Did ya'll know it's Prom Night? I was told all about this year's prom by Mr. Lady.

I didn't get a formal engraved invitation. But it's been awhile since I went to prom (in case you're new here, nice to meet ya' I'm old as dirt!) and I understand they do things differently these days. So, I checked out the party, New & Improved: Now with Martinis, and decided I'd crash... um, invite myself.


Prom is all about TRADITION. For girls, we gotta go get our hair did. I did that last weekend, and washed it Friday, so I'm good. Then there's the traditional pedicure for the pretty shoes. I got a pedi egg last week and touched up my toe nail polish while waiting to pick up munchkin from school. Wow, this is way less stress than I remembered. And this totally explains why I've had this urge lately to walk into a nail salon and order up a good old full set o' acrylics. Of course it could be my impending high school reunion and the horrible 80s hair flash backs causing that. Either way, off to have "The Time of My Life."




That sets the mood nicely for my trip down memory lane as well as confirms that yep, you're learning... older than dirt!

That girl? Sweet Sixteen and been oh so kissed. But, boyfriendless. As I was for EVERY major milestone through my teen years. Oh it's okay, don't feel sorry for me, I went to plenty of dances.

The year? 1986. How'd ya guess? It was the BIG hair wasn't it? I'm surprised I didn't topple over from the weight of all the Stiff Stuff used to hold it in place.
The boy? His name was Jeff, he was a SENIOR!
The dress? My sister's. Yes, she is 16 years older than me. Truth that classics never go out of style. And bonus prom fun fact, every dress, including this one was worn at least once more by me (mostly in college) and most of them were also borrowed at least once by friends. We were total dress whores!
The Date? It was a blind date, we didn't even go out to dinner, and I was home before my curfew.
Trivia: I broke my toe that day while assembling a shelving unit for my bedroom.
Bonus? Bragging rights for having gone to prom as a sophomore!

Next up? Junior prom, 1987. Yeah, the mullet I'm sporting just yells, "Hey, it's 1987 dudes!"
The boy? Mark. You may remember him from such posts as yesterday's.
The dress? Bought on a trip to Texas, no one had anything so cool. Apparently I was way ahead of the fashion curve. Really, click the link, it'll be quick, we'll wait. Amazing and Hi-larious! No?
The date? Closest to the fairy tale I ever got. Although Mark wasn't officially my "boyfriend" because he was a year younger than me. But we hung out, oh hell we dated a lot, but I didn't call it that then. I think he was the only boy I went out with that was more into me than I was him. All that power made it hard for me not to take advantage of him. I hope he has as fond of memories of me as I do of him. He was the sweetest guy, looked cute as can be in photos and was the perfect prom date. The four of us went for a very fancy dinner. I remember all the "beach bitches" were at the same place, we were so cool. And the biggest bonus of going with a friend (this was before the coined phrase with benefits, but that is totally what he was!) was that there were no butterflies, just lots of laughs. Next of course we hit the dance. You know it sounded a lot like this... "Oh how cute is your hair? Your date looks great! OMG that DRESS!" Our after party was just the four of us at the other guy's house. His parents bought us alcohol and then... they left. That would be the part I forgot to tell my parents. But at least I stayed put, much safer than... well, you'll read soon enough.
Trivia: The couple we are with? Married with children.
Bonus? The boy? Turned out to be a heavy hitter. No home run, but a triple is nothing to be ashamed of.

Next up? Senior prom, 1988. The hair, well thank goodness it quieted down and is not screaming anything.
The boy? Steve. Aka: Not that Jim guy, who was his buddy and my crush, that lived in North Carolina.
The dress? Bought on a trip to Texas, no one had anything like it. See a pattern here?
The date? Can.not.remember.dinner. I'm sure we had fun. Again, no pressure due to "friend" as date. So after all the "Oh how cute is your hair? Your date looks great! OMG that DRESS!" we hit the after party. As seniors we all had hotel rooms, most of us were there for drinking, not having sex. My parents thought we were going to my date's house after to hang out in his pool and hot tub. Anyway, at the hotel is when date decides although he was "standing in" for his buddy, he really liked me, and needed to let me know. At the time it pissed me off that he put me in that position on prom night. In retrospect, this guy, I did wrong. He liked me, oh sin of all sins. And he took me to prom, paid for everything down to the hotel, and thought he'd fess up his crush. Me? I left with some other guy! See my dear friend with the late 20 something, prematurely balding man in the photo? She lied to her parents about him, I don't know they've ever seen these pictures. They dated on and off through high school. We liked it when they were "on again" because obviously he bought our alcohol. Anyway, they came into our room with a 20 something hot guy friend of theirs who got left by his date. Me, I am 18. I see this as fate telling me to drop my date and take off with them. Damn, I was sort of... um, I was a bitch! We drove to the beach, used it for what it was intended, making out. Called my parents from a parking lot at the butt crack of dawn to say we were heading to breakfast. Pretty sure I forget to tell them I was with an older guy they didn't know. Here's the kicker, because if you've learned nothing here, you've learned there is always a kicker. All my prom clothes? IN THE HOTEL, with the dude I totally dissed. Shit! Remember parents think I was at date's house, if dress is missing in some hotel, the jig, she is up. Lucky for me, date = super nice guy. He brought all my stuff back to his house for me. I did have to suck it up and go over to get it, but still, he could've, probably should have just left it all there. Would've been a poetic ending, no?
Trivia: Note that "secret" older boyfriend, completely welcomed in my home, my parents never said a word. Because they were/are understanding of young love. They always had me and all my friends getting ready for dances at our house. And my dad always took the obligatory photos of our ceiling... um our dresses and dates for posterity. They however, did not buy us alcohol, because they were/are smart like that. Me? I had/have great parents.
Bonus? Proof that I DID wear that dress again. Albeit to a sorority formal, and my mommy paid someone to cut it off and hem it cocktail party length.


