Yeeeeesh, that dress on the cover is giving me hardcore I'm Singing For Church This Week early 80's vibes in the most painful of ways (except the length would hit in that awful Well-Below-the-Knee space that is so awkward because it's neither fish nor fowl). I have ZERO IDEA how she thinks she's going to Charleston in something like that. It's NOT a 20's dress - If I were her dance teacher I'd send her back to the closet.
I'm STILL skeeving on "getting my jollies." Gaaaah, I need eye-bleach.
I swear, Leila, this dude is WORSE THAN PERCY, which I didn't think was possible.
I didn't go to prom at my prim Christian school, but my senior stroll dress is a puffed sleeved, emerald green taffeta monstrosity with a black lace bodice overlay, worn with elbow-length black lace gloves, thankyouverymuch. And since my mother made it, I'm keeping it 'til I die, also because no one else wants that vomitousness but me.
I'm sorry to report that the crinoline was kind of itchy and tore easily when I somehow caught my (black satin!) high heel in it. I looked good though! And do you remember those dyeable satin heels? I loved those. They should still exist. I would buy them today.
Surely they still have them for weddings? We had to wear them when I was in the bridal party at a friend's wedding years ago. We had to get our pictures taken on a wet lawn, and the dye ran, and, well, you can imagine. :-) But I'll bet brides are still making their bridesmaids wear them. Seems like a fashion that would be perennial.
They definitely still existed when I was in high school, but I graduated way back in 1995, so THAT'S probably not super helpful, LOL.
<pause for googling>
Just googled, and they are still EXTREMELY available, in WAY more styles than I remember. Hopefully now they use dyes that are less likely to run??? (YIKES.)
Ooooh, the crinoline - so classy. I didn't have a full one, just a half slip w/ two stiff lace flounces (does anyone even wear half slips anymore) so I was sad I didn't have to turn sideways to get through doorways. The gloves were borrowed, and my mom kind of choked when she saw me wearing them since they kinda made me look like a middle-aged madame, but I was positive they were SO very It Girl. Heh.
LOL, I think the dress in the picture is supposed to be the Prom Dress, which has not been described in a particularly era-specific way. (I mean, LOGICALLY, the dress would be from the same era as the Charleston dresses, but I'm not sure how logical the world-building is here?) REGARDLESS, I have never been able to pull off a mid-calf length dress, they are so unflattering on me.
I am SO GLAD we are on the same page about Tyler, I was starting to wonder if I was imagining how awful he is, WOOF.
I am loving that you all are describing your fancy dresses!! ELBOW LENGTH BLACK GLOVES!! SO SWANKY!!
OMG I've been hanging out for this recap and it did not disappoint. I remember the vague details from reading this as a teenager in the 90s, but it's all coming back to me now. Thank you for the hilarity!
It is SOMETHING, good grief. I do wonder what contemporary books will inspire others to do recaps in 30 years? (When you start scanning library shelves, it becomes kind of a weird thought experiment, LOL.)
BAhahahaha, well that explains why the dress on the cover looks like something from 1912 or 1982 instead of '87 or later. Tyler is clearly the worst, and I'm pretty sure something like 40% of the guys in these books were like him. I will now guess that she will meet a slightly kinder, more sensitive type and switch to him by the end, after he protects her from the horror. Can't wait to see what Rowena and Catherine got up to!
This is perfect timing, because just this morning I was in my closet and realized that my prom dress is in there, in a back corner. I don't know what to do with it. It's black/royal blue shot taffeta with glittery Swiss dots on the bodice and it was awesome in 1991, by which time jewel tones had taken over from the pastels earlier in the 80s. You need to post your prom photos!
I'll look to see if I can find them, heh. Junior year I wore burgundy/wine velvet, floor length. I think it was off the shoulder? Senior year I wore some short sequined/fringe business, maybe also off the shoulder? Sleeveless for sure, though. (I did *not* do the Charleston!!)
