I wish I had been more like you. Too “frightened” to be proud of just about anything, I got the hair doodied up by a hairdresser (it looked awful), went with a fix-up (neither of us liked each other or spent time together once inside the place), and had a boring, uncomfortable time. He dropped me off right after, saying he had to work early the next day (as a garbage man) but others saw him at a post party. Well-written essay; thank you.
Love this! In the early 2000s, I also wore a sleeveless black sheath dress to prom. It was a classic as yours sounds, and I was so pleased to be going in a group of friends, not pretending to have a boyfriend. I was also pleased because going to dances (and dancing) were forbidden in my ultra-straightlaced extended family, but this was one rule my mom let me and my sisters break. We lived in a small town (my graduating class was less than 50!), so we pretty much all went to prom every year (or there wouldn't have been enough people). But senior year was the only year I didn't pretend to be on a date (also not really allowed in my upbringing but expected at school). That black dress was part of my bid for freedom to not follow anyone's rules for a night (though I didn't really realize it then!).
I wish I had been more like you. Too “frightened” to be proud of just about anything, I got the hair doodied up by a hairdresser (it looked awful), went with a fix-up (neither of us liked each other or spent time together once inside the place), and had a boring, uncomfortable time. He dropped me off right after, saying he had to work early the next day (as a garbage man) but others saw him at a post party. Well-written essay; thank you.
I wonder if I was as brave and independent-minded as I remember…Thanks for reading.
Love this! In the early 2000s, I also wore a sleeveless black sheath dress to prom. It was a classic as yours sounds, and I was so pleased to be going in a group of friends, not pretending to have a boyfriend. I was also pleased because going to dances (and dancing) were forbidden in my ultra-straightlaced extended family, but this was one rule my mom let me and my sisters break. We lived in a small town (my graduating class was less than 50!), so we pretty much all went to prom every year (or there wouldn't have been enough people). But senior year was the only year I didn't pretend to be on a date (also not really allowed in my upbringing but expected at school). That black dress was part of my bid for freedom to not follow anyone's rules for a night (though I didn't really realize it then!).
I cannot claim to have been this rebel girl but wow, how I wish I had been. Thank you for the great story telling!
Love this subversive act of rebellion while staying true to oneself at an age where conformity is expected as normal.