The Writer's Pen

Prom season is upon us, and I can say with certainty that proms have changed since my high school days.

Securing just the right dress is of major importance. I was invited to go with my granddaughter, Emma, when she shopped for her dress. Can I say that I had sticker shock at the price of these beautiful gowns? Long dresses are in vogue again and the choices were shimmering either with sequins or with shiny fabric. They were strapless, one shouldered, backless, very low cut in front, or two-piece with the midriff exposed.

Girls of every height and shape were trying on dresses. All the clerks were helpful and friendly. They seemed to enjoy the process as much as the prospective customer did. After perusing the endless racks of dresses, Emma tried on six or seven. When she put one on for the second time, I knew that was the one. The decision was made – she said yes to the dress. It was a floral with black background and flowers in bright colors, very fitted with a train in the back, sleeveless and low V in front and back. It was very shimmery which muted the colors, and was beautiful.

Let's go back one generation to my daughter Lisa's prom dresses. I sewed them from her designs. She knew what she wanted and it was up to me to create them. Tea length dresses were the style at the time with a few long dresses being worn. For her junior year dress, she chose red satin with red lace over the bodice. The satin dress was fitted at the waist with a tea length, very full gathered skirt. It was made like a strapless dress and was very low cut in the back. Over the bodice was the red lace with a high neck, stand-up collar with scalloped edge, and short puffed sleeves. Fastening it in the back were 35 tiny buttons covered in red satin; she made the covered buttons, as I didn't have time to do it. It was beautiful.

The dress she designed for her senior year was strapless with a drop waist.The top was black satin.The skirt was plaid taffeta in black with red, green, and blue colors woven together.Plaid bias piping accented the top of the dress.There was a big plaid bow in the back at the low waist line.It was also tea length and was beautiful.

One more generation back found short knee-length dresses. Again, I made my dress. It was light blue taffeta under a semi-sheer white fabric that had a tiny white design on it. The design had sort of a puffy texture. The dress was fitted at the waist with a full gathered skirt. It was sleeveless and had a round neckline with a big round collar that was trimmed with white lace. I had blue shoes to match.

Back in my day we decorated the school gym elaborately. We ate at card tables that were also decorated, and only juniors and seniors were allowed at the banquet. If you had a date from another school or who had already graduated, they had to wait until the dance began before they could come into the school. The sophomore girls were waitresses and wore dainty little aprons. It seems like our mothers and/or the school cooks prepared the meal, but then again, my memory isn't always what it used to be. These days the meal is catered or groups of students dine at a restaurant of their choice.

Following the meal, the dance began in the decorated gym. There might be a band or, more likely today, a DJ to provide music. I remember we had a dance band that played music more in tune with what our parents might have danced to.

Once midnight arrived, the prom was officially over. Sometimes there would be a party at someone's home, but nothing school sponsored or organized at that point.

The dinner at my granddaughter's prom was catered and was held at the community center. Following that, they changed clothes and traveled to Sioux Falls to have fun at Sky Zone. When my daughter went to prom, groups of friends dined out at the restaurant of their choice, and then they convened back at the school for the dance. In her junior year, they went to the bowling alley in town with moonlight bowling and a hypnotist. For her senior prom, the dance and after prom party was at Worthington with a hypnotist and a casino night activity.

Times change, dresses change, and proms change. The common denominator is that we all had fun and we all made memories.

Judy Taber, of Lake Park, is a member of the Hartley Writing Group.