Yeeeeesh, that dress on the cover is giving me hardcore I'm Singing For Church This Week early 80's vibes in the most painful of ways (except the length would hit in that awful Well-Below-the-Knee space that is so awkward because it's neither fish nor fowl). I have ZERO IDEA how she thinks she's going to Charleston in something like that. It's NOT a 20's dress - If I were her dance teacher I'd send her back to the closet.
I'm STILL skeeving on "getting my jollies." Gaaaah, I need eye-bleach.
I swear, Leila, this dude is WORSE THAN PERCY, which I didn't think was possible.
I didn't go to prom at my prim Christian school, but my senior stroll dress is a puffed sleeved, emerald green taffeta monstrosity with a black lace bodice overlay, worn with elbow-length black lace gloves, thankyouverymuch. And since my mother made it, I'm keeping it 'til I die, also because no one else wants that vomitousness but me.
My mom sewed my dress too! No gloves, but I had a black net crinoline, ha.
Ooo, I am jealous of the crinoline!! I've never had a dress with a crinoline, sighhhh.
I'm sorry to report that the crinoline was kind of itchy and tore easily when I somehow caught my (black satin!) high heel in it. I looked good though! And do you remember those dyeable satin heels? I loved those. They should still exist. I would buy them today.
Surely they still have them for weddings? We had to wear them when I was in the bridal party at a friend's wedding years ago. We had to get our pictures taken on a wet lawn, and the dye ran, and, well, you can imagine. :-) But I'll bet brides are still making their bridesmaids wear them. Seems like a fashion that would be perennial.
They definitely still existed when I was in high school, but I graduated way back in 1995, so THAT'S probably not super helpful, LOL.
<pause for googling>
Just googled, and they are still EXTREMELY available, in WAY more styles than I remember. Hopefully now they use dyes that are less likely to run??? (YIKES.)
Ooooh, the crinoline - so classy. I didn't have a full one, just a half slip w/ two stiff lace flounces (does anyone even wear half slips anymore) so I was sad I didn't have to turn sideways to get through doorways. The gloves were borrowed, and my mom kind of choked when she saw me wearing them since they kinda made me look like a middle-aged madame, but I was positive they were SO very It Girl. Heh.
"a middle-aged madame" ahhhhhhhhh this is such an amazing image my eyeballs have turned into cartoon hearts
LOL, I think the dress in the picture is supposed to be the Prom Dress, which has not been described in a particularly era-specific way. (I mean, LOGICALLY, the dress would be from the same era as the Charleston dresses, but I'm not sure how logical the world-building is here?) REGARDLESS, I have never been able to pull off a mid-calf length dress, they are so unflattering on me.
I am SO GLAD we are on the same page about Tyler, I was starting to wonder if I was imagining how awful he is, WOOF.
I am loving that you all are describing your fancy dresses!! ELBOW LENGTH BLACK GLOVES!! SO SWANKY!!
OMG I've been hanging out for this recap and it did not disappoint. I remember the vague details from reading this as a teenager in the 90s, but it's all coming back to me now. Thank you for the hilarity!
It is SOMETHING, good grief. I do wonder what contemporary books will inspire others to do recaps in 30 years? (When you start scanning library shelves, it becomes kind of a weird thought experiment, LOL.)
BAhahahaha, well that explains why the dress on the cover looks like something from 1912 or 1982 instead of '87 or later. Tyler is clearly the worst, and I'm pretty sure something like 40% of the guys in these books were like him. I will now guess that she will meet a slightly kinder, more sensitive type and switch to him by the end, after he protects her from the horror. Can't wait to see what Rowena and Catherine got up to!
This is perfect timing, because just this morning I was in my closet and realized that my prom dress is in there, in a back corner. I don't know what to do with it. It's black/royal blue shot taffeta with glittery Swiss dots on the bodice and it was awesome in 1991, by which time jewel tones had taken over from the pastels earlier in the 80s. You need to post your prom photos!
I'll look to see if I can find them, heh. Junior year I wore burgundy/wine velvet, floor length. I think it was off the shoulder? Senior year I wore some short sequined/fringe business, maybe also off the shoulder? Sleeveless for sure, though. (I did *not* do the Charleston!!)