White Shoe Extravaganza
Posted on June 03, 2010 by promtacular! in 1980s Prom, Aquanet!, Pairing With White, perms, Tacky Backdrops | 6 Comments
Year: 1983
Sarah writes: “In Canada it’s not called “prom”, at least it wasn’t in Vancouver where I went to school. We called it “Grad” and it was essentially the same thing. This picture is of me and my friends at ours, I am the one in the fuschia, one-shoulder number… man, was I pale…”
Sarah, you should know that around here we’re far less concerned with how pale you are than how anyone in the history of ever thought that carpet was an acceptable choice for what must be, essentially, a ballroom. Someone designed that carpet, and someone approved it and someone, somehwere, said YES! THAT IS THE CARPET THAT WILL MAKE THIS BALLROOM LOOK ITS SNAZZIEST.
Also, I think it should be noted that your one-arm fashion statement is comparatively bold. I mean, this is a virtual parade of 1983 styles, and I think we can fairly conclude that 1983 = Puff Arms + Cinch Waist + Free Hanging Skirt.
There is virtually no straying from this concept except for you. No lace overlay! No Little House On The Prairie pattern! No tablecloth lace! I can’t quite say your choice of color was the only brave one — because, well, that is a LOT of teal — but off-the-shoulder? Crazy! Two-tiered skirt? Wild!
Who cares about pale when you’ve got two tiers of fuscia cascading around your legs?
I’m sorry we can’t see all of your hairstyles better. That is a crying shame.
Mostly I just love the dude in the corner double-fisting the champagne(?). And since it’s 1983 and a different country, I’m going to assume that’s actual champagne, too. Because it makes me happy.
Look how longingly the girl on the far left in the pale blue stares at the glasses he’s walking away with. As though she’s about to follow him out of frame.
What readers need to understand is that “prom” might be called “grad” in Vancouver, but that’s only because Vancouver thinks it’s better than everywhere else and would never use the same pedestrian terminology as the rest of the country.
The rest of Canada, however, calls it prom. Since it is the prom.
My cousin recommended this blog and she was totally right keep up the fantastic work!
it’s not “prom” in saskatchewan either. it’s grad. there’s no junior prom either.
oh, and drinking age is 19 in all provinces except alberta, manitoba and quebec, where it’s 18.
chances are it’s ginger ale.
What I love about this photo is the girl in the back whose dress you can’t see. All you can see is her head. Which means the photographer squashed them all together to fit in the picture but chose to include the guy with the champagne and a rather large slice of emptiness between him and the girls rather than line them up in a way that made them all visible.
Masterful!
Awesome. The pink dress looks like the dress the mice made for Cinderella after her wicked stepmother and stepsisters tore it to shreds.
http://students.ou.edu/P/Lesley.B.Pierce-1/cindygodmother.gif
In Ontario, or at least the southern part, its mostly called Grad. I think its mostly called Grad cuz we don’t want to be associated with the US, and Carrie, and also because we’re cheap so its not a whole spectacle.
Oh an until recently Ontario had grade 13 (aka OAC) which meant many of the grads were of legal age, but its still probably not real champagne. However if it were in England it would be.