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wp-yahoo-style-1042-yahoopa-blog · 6 years

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The history of the prom dress

How the prom dress has evolved over the years. (Photo: Everett Collection, Art: Quinn Lemmers)

The prom has endured as a meaningful teenhood tradition for decades: It’s a hotly anticipated toast to high school, playing a pivotal part of basically any teen flick worth its salt (not to mention how pivotal it can be IRL too).

But the true roots of prom — short for “promenade” — are as a rite of passage, debuting at Northeast colleges such as Harvard University and Amherst College in the mid- to late 19th century, as relatively simple farewell dances for graduating classes. The practice skewed younger in the decade that followed, emerging as a teen tradition at high schools by the 1940s. Proms are held at some Canadian high schools, and they have also caught on to a lesser extent — and with a younger demographic — in the past decade or so in the U.K., although it hasn’t expanded much farther globally.

Proms are just one type of coming-of-age ceremony, along with quinceañeras, bar/bat mitzvahs, Catholic communions and confirmations, debutante balls, and weddings. All these rites of passage, and the carefully chosen clothes that are worn on these special occasions, have stuck around. But the prom dress differs from most rite-of-passage fashion traditions: It’s nonsecular, and not tied to any particular ethnicity, and, thus, it’s more universal.

It’s also the rare coming-of-age garment that can, and often does, telegraph a teen girl’s burgeoning sexuality, as sociologist Amy Best explores in her 2000 book, Prom Night: Youth, Schools, and Popular Culture. “The prom dress is critically important to this invention of a sexual self,” Best writes, detailing how she overheard some of the girls she interviewed describing their fathers’ “utter discomfort” upon seeing their risqué getups for the big night, which provide proof “that the girls had succeeded in transforming themselves.”

1942: High school seniors at their prom in Greenbelt, Md. (Photo: Getty Images)

Granted, the prom dress wasn’t very sexy at its midcentury inception. Prim and ultrafeminine was the M.O. instead. In the 1940s, prom dress silhouettes were often cut slim and close to the body. This wasn’t done for the sake of a sexier, more body-con dress: It was due to WWII fabric rations. These frocks had higher necklines and covered shoulders (often with some pouffy volume at the shoulders), with floor-grazing hemlines, often fabricated from heavy materials like velvet and taffeta.

1954: Prom in Cloyne, Canada (Photo: Wikicommons)

Ultrafeminine, waist-whittling tea-length dresses dominated the fashion vernacular in a big way in the 1950s, and it was the preferred shape for promgoers during that midcentury period too. The style includes fitted waists, full skirts, and calf-grazing hems, falling 3 to 4 inches below the knees. (Interestingly, the term “tea length” actually dates back to the dresses women wore when having teas circa the 1920s.) Some styles even were bedecked with frilly ruffles. Necklines were less demure than in previous decades, for the most part, and strapless styles were also common.

1960s: Students dancing at the Mariemont High School prom in Cincinnati. (Photo: Getty Images)

The early ‘60s brought about a return to closer-cut skirting that had been de rigueur two decades earlier, but purely for aesthetic reasons — not as a cost-cutting measure. Slimmer skirts were paired with higher waistlines, making for more of a baby-doll silhouette. Pastel palettes with Easter egg-worthy hues were popular, and dresses moved toward spaghetti-strap and boatneck shapes up top. Later in the decade, empire waist shapes rose to prominence, paired with a range of necklines, like sleeveless boatneck styles and square-neck short-sleeved iterations. And throughout the ‘60s, ultra-voluminous coifs were the norm.

However, proms fell out of favor to an extent as the decade wound down, thanks to shifting cultural attitudes based on political events and attitudes of the time: “The prom’s popularity waned in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s,” Best writes in Prom Night. “With countercultural movements, antiwar protests, and an antiestablishment stance, many ‘irreverent’ youth brought proms to a halt.”

1975: Susan Ford and her date, William Pifer, dance during the 1975 Holton Arms School Senior Prom, held in the East Room of the White House. (Photo: Getty Images)

In the 1970s, many prom dresses, reflecting the wider dress trends of the era, became roomier in cut, often without any definition at the waist whatsoever. Unlike the strapless, snug bodices or sleeveless styles that were dominant in previous decades of prom dressing, these frocks tended to have off-the-shoulder, possibly lace-trimmed necklines or long sleeves that were often sheer or billowy.

On the silver screen, Carrie depicted a considerably less dowdy take on the trend: a clean-lined strappy gown with a fluid skirt. Another iconic ‘70s prom dress was worn at the first, and only, prom to be held at the White House: Susan Ford, daughter of President Ford, donned a flowy, salmon-hued jersey gown designed by Albert Capraro, a former assistant to Oscar de la Renta. The frock was trimmed with a few buttons, plus a massive orchid corsage (as her classmates had).

