High School Proms, City-Style

Gothamist didn't know what to make of this Post article about the excess of teenage proms. Girls and guys are spending up to $3000 on their proms, from renting those awful Hummer limos and buying prom dresses to getting body massages the day-after and having after-party dresses. One girl has a drsesmaker copying the gown Jennifer Lopez wore in Maid in Manhattan, one guy is renting a Rolls-Royce for the evening. Dizzamn. What happened to the days of Pretty in Pink when being humble, making your own crazy dress, and standing up to a weaselly (though, is there any other kind) James Spader was more than good enough? Kids today!

Unintentionally (well, maybe not for the Post) hilarious quotes:
- Flushing High School senior Brian Alvarado on spending so much money: "I want to make this night special. So why not go all the way?"
- An unnamed Spence School senior, "You sort of want to feel pampered because it's the last big bang of your high-school career. To me it's not about romance or losing your virginity, it's about sharing an evening of fun with my friends."

Some other movies with high school proms in them, like Carrie. And Gothamist wonders what your high school prom theme song was: Ours were "This is the Time" (Billy Joel) and "Nerds on Parade" (unofficial).

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Arts & Entertainment on April 26, 2004 5:55 AM

Comments [rss]

U-nanimous

Well, if anyone gives a damn, I didn't go to the prom in my final year of high school (that's grade 13 in Toronto, Ontario; the only place on earth that still had grade 13 until very recently).

But I did go the year before with an absolutely beautiful girl WHO ASKED ME (I was completely floored by that, as my high school dating life was like the petrified forest).

I couldn't honestly tell you what the prom theme song was (probably something by KC and the Sunshine Band). But the highlight for me was when a future mob mechanic complimented me on the cool cane that I rented with my tux.

spae

forever young, by alphaville! stuy 98!

Julie

"Something in the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins. Seriously!

marie

So glad I missed my prom, sounds so lame.

Row

We had 2 official songs, being that with 400ppl in my year there was lotsa "personality variety". SO we ended up with the predicatble "Time of you Life" by Greenday and "Cup of Life" by Ricky Martin!

John E.

Hunter College High School, class of 1988. I don't remember the theme, but the location is unforgettable: Windows on the World.

Erin

Dude, "This is the Time" was my prom song, too. I don't know how Billy Joel beat out Sarah McLachlan and Boys II Men, but that's what happened.

maureen

officially ours was sarah mclaughlin "i will remember you"

but this was 1996 in new jersey, so the prom (and whole damn weekend) unfortunately prominently featured the macarena

John

Ours was "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King because of that Wil Wheaton/Corey Feldman/River Phoenix movie that the kids liked. I think the popular also ran was the remake of "Lean on Me" by B-Fun-Key (or whatever they were called).

Simon

my theme was everyone hang out outside, get really drunk and high, then go to the after party. only the "dorks" actually went inside.

clr

damn, i'm old. my freaking junior prom song was, i kid you not, "another brick in the wall". we tried to stuff the ballot box with "as time goes by" but were overruled.

Missy

"Paradise City", Guns N' Roses. Shit, yeah.

Ryan

Our theme was much better than trite acoustic Clapton. Van Morrison's "Moondance." I might be biased because I ran the gig, but I didn't choose the theme.

KennyBitch

*school functions. Sorry I'm not the best speller today. Boy what a huge breach of blog commenting etiquette.

KennyBitch

I went to a private Baptist High School, we didn't have a prom because Baptist teenagers aren't allowed to dance at achool functions. We had a dinner instead, but I didn't attend opting instead to go drinking with friends from work at a local bar that served me, even though back then I was only 17. It was a good night actually.

I got invited to a few proms at other schools by a girl here and there, but didnt go to those either. I didn't have 3 grand to drop on an evening back then.

I don't feel like I missed out on anything.

Bec

Ha! Mine was JoDeCi's "U & I". The majority of the students wanted it to be Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven" (everyone's choice seemed to be drawn along racial lines), but we were having none of that morbid shit, and stuffed the ballot.