From bouquets and garters to designer dresses, has anyone else noticed this drastic change in prom culture? They even have bachelorette-themed parties with Shein pajama sets before the dance. For those who don’t follow people from high school on social media, you may not see all of the work and money being put into these 18-year-olds’ annual school dance.
There are dresses from designers like Sherri Hill and Johnathan Kayne, nails, spray tans, makeup, hair, shoes, flowers, professional photos, proposals and jewelry — all of which seem to be the new standard for today’s prom.
I’m not the only one noticing it. Before we begin, let’s dive into the original purpose and value of prom.
These coming-of-age dances are a huge part of American culture, as this sort of celebration isn’t seen much elsewhere. Originally stemming from ancient Greece, the prom, or “promenade,” we know today mimics debutante balls, formal gatherings from the 18th and 19th centuries that celebrated young women transitioning into society and adulthood.
Prom also holds this rite-of-passage tone.
The tradition really set in when Ivy League schools in the 19th century included concerts at their proms, bringing the music aspect to the formal festival. The “junior prom,” or high school prom, grew popular in the 1930s. By the ‘40s and ‘50s, dances were moved from gymnasiums to hotels and venues, and the crowning of prom king and queen took place.
Prom at my rural, Midwestern high school was just as important, maybe even more so than at bigger schools. It was a chance for the volleyball girls to ask the football guys and vice versa, taking away half of the choices for dates. Some people brought their sister’s college friend from the university 15 miles away. I, like many others, experienced prom at the bigger schools in the area by going with my friend’s boyfriend’s friend.
The richer schools tend to have better after-prom activities. At the end of a night spent dancing in tight, uncomfortable dresses that we’ll only wear once, climbing an inflatable obstacle course until 4 a.m. felt well deserved.
But I’m not here to discuss after prom.
Last weekend was the majority of South Dakota and Iowa’s proms, the areas in which I grew up. As I scrolled through countless posts, I couldn’t help but see more bridal accessories than when I went to prom in 2023. That was the year when bouquets were getting popular, but only a select few had them. Now, if you don’t have a bouquet, did you even try?
Apparently, the bouquet trend was also alive through the ‘80s and ‘90s. Reddit commenters, along with my mother, remember carrying small bouquets at prom. Some agree that bouquets were for prom and corsages were for small-scale dances like homecoming.
Missy Bye, a professor in the College of Design at the University of Minnesota, said there’s a limited number of prom dress manufacturers.
“Oftentimes, a single company will produce them and put different labels in them,” Bye said. “It’s a one-time wear for the most part, so it doesn’t need to be constructed with the best materials and attention to detail, but it would be nice if it were made well enough so someone else could wear it.”
The majority of popular prom dresses are found in bridal shops nowadays, Bye said. This could explain the rise in bouquets, garters and prices. It’s less common for high schoolers to shop at Macy’s and JCPenney today.
Bye said she was disappointed to see Generation Z not treat prom more sustainably, since our generation appears to focus heavily on the value. The second-hand market is growing thanks to the addition of poorly-made fast fashion. Bye said cheap prom dresses also add to the abundance.
Bye added that U.S. culture is very individualistic, and most people look away from second-hand because it’s already been worn before.
“For proms and weddings, it’s an opportunity if they can get the consumer to buy into it,” Bye said.
Ashley Tsasse, a first-year student at the University, said she believes we tend to acquaint ourselves with money and how much we spend.
“It makes sense to spend so much for this special event because that’s how it’s always been advertised to us,” Tsasse said.
Tsasse spent around $113 on her prom dress, but the one night of memories wouldn’t suffice for a dress worth hundreds of dollars.
“I look back on my prom and the pictures are cute, but everything else, like renting these fancy cars and buying these dresses for one night, it’s not beneficial at all,” Tsasse said.
I only wore my senior year prom dress twice. Then again, my dress was only $130. My friends from high school, however, spent $300-600 on their dresses. Now, some of the 2025 graduating class are spending more than $1,000 on a dress. Most of their decision-making comes from the brand and designer.
The pressure to show up, having spent hundreds or thousands of dollars, is increasing each year. To those who can’t afford it, it can make a rite-of-passage feel like a walk of shame. At the end of the day, the people putting their all into prom are doing it to themselves. I hope they know that their dress will either never be sold on Facebook Marketplace or end up in a Goodwill.
“I would like to see both (bridal and prom fashion) move towards more either second-hand or more rental,” Bye said. “Rental is really common in menswear, but we just don’t have that same practice in the U.S.”
Tsasse and I agree that it’s just one night, a few hours. You can make it as memorable as you’d like, but remember to have fun. Prom goers don’t need bouquets, fancy cars and Shein pajama sets to celebrate their youth.