Hurry, you still have time to show up fashionably late. Join us for prom 2008!
And tell me, was your prom Carrie or Pretty in Pink?

23 comments:

Your stories are exactly why prom freaks us out as moms!

June 3, 2008 at 9:28 AM  

I have no photos of my proms. I went to two of them, both times in pink. One time the dress was from Texas. LOL.

June 3, 2008 at 9:28 AM  

You had some balls! And I'm glad I'm not the only one going to this prom that had sex. Sheesh I was starting to feel like a big sloot. I thought everyone had sex in high school?!

June 3, 2008 at 9:35 AM  

This is a seriously fantastic retrospective. And, if you are old as dirt, I am as old as OLD dirt; my senior prom was the year before yours. Thanks for the great stories and awesome photos. Ahh...that hair...didn't we all have such great BIG hair...

June 3, 2008 at 9:45 AM  

I just love that white dress with the big blue belt.

That's wrong, isn't it?

I have NO DESIRE to relive those high school years. You are a brave woman.

June 3, 2008 at 9:46 AM  

we didn't have prom at my high school. i know, i know: WTF right?

so i'm gonna throw one this summer I think so i can finally get the pleasure of going and i was wondering if i could borrow a dress.

June 3, 2008 at 11:21 AM  

I am in shock at how many "proms" you went to.. hahaha..

And the mullet.. LOVE IT.. haha

June 3, 2008 at 11:45 AM  

my prom was pizza in the school gym, not kidding at all....
the last photo? Bananarama? The Go Go's?

June 3, 2008 at 12:20 PM  

That's my dorm room! I don't know about KO but I think that was the 3rd time I wore my dress.
I can't believe how may peeps I remember from your post. I think I "met" most the men too.

June 3, 2008 at 1:16 PM  

I love this! You were gorgeous, in all of your 80's fabulousness!

I will see if i can find some pictures. I know I wore black to one and bubble gum pink to the other. Also so very 80's.

June 3, 2008 at 1:29 PM  

I always thought my prom stories were tame. No sex, just making out (okay, a lot) no drugs just alcohol (and not a lot, hence the no sex). The only really bad part is that we were most likely driving while doing that drinking. That makes me scared for my girls!
For the late 80s all the dresses and hair were appropriate. The mullet and the blue lace aren't even THAT bad in perspective.
Aimee, I think everyone else is LYING like a rug!
Ms. Picket I'm sure there are some type of dresses, just not those anymore. Too bad too, cause the blue lace, check that link, I'm telling you now that dress would be HOT!
And the last photo? Sorority formal 1989, weren't we HOT?! My friend Aimee even stopped in to claim that as her dorm room. Hi Me!

June 3, 2008 at 2:24 PM  

*Hides eyes* Are those... PUFFY SLEEVES?

June 3, 2008 at 4:53 PM  

omg AWESOME pics! I just got a scanner so I'll be posting loads of old pics, and my hair was bigger than yours!

June 3, 2008 at 4:57 PM  

OMG the pics are awesome HEE HEE.
I didn't get to go to prom but I do have a pretty cool Home Coming pic I scan one day LOL

June 3, 2008 at 5:21 PM  

scott loves the pics too. He wants me to ask who the old guy is all the way to the right in pic number 3? i sure hope the mystery dude isn't reading this.

June 3, 2008 at 5:40 PM  

Oh, what wonderful pictures and stories! Thanks for the trip down memory lane. And wow - those pix of Posh - OMG! Unlike heres, your dress was PRETTY, but I do see the slight resemblance you were talking about ; )

June 3, 2008 at 6:16 PM  

If you're as old as dirt then I'm as old as...whatever came before dirt. :)

Enjoyed reading all your prom stories!

June 3, 2008 at 6:47 PM  

I love the 80's hair! not nearly as big as some i sported in the day... bravo on your bravery for posting prom from the 80's for us all to see.

June 3, 2008 at 9:02 PM  

I love your stories.
Very cute. Glad to someone went to a couple of proms...I missed mine.
oh..I will have to post about that story one day. I think I have made up for it though....
Love your blog. It is SO cool you still have pics to show.

June 3, 2008 at 10:46 PM  

LOL! I had to stop myself from laughing while reading so as not to wake up The Man who is snoring mere feet from me.

I only got to go to one prom and I honestly don't remember much of it. The Man went with my best friend and I went with his. Who would have thought we'd end up together in the end! Not that night... later... like now...

open mouth insert foot

June 4, 2008 at 12:29 AM  

That's a whole lotta proms! I could have used the practice. I really could have. Man that senior prom dude was one hell of a nice guy!

June 4, 2008 at 12:41 PM  

You aren't the only one who left prom with someone other than your date! Thanks for making me feel better! Loved the pics...and the memories of the 80's! Check out my 80's prom too!

June 4, 2008 at 4:29 PM  

You did an awesome prom post - did it ever take me back!

On June 26th I am hosting a "Virtual Wedding Party" at my blog. Here's how it works: on that day, post your wedding pics and some stories and make sure you RSVP in the comments of my blog so I can add you to the blogroll for the day and everyone can come over for a visit. It's a great way to get more visitors and lots of fun to see everyone's pictures and hear the cute/funny/pathetic stories we all have about our wedding day! Do come for some fun!

June 5, 2008 at 1:58 AM  

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