Best and Worst TV Proms

Prom season has wrapped up here in Halifax, and on Saturday I joined my favorite local fashion blog Fashionable People, Questionable Things to make some “promservations” about the local tean queen prom fashions. It was a good time, and I was generally impressed with the wide range of dresses I saw. Sure, there were a few of the typical jewel-toned, shiny, poofy, princess monstrosities that at the time, your seventeen-year-old self believes will be passed on to your daughter, but in reality will be a bitch to store and get donated to charity in a few years. But there were also some cool retro looks, some beautiful patterned flowy gowns and some flattering Grecian-style numbers in a variety of interesting hues.Witnessing all of this prom madness in the city got me thinking about two things – My own prom, of course, and the proms I’ve seen over the years on TV.

My prom, experienced only six short years ago, went like this: I bought a way-too-expensive, but not too embarrassing pink dress. It was the only one I tried on. A week before prom I fell asleep in the sun while studying for my Global History final and got serious heat stroke – I looked like a lobster, fainted while working at my job as a cashier and ended up with a fat lip. I narrowly escaped looking completely disgusting at my prom – luckily the cut/fat lip went away and the sunburn faded just in time. I got my hair done in what I considered a fun, funky up-do. I got my make-up done at The Body Shop (you pay, they give you a gift certificate for the same amount of money) and then re-did it at home because I didn’t think my eyes were smoky enough. My dad got a limo for me and all my friends, and it abandoned us at one of our photo destinations before prom was about to start. After a few panicked overseas phone calls, a new limo came – full of mysterious liquor bottles and a half-empty package of WonderBread. We finally made it to prom, and generally had a good time. But if I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t have made such a big deal over it.

Proms on TV, though, are a very big deal. Instead of sunburn and limo mishaps, there are dramatic break-ups and babies left in bathrooms. Or something. But the best part of TV proms are the clothes – they are usually designer labels and infinitely cooler than anything worn at my prom. Let’s look at some of my favorite TV proms:

Degrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama. These teens seemed to dress well for their prom, although I don’t think I’d be able to forgive the girl in the red dress for jumping in that pool. Prom dresses are both expensive and dry clean only! I also loved that the kids from Degrassi High seemed to wear the exact same cap and gown that I wore for graduation.

Then there’s Degrassi’s swanky American counterpart, 90210. In the most recent edition of this show, we saw a variety of dresses at prom. Silver wore a pink, sparkly, poofy princess dress that reminded me very much of something I would have seen at my own prom. Namoi’s green gown was sleeker and sexier, but not the most memorable dress I’d ever seen. Annie’s dress looked as though she was attending an 80s-themed birthday party, not rich-kids’ prom. My favorite gown actually belonged to the quintessential knocked up teen Adrianna. Who says teen pregnancy can’t look classy?

But before there was 90210, there was Beverly Hills 90210 and these dresses:

The bows! The bangs! The scowls! Luckily, nowadays prom boutiques register prom dresses so that only one dress can be sold to a girl from each school. You want that neon floral and leopard print halter gown with the gold lamé bustier? (Seriously, a real dress spotted more than once this year). Too bad! If someone beat you to it, you can’t have it.

The most glamorous TV prom dresses, of course, come from Gossip Girl. Blair’s amazing gown was incredibly stylish and elegant, and Serena’s sparkly nude gown was classic and sexy.

Across the country from Gossip Girl, The OC girls went in a different direction for their prom looks. Anna (far left) looks classic and pretty, and Summer (far right) looks great. Theresa’s blue dress is just OK, and I’m really not a fan of Taylor’s red gown (though from what I remember, it suits her character) or Marissa’s weird flower dress.

One of my favorite TV shows, Veronica Mars, featured several proms. First there was Veronica’s flashback to “attending” prom (partying in a limo all night) with her dead best friend Lilly and their boyfriends. Lilly wore a sexy low-cut dress and Veronica (this was before she was all cool and alienated) wore a bland pink Gwyneth-Paltrow-at-the-Oscars style dress. I couldn’t find pictures, but check out this video of Lilly criticizing Veronica’s wardrobe:

Poor Veronica didn’t even make it to a real prom in her senior year. It was canceled, and she had to settle for the rich kids’ “Alterna-Prom” at Logan’s apartment. This time she wore a sexy black strapless dress. Also during the series, Veronica attended a dance wearing a gorgeous red satin dress. In this video you can see Veronica’s simple black dress, and throw up in your mouth a little over her nemesis Madison Sinclair’s princess outfit.

Veronica’s friend Wallace and his date also looked lovely.

Before vampires were pale, sparkly boys that teenage girls everywhere scream over, they were villains killed by one kick-ass chick called Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And her prom had a classic 90s look – is Willow wearing a crushed velvet wrap?

Finally, TV proms aren’t just for teens. Grey’s Anatomy held a prom several seasons ago, back when everyone loved Izzie (I still love and miss Izzie). I love Izzie’s pink dress, and Meredith and Cristina both looked understated yet pretty. I don’t love Callie’s dress, though.

My favorite prom dress goes to Gossip Girl’s Blair, but my favorite prom is Veronica Mars’ Alterna-Prom. What’s your favorite TV prom?