be worn on many other occasions, not just for one night.

In terms of style, new prom is far more timeless and wearable than old prom. Where old prom dresses are so impractical that they can only be worn for a few hours, new prom dresses are both re-wearable and more comfortable. Though some criticize new prom dresses for being too casual and “boring,” the fact that these dresses are more modest and sophisticated allows them to be reworn and not just packed away in a box after one night.

Prom is a once in a lifetime event that people want to remember forever, and for many this means go big or go home. Yet, rewearing the dress not only keeps it from going to waste, but allows the wearer to revisit those memories while making new ones with it too.

Nicole Martin Copy Editor n.martin.thepanther@gmail.com

Jasmine Judge Business Manager j.judge.thepanther@gmail.com

GARCIA