Each spring, students spend weeks preparing and getting excited for prom. From hours of tanning to getting hair done, to buying long dresses and nice suits, the lead-up can be intense, but it all culminates in a festive end-of-year celebration.
Due to the large amount of prom-related content on social media, prom trends spread quickly, whether it be popular shops, outfit styles, or getting-ready rituals. As junior Milla Maxwell said, “I know a lot of people get their prom dresses from Depop [and] Princess Polly. A lot of prom dresses this year have corsets, slits, and are strapless.”
Some high schoolers decide to spend their money on expensive outfits for prom, with some dresses sold on online stores such as Sherri Hill costing up to $1,000. Yet at Haldane, there doesn’t seem to be a strong expectation of paying hundreds of dollars for prom. It’s cool to thrift an outfit or even borrow something to wear. Depop, an app for reselling secondhand clothing, is a popular place to look for a unique, inexpensive prom dress, as Maxwell said.
Many prom trends also exist online. For example, making TikToks in prom attire is a popular activity that students participate in throughout the night. As junior Polina Buslovich said, “TikTok videos that have funny audios or transitions are fun to make. Just filming that day and every step of it is fun.”
For many students, the hours leading up to prom become memories of their own, fi lled with enthusiasm before the dance even begins. Whether it’s doing makeup together, helping friends with ties and dresses, or taking pictures before heading out, the preparation is often just as meaningful as the event itself. As Buslovich said, “I’m most excited to get ready with my friends before; it’s arguably the best part of any dance. It gets you hyped up, and you can play music. It’s just a really fun time!”
There’s a lot that goes into prom preparation for the average student at Haldane. Yet, there’s also much to do for the planners of prom: math teachers and Student Council Advisors Kristen Peparo, Marilyn Granese, and the prom committee, a group of juniors and seniors on Student Council, volunteer their time to plan many aspects of the event, such as decorations and party favors.
Peparo and Granese selected Bear Mountain Inn as the venue for this year’s prom for the first time. Previously, the prom venue had alternated each year between The Thayer Hotel in West Point and Boscobel House and Gardens in Garrison. Peparo explained the venue change: “Bear Mountain Inn has a rustic theme, set on the banks of Hessian Lake over in Bear Mountain State Park. We decided on hosting prom at Bear Mountain this year so that all juniors and seniors have a chance to experience prom at a different venue.” Bear Mountain’s scenery pairs especially well with the theme of prom this year, “enchanted garden,” which the prom committee helped pick out.
Not all students had positive reactions to the new venue. “Th e Bear Mountain Inn is so beautiful, but we spent no time outside,” said senior Louise Denehy, who has attended prom at all three locations. “My favorite part about both Hotel Thayer and Boscobel was being able to spend plenty of time outside with a beautiful view. The area surrounding Bear Mountain is just woods on all sides.”
