Promtacular!

All Aglow

Posted on August 19, 2010 by promtacular! in 1980s Prom, 1990s Prom, Aquanet!, Blame the Photographer, Hybrid Bangs, Lace Disgrace, Mullets, Shoulder Pads | 1 Comment

Year: Take a guess.

Turns out, even the world’s most beautiful and famous bloggers were young and high-banged once.

Oh. Oh, Kelly.

Let’s start by pointing out that this photo’s fuzziness actually elevates its uber-fabulous status. The fuzz looks perfectly intentional, as though someone coated the lens with Vaseline to soften the light and lines and make the image appear more romantic, misted, timeless. The way photo montages in Lifetime movies in the 80s (what? shutup) looked.

Except of course, nothing* about this image is timeless. The hairdos, the jewelry, the 300 fashion statements Kelly’s dress is making…None of these made it past what? 1994?

The Vaseline makes it hard to determine the color of Kelly’s dress, and probably that’s okay. It comes across as pink, maybe peach. Which is better than if it were simply white (where I’d then be forced to categorize this under the “Prom or Wedding?” heading).

But who cares about color when there’s so, so much lace? An entire, long-sleeved, high-necked, low-waisted bodice of nothing but lace!

That’s a Promtacular! first, kids. Legends are being made here, today.

The non-padded-but-puffed-up-shoulders are a very nice touch. They’re there to help balance the two floufy, ruffled skirt-tiers. Right?

Right. But let’s be honest about “balance.” This dress, in all its lace-tier-shoulder-puff brilliance would have swallowed a lesser girl whole. Frankly, it would have swallowed an entire lesser couple. But not Kelly and her date.

Kelly, perhaps unwittingly, took her dress as a challenge, and kicked its ass. Her hair sees her dress, and raises it. (Literally.) The style is perfect, the earrings are bold. She has made it work, like some, I dunno, genius of physics.

And — obviously — no simple, wimpy corsage would do. Instead, her date thoughtfully gave her an entire rose bush to hold.

Speaking of her date: his hair is priceless. You’d think, if you just saw a photo of Kelly, that no man could stand up to her Genius Of Physics look. And yet? He does. That one bit of bang hanging over his forehead is just the right touch.

But perhaps what makes this photo most awesome of all is this line from her date, regarding their respective heights: “If memory serves I was in fact standing on something…and I believe Kelly was bending her knees.”

Well done!

*Save for the tinsel curtains; those will find their way into prom backdrops forever.

Lonnie & Ronnie

Posted on July 19, 2010 by promtacular! in 1980s Prom, Feathering As A Lifestyle Choice, Mullets, perms | 2 Comments

Year: 1985

Those aren’t their real names, but let’s pretend that they are and you can figure out which is which.

I love this photo. The female half of this couple is the opposite of the tanned, salon-haired, manicured, pair-with-pearls kind of girl we’ve seen a lot of, although she is certainly no stranger to hair product. Perhaps that is why she fits so well with her date — who also hasn’t seen the sun in a few months because his band’s been too busy practicing in his uncle’s garage — who shares her haircare regime.

These kids? They love their metal. I love that both her delicate lace wrap is black, as is his boutonniere. Oh, they will consent to going formal, but they won’t give up their stick-it-to-the-man blackness!

They are to be taken seriously as rockers.

You know. Braces and all.

Disco Stu & Stoner O’Hara

Posted on June 15, 2010 by promtacular! in 1970s prom, Backdrop FAIL, Mullets, On The Plantation, Prom or Costume? | 2 Comments

Year: 1970s

This photo was originally posted here, submitted by Cheryl. She writes, “My husband’s prom picture, ‘John & Joan,’ isn’t too bad, but don’t you just LOVE that crushed velvet jacket???”

Oh, come now, Cheryl. “Isn’t too bad” doesn’t do this masterpiece justice.

The crushed velvet — in sexy, sexy brown — is a fabulous starting point, sure. But did you happen to notice that it’s been paired with a ruffled shirt and ruffled man-hair to match? Really? You have nothing to say about the state of your husband’s hair in this photo? It’s like he’s wearing man ringlets! RINGLETS!

And now that I’ve shouted RINGLETS! at you, may I draw your attention to Joan.

Joan! She has ringlets! Like, the real kind! To go with her Scarlet O’Hara dress. Because for no reason! But what I love the most about the dress is that it’s totally in the On The Plantation style, but toned down to be 70s-appropriate. BRILLIANT! And while she has created fantastic ringlet-y curls, she’s still letting her hair fall into her face.

As for the backdrop, well. You tell me: high school or someone’s house? Either way, I love that it’s not a plain brick wall: it’s a brick wall with candles. That makes it festive and totally prom-appropriate.

Right?

Weekend Special: Setting The Gold Standard, Plus Van-tastic BONUS PHOTO

Posted on June 11, 2010 by promtacular! in 1980s Prom, Aquanet!, Mullets, Oh Bows, Shine On!, perms | 2 Comments

Year: 1987

Ellyn writes:
Gold lamé dress: check
Gold shoes: check
Gold stockings: check
Gold earrings: check
Gold necklace: check
Gold bracelet: check
Gold bow for hair: check

What am i missing? OH! i know….the SiLvEr BrAcEs!! Also, dig the mullet on my HS sweetheart.”

If this photo doesn’t make your weekend, I don’t know why you even come here.

1987? Ellyn and her gold dress and mullet date have officially PWND you.

BUT! Just when you thought it couldn’t get ANY BETTER?

You’re welcome.

A Bird In The Hand…

Posted on March 29, 2010 by promtacular! in 1980s Prom, Aquanet!, Blame the Photographer, Going to the Chapel(?), Lace Disgrace, Mullets, Pairing With White, Where's Your Bra?, perms | 8 Comments

Year: 1986

The kind of email we looooove to receive:

Subj: He has a mullet and my chest is flatter than his.

Gwen, who blogs here, writes: This photo was taken in 1986, the night of my first prom, the night I became a woman. I am pictured here with my high school boyfriend, who I loved madly for many reasons but mostly because he was a bad boy.

I love this picture because we both look so irritated. I don’t think we were but rather that the sun was in our eyes. I can tell this was taken at his parents’ house and recently asked him whether or not he was flipping off his mom (look at his hand on my waist) because that is exactly something he would have done. Bad boy, remember? I didn’t get a straight answer. Some things never change.

The feathery, permy, white-lace dress/white-tux, bouquet goodness of this photo would be awfully good on its own. The irritated looks, possible flip-off and FIREBIRD make it exquisite.