1976: Carrie White, played by Sissy Spacek, is unexpectedly elected prom queen in Brian De Palma’s horror film Carrie. (Photo: Getty Images)

A major prom milestone of the ‘70s was the founding of Jessica McClintock: The brand, created by a former schoolteacher with no formal design training, went on to become synonymous with prom dressing in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and also did big business with bridesmaid gowns and other formalwear during those decades. While the designer herself retired in 2014, and her namesake stores were shuttered around the same time, the label still has licensing deals for some products, such as fragrances.

1986: Jon Cryer and Molly Ringwald in the film Pretty in Pink. (Photo: Everett Collection)

The maximalism of all things ‘80s certainly didn’t spare the prom dress category. The extravagant excess of the era translated to ultra-pouffy details like oversize bows or ruffles and flashy metallic materials. Tresses were teased and/or crimped, and the makeup of the era tended to be equally as over the top: heavily pigmented lids, copious amounts of self-tanner, and bold lips.

But the most memorable ‘80s prom dresses were certainly in the multiplex, as the teen-movie genre really solidified and took off in the decade, thanks in no small part to John Hughes’s iconic flicks. Take, for example, the pale pink dress — a thrift-store hand-me-down that gets some considerable revamping — worn by Andie (Molly Ringwald) in the seminal 1986 teen classic Pretty in Pink.

1990s: Jennie Garth and Shannen Doherty in Beverly Hills 90210. (Photo: Fox)

In the early part of the ‘90s, prom frocks looked quite similar to those of the ‘80s in terms of having lots of pouf and ample metallic hues. Sweetheart necklines became quite popular for promgoers (and for fancy occasions in general), and while form-fitting bodices endured, the silhouette shifted slightly, with waistlines hitting closer to the hips.

Shorter hemlines with dramatic necklines were common too, among prom-worthy minidresses of the early ‘90s. To wit: the identical black tube dresses with massive, white bow-adorned off-the-shoulder necklines worn by both Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty) and Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth) on an episode of Beverly Hills 90210 in 1993. The style was so iconic, it inspired a runway look nearly a decade later, when designer Isaac Mizrahi trotted out a similar frock in his resort 2011 collection.

1999: Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger in 10 Things I Hate About You. (Photo: Everett Collection)

Later in the decade, slinky, spaghetti-strap slip dress or sheath styles reigned supreme. Recalling the iconic and ill-fated style that Sissy Spacek wore (and got drenched in pig blood) in Carrie, two decades before. These styles represented a trickle-down from what was seen on the runway during the era, most memorably in Calvin Klein collections circa the ‘90s. Two epic teen flicks that debuted on the silver screen in 1999 showcased the style: Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) in a deep purple gown with a lavender shawl in 10 Things I Hate About You, and Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook) in her post-makeover prom reveal, replete with a sparkly, skinny-strapped LBD.

1999: Rachael Leigh Cook in She’s All That. (Photo: Everett Collection)

Other popular silhouettes of the ‘90s included skinny-strapped halter styles, which flaunted ample shoulder and back. As for length, a mix of floor-grazing gowns and minidresses ruled late ‘90s prom dance floors.

Rachel Bilson and Mischa Barton in The O.C. (Photo: Fox)

The new millennium brought about a mishmash of prom trends (spurred by the era’s prevailing fashion trends). Think: bubble-hemmed looks, like a wildly unrealistic, straight-off-the-runway Chanel frock worn by Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) to the prom on The O.C. in 2006. Strapless gowns with lots of shirred detailing were, and continue to be, popular, often sporting some level of sparkly embellishments and resembling colorful, slightly less voluminous iterations of wedding dresses. Sweetheart necklines, one-shouldered styles, and halter-style necklines were also popular.

Prom dress styles have certainly evolved — and gotten more scintillating — in the past two decades, becoming a more controversial topic in the process. Some schools have enforced restrictive and often sexist dress codes, which tend to predominantly control what girls can and can’t wear to the big event. By the 2010s, risqué prom dresses entered the picture, such as ones sporting dramatic cutouts, which tend to resemble the most revealing of Miss Universe getups or professional dance competition looks.

Social media and the evolution of celebrity red carpet style are largely responsible for these saucier prom looks, which include midriff-flaunting two-piece sets, ultrahigh slits, and sheer overlays on supershort minidresses (the latter lends a sense of modesty to a short, potentially controversial silhouette).

