‘Twas the nite before prom, and all through the houses, every Westside girl was in panicked prom-prep mode. If you hadn’t got your fake tan two days ago, there’s no way you were going to get an appointment the day of.
Girls’ cell phones began vibrating uncontrollably about a week before, with texts comparing notes on the much-anticipated event.
Most Westside girls prepare for Prom as if it were the Summer Olympics; training includes: crash-dieting before your final dress fitting, reneging on date choices, practicing walking in 5 inch heels (having put the Converses aside for ten days), oh and of course, remembering that you’re still in school and that you have to keep your grades up, especially as finals, SATs and APs are fast approaching.
Many girls chose to take their closest guy-friend for safety to avoid any sort of awkwardness. Some girls threw caution to the wind- the first time actually meeting their date in person, was during the corsage exchange.
The quandary of choosing the right dress color becomes a massive nationwide issue! Do you look über thin if you wear black? Or is something too dark, too reminiscent of your Great Uncle’s funeral? Do you risk the wrong kind of attention if you stand out and wear red? After all, it’s a dance not a bullfight. Should you go short — or long? Should I opt for white, just a carrot and a scarf removed from being mistaken for a snowman?
Guys and gals spent the better part of a week bugging their parents for yet more money… “But I have to buy him/her a ticket too!†or, “So, do you really want me driving, every other parent chartered a stretch limo, or can we pitch in more cash for a party bus?â€
Let’s cut to the chase.
Day of Prom: wake up, look at the clock until your hair appointment, meanwhile: Oh no! My friend’s knock-off designer dress didn’t arrive from China in time, and now it’s stuck in some brown delivery truck somewhere near Pacoima! So the doorbell rings at many a home, as friends kit out other friends for last minute dress choices in a blustering panic. Truth be known, every 17-year-old girl is naturally gorgeous, some just don’t have the confidence to believe that.
The pre-prom parties start in daylight… how will my makeup transfer to a nightclub setting? And what the heck is a boutonniere, and why is my date absolutely clueless as to how to affix one?
Guy’s day of: Wake up at 12, go back to sleep, have to pick her up at 6… 5:10 pm: shave, or maybe not. 5:30 pm: give up on figuring out the bow tie. Head to the door.
6:30 pm: wow, I’m on time. Go into date’s house. Oh no, 20 of her relatives meet me at door, faces masked by Nikon cameras. Oh no, she’s headed toward me with a sharp pin!… what the hell is a boutonniere??
The whole night was a success from beginning to end. Preparation at any time in your life really pays off. If you know someone who can wrangle a boutonniere.
