History of Prom

Prom, the dance most high schoolers look forward to all year. The pretty dresses, the botineers, even the shoes. The first proms were in the early 1800s. These dances were originally known as the Promenade. They were primarily thrown with the purpose for young men to show their newly found manners and social standing. Few years after the late 1890s, promenades moved to high schools for senior, and eventually junior classes. In the 1800s, these dances had extravagant ballroom dresses with men wearing extravagant suits, some of these original prom traditions stayed the same, while others are now different. 

Even in the 80s prom was completely different. Back in the 1980s, prom stories were fairly anti-climatic. It usually went like this; boy liked girl, boy asked girl to the prom, girl said yes and off they went. And if boy didn’t ask the girl, girl sat home and moped dejectedly because that was pretty much the only option. In todays day and age people just go to prom. Have a date? Go to Prom? Just want to go with your friends? Go to prom? Its really a free for all. 

Not only is prom itself different now from the 80s and earlier proms, the after parties are completely different to. After Prom in the 80s and before their would be small parties with a group of friends just hanging out. Now, after prom, people may go to “prom houses”. A “Prom house” is a house which is rented for the Prom weekend, where all you and all of your friends can sleep in after prom, some rent it just the night after prom, while others rent it for the whole weekend. And, of course, this should all be done with adult supervision.