As for prom dresses of the 2020s and beyond, perhaps they’ll stay consistent with the styles dominating dance floors currently. Or the ’20s may usher in an entirely new era of prom frocks, continuing the decades-long tradition of getting gussied up for one last, festive hurrah of the all-important teen years.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

• This teen wore a Michelle Obama suit jacket to prom to honor the ‘strong black women’ who raised him • This gay couple is fighting for their right to be their high school’s prom king and king • This teen is going viral for DIY’ing a $4 thrift-store dress into her ‘dream prom dress’

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oldmoonvintage-blog · 7 years

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Albert Capraro | Medium | 1970s Black Tunic Mod Dress 70s Satin Asian Vintage Designer Smock

#1970s #70s fashion #ootd #designer dress #vintage dress #70s dress #tunic #1970s tunic #asian tunic #albert capraro #asian dress #minimalist #minimal fashion #minimal dress #black tunic #oldmoonvintage #old moon vintage #etsy

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fordlibrarymuseum · 5 years

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April showers bring May flowers, and also #ArchivesInBloom, this month’s Archives Hashtag Party! Here’s a bouquet of flowery items that we’ve picked from our collections.

Spring in the White House Rose Garden, 4/20/1975 (National Archives Identifier 6829650)

Floral themes blossomed on many of the gifts people sent to the White House.

This plate commemorating America’s Bicentennial features flowers from the original 13 colonies. Carol Craig of Watkinsville, Georgia, hand-painted it after developing her own original design. It appeared in local and state-wide art exhibits before Mrs. Craig presented it at the White House on July 29, 1976.

Helping her mother in her garden as a young girl had planted a lifelong love of growing flowers, especially roses, for Betty Ford. She was honored to receive the Golden Rose award from Florists Transworld Delivery (FTD) in the East Garden at the White House on July 2, 1975.

FTD President Robert Costin and Vice President Don Flowers presented her with the award, along with a bouquet of 50 Golden Wave roses.

FTD gave the Golden Rose award to individuals who enriched the lives of others, often through their use of flowers. Mrs. Ford accepted it on behalf of herself and all American First Ladies in recognition of their leadership in using floral decorations to welcome people to the White House. “I can’t think of anything more therapeutic than spending a couple of hours in a garden,” she said at the ceremony. “So on behalf of me and previous First Ladies – and people everywhere who love fresh flowers – I want to thank you for this lovely tribute.”

Mrs. Ford also brought her love of flowers into her wardrobe. Albert Capraro designed this beige and white floral print dress and jacket for her.

As First Lady, Mrs. Ford wore it on multiple occasions, including the arrival ceremony for King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain. She continued to wear it after leaving the White House as well.

And finally, once you’ve picked your blooms you need a place to keep them.

Imaemon Imaizumi XII handmade this blue porcelain vase decorated with red and yellow flowers and green foliage. Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako of Japan gave it to President Ford in October 1975 as a gift during their state visit. It was the first time an Emperor and Empress of Japan had traveled to the United States.

#flowers #florals #vases #rose garden #ArchivesInBloom #Archives In Bloom #Archives Hashtag Party

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pinkythesparklealien · 6 years

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Description by margegrimm featuring a ship decanter ❤ liked on Polyvore

Albert Capraro white blouse / High waisted skirt / Retrò pin brooch, $17 / Andrea Garland lip treatment, $20 / Tea pot / Ship decanter / Fragrance candle / Crystal home decor

#polyvore #fashion #style #Albert Capraro #Retrò #Andrea Garland #vintage #clothing #artsy

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milenaivanova · 7 years

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MICE OF THE ROUND TABLE: VOYAGE TO AVALON by Julie Leung by heidi-heilig featuring taffeta skirts ❤ liked on Polyvore

Albert Capraro white lace top, 335 BGN / Brock Collection taffeta skirt, 4 100 BGN / Naot gold sandals, 250 BGN / Long earrings, 205 BGN / Pre-Owned Fendi Wave Baguette Python Micro, 2 405 BGN

#polyvore #fashion #style #Albert Capraro #Brock Collection #Naot #Fendi #clothing

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marcosluna00fernandes-blog · 7 years

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Preowned Albert Capraro 70s Silk Taffeta Blouse Size 4.

Preowned Albert Capraro 70s Silk Taffeta Blouse Size 4. ❤ liked on Polyvore (see more red tops)

#polyvore #women's fashion #clothing #tops #blouses #red #albert capraro #sash belt #balloon sleeve blouses #ruffle collar blouse #red top

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0818629969 · 7 years

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This Is What Makes Us Girls by m4r1n featuring a vivienne westwood shirt ❤ liked on Polyvore

#polyvore #fashion #style #Albert Capraro #Vivienne Westwood #Converse #Louis Vuitton #Gucci #clothing

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albertcapraro · 1 year

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March 16, 1975 - Miami Herald Page 4-BW For big moments, you might want to waft around in, say, this cotton voile, quite bare when you slide off the jacket. Casual but elegant, by Albert Capraro for Jerry Guttenberg and exclusively ours. Fifth Avenue Shop.

