P.R.O.M.

You're wondering what a grown woman is doing talking about prom aren't you? That's a fair question, so I suppose I'll cue you in.

All of my little high schoolers (some former students, some Tyler's band kids, some of my dazzlers, etc.) have been going to prom recently and I am reminded of how much I hated that experience. My apologies to my two former prom dates, but it was awful.

Keep in mind, I'm a heavy sweater. Prom is a high stress event...you start getting ready at like 10am which is completely absurd but you have to have pictures at like 3 in the afternoon and your hair/makeup/spray tan(yes, spray tan I'm as pale as a ghost) all have to be completed beforehand. [Side note: sweat face was bound to make the spray tan run, so blotting was necessary too.] You go to dinner at a restaurant you probably don't even like around 5 and finally get to the ole shindig a little late (fashionably, of course, but you CANT be there when the doors open as that's social suicide and you'll look totally lame). Of course I've left out the part where said pictures are ALWAYS outside in the hot sunshine which makes sweaty folks sweatier (namely me) so you try to take them in the shade to cool off but then you have those weird leaf shadows on your forehead. Anyway, high stress makes sweaties sweat even more. So prom left me soaked and awkward, typically with lipstick on my teeth. Hott.

Then you get to the dance. And if you were like me you didn't actually want to be there with your date so you tried to get lost and spend time in the bathroom and find other folks to dance with to make the time go by faster. I know that sounds awful, but I couldn't help it. When it inevitably ended (you had to leave early too, because it was also lame to be caught there til the end) you went back to your BFF's (who you don't even talk to anymore) and had breakfast with your moms. This was the best part of the night, hands down.

I also always tried way too hard to make a fashion statement at the "biggest night of my life." Junior year I wore a rainbow dress (which I thought was super cool) and carried a boa. Boyfriend of the week/prom date carried a cane. We thought we were rockin. Senior year I dyed my hair pink & purple and wore the cut outs. My date became my date 3 days earlier so I'm surprised we coordinated at all (props to his momma!). Did I mention how cool I thought I was??? Really Cool. I totally expected everybody to be jealous...they weren't.

Did anybody else hate prom? Too much hype for not enough fun. Lame. And I always thought I'd care about those pictures and want to show them to my kids, but I don't. I don't think I care if my kids ever see my prom pictures. Especially senior prom when I wore a dress with cut outs to show my belly (which looked considerably better then)...they don't need to be thinking of mommy dearest with her crazy hair colors and belly-dress!

I don't regret going to the prom and this whole "coming-of-age-experience," but I also owe props to the brother for going against the grain and avoiding the awkward.

That's all I've got!

XOXO & old prom corsages,
Hannah

PS: I'm currently sweating while remembering this experiences. Seriously.