Promtacular!

Accidental Hiatus

Posted on July 14, 2010 by promtacular! in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Oops. We took a brief vacation, and then work — because, sadly, Promtacular! is not a full-time job — kind of exploded all over me, and suddenly it’s what? Two weeks later? Three. We will resume with our normal posting momentarily. Thank you for your patience.

Oops.

Posted on May 20, 2010 by promtacular! in Uncategorized | 8 Comments

Our regularly scheduled Promtacular! editor (that would be the person in the ridiculous photo, below) had emergency-but-totally-okay surgery this week and has thusly FAILED at her prom-photo-related duties.

Photos will resume next week. WITH A PASSION.

In the meantime, please enjoy this image. Commentary coming Monday, but feel free to provide your own till then.

“THE Prom” Or Just “Prom”?

Posted on May 15, 2010 by promtacular! in Uncategorized | 30 Comments

The creator of Promtacular! (that’d be me, featured left*; let’s pretend I’m contemplating grammar) had the good fortune of being asked to do an online Q&A with John Kelly of the Washington Post last Friday.

Questions were presented by Mr. Kelly and by readers, which explains why — if you read through the hilarious and meandering transcript — many of the questions were less about proms and more about other topics Mr. Kelly has discussed recently, including but not limited to: the drinking policies of Preakness, DC’s new soda tax, the politics of diamonds, and the evils of high fructose corn syrup.

Do you have any idea what it feels like to be interjecting “serious” commentary about pictures of people with bad perms while readers from 3000 miles away are engaging in an embittered conversation about soda?

Distinguished. It feels distinguished.

Anyway.

One of the best questions was about why I tend to refer to prom as “prom” and not “THE prom.” And you know what? That’s a damn good question.

Where I grew up (Fairfield County, Connecticut), we always called it THE prom. But since I now live in California and my prom was *cough* a few years ago, I have to rely on what the kids on TV call it to keep myself up-to-date. Which is why I now generally refer to it as “prom.” No “the.”

But tell me: Am I wrong? What do you call it? Is it prom or THE prom? (And please include your age and location in your answer.) Let’s settle this once and for all.

*I included this ridiculous photo of me because posts without photos are boring, right? You’re welcome.

They’re All Friends On Facebook

Posted on March 26, 2010 by promtacular! in 1990s Prom, Aquanet!, Backdrop FAIL, Going to the Chapel(?), Hybrid Bangs, Lace Disgrace, Mullets, Shine On!, Tacky Backdrops, Uncategorized, perms | 5 Comments

Year: 1993

Ali writes: I’m the girl with the crazy long hair on the bottom right.

As for the notable (and yet random) amount of TEAL! being worn she adds, Listen, don’t judge me! It was a big color that year!

This group shot has so much going on that I actually had to CODE it so you could follow along.

Couple #1: The male half of this couple looks as though he is unaware that he is at prom. He also appears to have spotted something vaguely interesting across the room, just above the photographer’s head. Based on the look his date is giving us, I’d say he’s noticed his ex-girlfriend.

Couple #2: Another man with the early-90s-questionable mullet. It’s not exactly like it’s partying in back, but it’s not exactly all business either. For a moment, I thought that his date was also sporting the early-90s Hybrid Bang (are they bangs? are they wisps? maybe they’re both? some go up? some go down?) but then I realized that a) she has bangs, b) they are all up, and c) they are all up so high, they have actually cast a SHADOW on her forehead. FTW.

Couple #3: Ahhh, yes. This is a MUCH better version of the Hybrid Bang. She has also achieved maximum hair height and should be very proud of that fact. Its poufyness is impressive, rivaled only by her sleeve. Her date looks like he’s humming More Than Words to himself. …close your eyes, and just reach out your hand…and…touch…me…

Couple #4: She looks like she wants to be singing along with Mr. #3. Meanwhile her date has the look of a guy who sang a cappella in college. (If you know what I’m talking about, you know what I’m talking about.) Also, is he wearing a digital watch? I don’t think we’ve seen one of those here before. A Promtacular! first!

Couple #5: He’s the joker of the crew. He is saying something to make the whole gang crack up. (He is unaware that is is not working.) And I’m sorry to do this because it’s kind of like a cop-out, but Miss #5 is just a Promtacular! checklist waiting to happen: perm, high hair, Hybrid Bangs, pastel-framed glasses, pouffy sleeves, shiny dress, and some iteration of lace and/or sequins while taking herself very, very seriously. For that I love her very, very much.

Couple #6: Congratulations on your wedding.

Couple #7: Perhaps I’m just biased because Ali sent the photo in, but they look the cutest and happiest. Somehow her shiny dress (with lace collar?) is a little less SHINY! DRESS! because there’s less of it. Or perhaps it seems less SHINY! DRESS! because she is wearing a pashmina of her own hair. Either way, well done.

Lastly, the gold and silver curtains hung between two columns is outstanding in its own right. Grecian in theme, and yet taken to the next level. So could someone please explain to me why the Japanese screen needed to be added?

Nobody Thought Of The Children

Posted on March 26, 2010 by promtacular! in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Year: 1988

This is what happens when you let the 80s run amok. Eventually the children get hold of it and look what they do with it.

This is a photo of Gretchen’s sister and I have no idea exactly how old she is or where she’s going, but I have no doubt that she will be noticed when she gets there. Perhaps the other adolescents at the party will think she’s one of the members of K.I.D.S. Incorporated?

I mean, it’s not just that the dress is polka-dotted, layered, ruffled, insane-collared, bright yellow, paired with black, and comes with a matching headpiece. It’s that, um… You know what? It is just that.