#ALBERT CAPRARO #Fashion's Prince Albert #Fashion #Miami Herald #saks fifth avenue

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crisablackebony · 7 years

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summer dress by elci-el featuring wrap sandals ❤ liked on Polyvore

Albert Capraro clothing, 255 CAD / Marco de Vincenzo wrap sandals, 1,065 CAD / Givenchy eyeshadow, 89 CAD

#polyvore #fashion #style #Albert Capraro #Marco de Vincenzo #Givenchy #Chanel #clothing

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squishvintage · 3 years

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Model shot by Rebecca Blake wearing clothes by Albert Capraro and jewels by Fred Leighton. Scanned from Rebecca Blake: Forbidden Dreams, 1984

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fordlibrarymuseum · 5 years

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We’re ready to set sail for April’s Archives Hashtag Party featuring #ArchivesArtifacts from our collection!

The Ford Presidential Museum collects, preserves, and exhibits an assortment of historical artifacts that illustrate the life and times of Gerald R. Ford so that future generations might better understand the legacy of the nation's 38th President. The objects in our holdings highlight many different aspects of the Ford administration.

One significant subset of the artifact collection is state gifts presented to the Fords by foreign heads of state and officials. President Ford received this silver replica of a Spanish galleon – fully detailed with wire rope lines and sails – from Pedro Cortina Mauri, Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, during a trip to that country in June 1975. Explore more state gifts here.

On the domestic front, when Gerald Ford became President one of his first goals was to combat high inflation, which he declared to be “public enemy number one.” The Ford administration created the Whip Inflation Now, or WIN, program in the fall of 1974. It focused on a variety of voluntary anti-inflationary initiatives that individual citizens and businesses could embrace.

Although the red and white “WIN” logo became the main symbol of the program, people from around the country created items to show their support including bumper stickers, clothing, games, and garden kits. Explore more WIN artifacts here.

The celebration of America’s Bicentennial in 1976 also inspired the public to create a wide variety of memorabilia. Gifts to mark the country’s 200th birthday ranged from mass produced pins and lunch boxes to one of a kind pieces of fine jewelry.

One of the unique Bicentennial objects in our collection is a commemorative pressed wooden plaque that features an “astrological chart of America” decorated with colored stickers. The other side is decorated with a decoupage facsimile of the Declaration of Independence. Explore more Bicentennial artifacts here.

Although the Bicentennial celebration was a high point of the Ford administration, other artifacts call back to tougher times. Faced with mounting evidence of the imminent fall of South Vietnam, President Ford authorized the evacuation of thousands of Vietnamese orphans, known as Operation Babylift, to the United States on April 3, 1975. The following day the first official flight crashed shortly after taking off and led to the deaths of over 130 passengers. Pieces from the wreckage of that aircraft are in our collection.

Despite that tragedy, the flights continued through April 15 and more than 2,000 orphans were flown into the United States by military and private aircraft. The Ford Museum also holds shoes and other clothing worn by the children who made the journey.

Our artifact collection includes many other examples of clothing, from novelty t-shirts to Gerald Ford’s suits. Nearly 200 dresses and gowns donated by Betty Ford show the unique style she brought to the White House as First Lady. Three designers dominated her wardrobe: Frankie Welch, Louis Estevez, and Albert Capraro, who designed this colorful floral chiffon silk gown.

Mrs. Ford wore this gown on multiple occasions, including a state dinner honoring the Prime Minister of Singapore and the taping of her cameo appearance on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Explore more of Betty Ford’s dresses here.

Mrs. Ford’s popularity was an asset during the 1976 presidential campaign as buttons encouraging people to “Vote for Betty’s Husband.” These and numerous other political buttons are now in the Ford Museum’s artifact collection, along with hats, watches, sunglasses, Frisbees, and additional campaign memorabilia.

This sparkly silver elephant shows its allegiance to the Republican candidate with “Ford ‘76″ and “Michigan GOP” spelled out on its sides. Explore more 1976 presidential campaign artifacts here.

These items represent only a small fraction of the Ford Museum’s collection, which includes around 19,000 artifacts. Want to see more? Check out additional artifact galleries here.

#artifacts #presidential gifts #memorabilia #Archives Artifacts #ArchivesArtifacts #ArchivesHashtagParty #Archives Hashtag Party

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