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KEEPING PROM A FORMAL OCCASION
There is a rising concern within the formalwear industry that some school administrators may misunderstand the tradition of High School Prom attire. There is a growing concern of young girls dressing inappropriately for Prom, revealing too much for their age. The concern has somehow sparked the discouragement or even a ban on Tuxedos some Southern California high schools. This controversy has invited many young men to think it’s okay to dress down, way down for Prom in order to express themselves.
A Father of a high school girl told us of his nightmare story of his 17 year old daughter who proudly picked out her beautiful, colorful and quite traditional formal dress only to be greeted by her date arriving in blue jeans and long sleeve shirt with tails exposed. With camera in hand the opportunity to capture this life memory was shattered. His daughter ran to her room in tears, thus ruining what was to her dream Prom night. In this case the casual attire of today’s society has inappropriately infiltrated into one of America’s great traditions.
“Prom is an event that calls for formal attire such as a tuxedo for men and nothing else” according to Eric Miller, Counselor at Ribet Academy in Los Angeles. “Times have changed in general with the way people dress. But if there is one thing that should be a staple for decades to come, it would be prom and how everyone looks forward to getting dressed up. It’s part of their graduation into adulthood”, added Miller.
Today’s Tuxedos are contemporary and compliment girl’s dresses. Color plays a huge role in Prom allowing the students to match their dresses with their dates Tuxedos- it’s interactive, fun and allows for great personal expression while keeping the elegant tradition of prom intact.
One of the biggest myths always seems to be the cost of renting a Tuxedo. A student doesn’t have to look very far to find discount packages on Prom Formalwear. Traditionally across the nation, formal wear companies offer savings to prom goers at their busiest time of the year. This is the opposite of many industries where prices climb when the demand gets higher. This year we found the average tuxedo package to start at about $75, far less than the price of a Prom dress.
“We can’t lose sight of tradition” says Greg Goodwin, President of Friar Tux Shop, Southern California’s most established formalwear retailer. “Today’s tuxedos offer gentlemen a tremendous opportunity to express themselves in ways of color, styles and originality all while maintaining the integrity and respect for the occasion and their school.” For the last 5 years Friar Tux has been offering Free Tuxedos for Proms to high schools throughout Southern California. Each school in turn has the opportunity to award the free Prom Tuxedo as they see fit. Without any restrictions the school administrators can select the students who are most deserving. “We enjoy hearing the stories of how this little gesture meant so much to students, their Prom and the schools.” Says Goodwin.
Prom in the United States has been around since 1811. The name “prom” dates back to the late nineteenth century promenade ball. ”Not only is prom a tradition but it should be looked at as an accomplishment. Part of the reward of the 4 years that young people have put in” Said Chris Takeshita, Assistant Principal of San Gabriel High in San Gabriel California. “It is something that people talk about, even 30 years later with their friends and family. To break from tradition would only tarnish what has been built upon since the early 1800’s.
Proms are inspired by debutante balls, which are events that formally debut teenagers from prestigious families in the United Kingdom, where “Prom” is actually an entire season of classical concerts, held between July and September. In the early 1900s, Prom was just a simple tea dance for high school seniors. Proms as we know them thrived in the 1950s due to a post-war boom.
We owe it to our students, culture and our society to protect the tradition of such a wonderful life experience and all the photographs and memories that are associated with Prom.
For more information contact the International Formalwear Association at:
(309)721-5450
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