My experience and tips for going to prom! *

A main event in secondary school (or high school) is no doubt… prom. Whether you loved it or hated it if you’re already past school age or are dreading it or looking forward to it if you’re yet to have yours, you’ve probably got some sort of feelings towards your prom and the idea of proms in general. I feel like it’s a very American tradition (if I’m wrong, please correct me) which at some point in time, us folks over the pond adopted ourselves. A prom is usually held at the end of year 11 (in the UK) which is the point where school ends and college or sixth form starts. It’s a great time to relax and wind down after a busy and stressful year at school. And proms usually have tons of fun things included in them, such has dancing, food, friends and even All Occasion Photobooths sometimes! I have fond memories of my proms. Yes, proms. I have a lot of experience of them… Because we had three. 

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Yep, three. I went to an all girls school, so at the end of year 11 we had an all-girls prom (or they called it the “girls night out” *vom*) which was organised by the school and we also had another prom which the students organised themselves, which we could bring dates to if we wanted. After year 11, I stayed on at my school because we had our own sixth form, which I thought was great. There was no scary transition period, lots of my friends were still there and we were still in the same school and building. But we had another prom to mark the end of year 11 as well, which again we organised ourselves and we had it on a boat on the River Thames. How we didn’t fall over the side drunk in our heels, I’ll never know. So there we go. Three whole proms.

So it’s fair to say, I have a bit of experience on the prom front. 3 occasions. 3 dresses. 3 events to navigate. Proms can be daunting for a lot of people – as can a lot of “big” events. They can be a big deal and lots of people make a huge fuss of proms when really, they’re supposed to be a party. A fun event and a time to spend with your friends (and boyfriend / date if you have one). So among all the stress, here are some of my best tips for dealing with prom season next year, so you can make sure you enjoy yourself and make some memories!

Remember that it’s the end of the school year and it’s a time to let your hair down

Having anxiety, I know better than some people how stressful big events can be. Thankfully at the time of my proms, I didn’t have any type of anxiety so I was able to enjoy it to the best of my ability. But if you do get overwhelmed with big events, that’s fine. But this is a time to let your hair down and have fun – whatever that means to you. So if that means chilling at the table with your friends, that’s fine. Dancing the night away? Also fine.

Take plasters and use insoles

Heels can absolutely kill your feet, especially if you’re on your feet all night and even more especially if you’re dancing. And painful, bleeding feet are not the one and not something you want to contend with when you’re trying to have fun. So taking care of your feet beforehand is really important; make sure the insoles of your shoes are super soft and padded and taking extra plasters is a must!

Wear something that makes you feel wonderful

There’s definitely nothing wrong with dressing to impress at your prom; it’s a great opportunity to wear a stunning dress and there’s plenty of places where you can find a prom dress to suit you, which you may not get a chance to wear again. So go all out. Find your style and express your style. Wear your favourite colour. Wear something that makes you feel like a Princess. Of course that won’t mean a dress for everyone, there’s plenty of super swish Women’s suits out there which could be a great option too!

Take pictures and make memories

Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re taking too many pictures and you’re not “really” enjoying yourself. Your prom could potentially be a once in a lifetime event and it’s the perfect chance to make those wonderful memories with the friends you’re potentially leaving behind for college. I don’t agree with the statement that you shouldn’t be taking photos at any important event and should be enjoying yourself. People are quite capable of doing both and birthday, prom or wedding photo sharing can be a lovely way to reminisce.

Either everyone take a date, or no-one

This is something we all discussed very clearly between our group for our two proms which we could bring dates to. For the prom at the end of year 11, we decided that none of our group would bring dates or boyfriends but the one at the end of sixth form, we did. There’s nothing worse than 1 or 2 people not having a date and feeling excluded from all the loved up couples on the dance floor. Remember this is a time for you and your friends, that’s the most important thing.

Do you have any fond memories of your prom? Did you take a date to yours? Any other tips you’d give to anyone who has their prom next year?

* This is a collaborative post