When Proms Were Not Always Cool, But- OMG !-Optional

In the midst of prom season, one cannot help but think of their own prom night.
Count me guilty. As other late baby boomers can attest, there was a day when not everyone looked forward to the prom.
Yes, can you believe it? Prom apathy. Other activities preferred, thank you.
(And no, for the record, we were not feeling discriminated against for any reason).

So, in where in the world did this happen? Right here in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC, circa 1974. (A dear friend now in Boston concurs that this apathy also existed in the heart of NW, DC in 1972 with her "Non-Prom Night".)
Despite urgings from several good girlfriends, I could not bring myself to go to the prom. The main reason was no real "boyfriend" I was willing to call my date for that event. One friend,(now a staunchly conservative Republican)offered to find me a blind date,YIKES ! Just the thought of that scenerio could produce instant blemishes!

Prom preparation for me went as far as designing my own long dress, which actually turned out to be quite stunning. It was a bohemian princess type of dress, with long, full sleeves, empire waistline with matching narrow sashes,
in a tile print challis in colors of navy,emerald, turquoise and fuschia. After several wearings for special occasions, I donated it back in the '90's to the costume department at American University, a proper final destination.
Yes, that "boho" look was ours for sure!

At the risk of being deemed "anti-social" or worse yet, a "nerd", I can honestly say I was social enough. Stage crew, drill team, etc. were extra-curricular activities by choice.
At this time of Watergate in the news, protests at Dupont Circle, the real parties were happening downtown in DC. Georgetown in particular, was the most fun back then.
What a better way to spend Prom Night then to blow it off, opting for Georgetown instead. As we were underage, it was not exactly a smooth pub crawl, but at least we had fun. (And yes, our parents didn't have a clue. But we did get home a decent enough hour, with no arrests or complaints of any kind).

What an evolution in the whole concept of prom through these past decades. The stretch limos in particular- hopefully, there are college funds intact without this particular "perk" being deemed necessary for one night.

(Some of us easily blame the Nixon Administration's Watergate-induced toxic atmosphere for spreading a dark cloud over our senior year of high school. That's life.)

Last week, on a national evening news show, a story surfaced re: a great-grandmother going to a prom because she missed her own. Hopefully, she had a good time. Chances are she did, with not having to worry about curfews, potential hickies, or worse:
such as losing her virginity a la "American Graffiti", (and countless other teen movies).

This "Make-Up Prom" idea hit home enough for me to continue to establish a social club, as previously mentioned in this blog. It will have the added advantage to offering potential venues for such an event.

Proms have also been given much more importance: a true Rite of Passage.
For this reason alone, I will check out the best dates, not ruling out astrology and the tarot for the timing of the "Make-Up Prom".