When students think about the most stressful events of the year, prom is often at the top of the list — especially for girls. Senior Tommy Barrett expressed his junior prom preparation as “extremely basic and nonchalant.” Therefore, he “woke up, picked up [his] date’s bouquet, put [his] suit and matching tie on, and left [his] house for before photos.” Likewise, senior Ben Shelton described his preparation last year as “just brushing my teeth and changing.” While guys typically only need to shower, brush their hair, and put on a suit, the preparation process for girls is much more time-consuming and demanding. It takes at least a week, sometimes even months, of planning to get everything just right. I’ve been dress shopping since September!
The checklist for a girl’s prom preparation is extensive: finding and ordering the perfect dress, scheduling hair, makeup, and nail appointments, booking a spray tan, tailoring the dress, picking out accessories, coordinating bouquets and corsages, and, of course, finding a date (or attending with friends). On top of all of that, many girls worry about the dreaded possibility of showing up in the same dress as another girl. The hunt to find a unique, yet flattering dress involves appointments at nearby dress stores like Gianna Rose Couture in Yardley, numerous online orders from websites like Revolve and Windsor, or buying directly from known prom designer brands like Sherri Hill or Jessica Angel. Personally, I drove an hour and a half to Jan’s Boutique in Cherry Hill, New Jersey for my dress appointment in January, but later landed on a strapless white dress I ordered online from the brand Retrofete. Conversely, some haven’t found any luck. Senior Parker Swaney considers herself behind as she “hasn’t found a dress yet” and is “very anxious on finding one that hasn’t been worn yet.” To avoid any dress overlap, every year, an Instagram account is created by a CB East student for seniors to post their dress in advance. This year’s account, @cbeseniorprom25, allows this year’s seniors to post and claim their dress prior to June 6.
Beyond the dress, prom itself is a major event that many students look forward to all year. It’s a night of dancing, celebrating, and making lasting memories before graduation. But with the excitement comes obligations — whether it’s dealing with ticket prices, before or after photos, transportation, or even the pressure to have the “perfect” prom experience on social media. Even with all the stress to find a dress and impress, prom marks a final hurrah for CB East’s Class of 2025 before graduation and should be a memorable night, not a stressful one!
