Prom is, for most young women, the first time they actually shed their denim-clad skin and hit the big leagues. The results are often fun and adventurous, chased by a wave of regret 10 years later.
It is, after all, the first time you get to choose your gown, your hair and makeup and a date that’s all red carpet-worthy. Prom movies are all too tragic. It’s usually awkward and something about hooking up in a hotel room afterward.
I must say, we give teenagers of today the credibility they deserve. So look for inspiration in places where the stars shine and not in Molly Ringwald’s DIY disasters.
I know most teenagers are far more high tech than they were during my day.
Vanity Fair Oscar Parties
This is where the second version of the Oscar Outfit-O-Rama happens. Red Carpet 2.0 is usually found in the party of the year where invitations are almost as guarded as Obama cocktail events. The clothes are usually more relaxed, i.e. party friendly, but nonetheless sophisticated.
Met Ball
Feeling creative or wanting to be real with who you really are? The great pieces found in this ball are made by the top designers for their muses of the night. Usually, it ranges from Kirsten Dunst’s diaphanous ensemble to Alexa Chung’s tomboy glam outfit. It’s easy to feel funky, but remember: you also still want to savor the singular extraordinary night that is a rite of passage for many teenagers. So if you’re going to do something short, try to keep it soigné with tights. Pants are lovely in the right fabric like silk or even velvet. Then just be brave and wear, well, anything really on your sleeve.
Blast from the past parties
Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball, which was dubbed the Party of the Century (and even merited its own book written by Deborah Davis), Andy Warhol’s Factory parties and the glamorous hi-jinks of the beautiful ones in Studio 54 come to mind when I try to find inspiration in the decades I wish I was born. Think slinky Halston or the brave prints worn by DVF. It’s sexy without baring much, with loose hair meant to be whipped on the dance floor.