Oh Oh Oh!! These great stories are bringing back so many high school memories! It's welcome, because high school was undoubtedly one of the happiest times of my life (I know, I'm odd).
I went to a pretty preppy high school, and prom, or "Formal" as we called it, was a highly anticipated event all through our final year. At that point in my life I had the best body I ever had -- size 29 waist, still very busty, hair just past my shoulders. For the first half of the year I had my heart set on a sapphire blue dress, for some reason, but then circumstances took over. I was a pretty serious pianist during that era, and I had to give a major recital in January. My practical mother quite rightly decreed that one long dress would do for both the recital and formal. I was actually totally okay with this, though I was worried that I wouldn't be able to find anything concert-appropriate in a colour. As it turns out the perfect dress wasn't blue. It was black, with a velvet top covered in self-coloured sparkly beads and a full satin skirt, complete with crinolin. It swept the floor when I wore it with my strappy silver sandals, but didn't interfere either with dancing or pedalling (you have to consider interesting variables when dressing for a piano recital)! The dress had a very low neckline and spaghetti straps that were broad enough to go over a regular bra. I was classic even then and wore all silver accessories (sparkly pendant and matching earrings that my brother dubbed "disco balls," inexpensive silver satin clutch). My date brought me a white bracelet corsage to finish it off. I felt great all through the loooong, party-filled night (pre-party where the host had pressed the girls in the grade below us into service to serve us all champagne, dinner and dance, two after-parties at different hotels). I was one of only two people wearing black, but we were pretty much all in long gowns so I felt entirely appropriate.
No pictures available at the moment, but I'm still buddies with my date, so I can see if he has any! He was part of why the night turned out wel for me, actually. I was coming off an upsetting breakup at the time, and going with someone who was just a good band/writer's craft pal took all the pressure off. We ran with similar circles, too, so we could party hop without a problem. Good times!