The song for my Prom should have been “Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me” by The CureMarch 22nd, 2007 @ 5:01 am
The challenge* is to post a picture from your prom. That’s easy since I recently saved all my scanned pictures to my hard drive.
While it’s easy to share my old pictures with you, it’s harder is to share my feelings towards these old pictures. Or the experiences that go along with the pictures.
At my school, we had Senior Prom. I didn’t realize that most schools did a Junior Prom that was more important. To me it was all about the Senior Prom. I guess I always knew I would get asked to the Prom. I knew that if it came down to it, Lance would ask me.
Sure enough. He asked me. He asked me months in advance.
Lance (not his real name, except that it totally is) and I had been very close friends since we were younger. I guess I had always known he had a crush on me. For whatever reason, nothing ever became of it. Looking back, that was probably really stupid on my part. He was a great guy. We always had a blast together. Honestly thought, he never made an official move. He just talked about liking me.
Side note to 16 year old Lance: Actions speak louder then words, dude!
I wanted to wear something black and sexy. Just because it was so not like me (at the time. Of course now I’m all about the sexy.) My Mom didn’t want me to wear anything tight or sexy or black. We found a very virginal dress. I didn’t really like it. My Mom promised me that if I got it she would pay for me to get my hair and nails done and would let me buy whatever shoes I wanted.
I got the dress she wanted. And wore a sexy black slip underneath, for me.
(For annotated version, click here.)
My Mom bought me some fake nails to apply myself. Not really the same thing as “getting your nails done”. But I wasn’t in a position to complain. I got my hair done professionally for the first time and bought some awesome black heels that laced up. (Gag!)
I told myself that I would kiss Lance. But only if he tried to kiss me. I let it be known that this was my plan. I felt like I was throwing the kid a bone for always being so darned good to me. I fully planned to kiss him.
We had a great night. We went with a groups of friends from our neighborhood, ate at a fancy restaurant, went bowling before hand, and even went to the movies afterwards. The Prom was held in the cafeteria of the local college. My parents, along with all the other parents, came to watch. It really was a magical night. Just like Prom should be.
I was anticipating the kiss at the end of the night. I knew it was going to happen. I knew Lance would put the moves on me. Finally. We said our good-bye’s in the kitchen. I recall sitting on the counter, leaning in close to Lance.
Waiting.
Waiting, some more.
He never tried to kiss me.
That was it. That was his only chance. (I was mean like that.)
Fast forward to our early 20’s. Lance and I still spent a ton of time together. My family had since moved, but we made it a point to see each other. I gave it lots of thought and decided it was (about) time Lance and I take our relationship to the next level. We should start to date. As in; please Lance, will you be my boyfriend after all of these years of me stringing you along?!
I was floored when Lance told me that he thought we should remain “just friends”. He said there was just too much between us to ruin it. He said we were past all of that. Plus, I think he was banging a girl from our old ‘hood.
I was pretty certain he was bangin’ her a few years later when I left my first husband. Since Lance was still my friend I went to his house to tell him the news. He wasn’t there. His Mom told me with fear in her eyes; Oh, Isabel. He’s going to marry her!
As always, what’s the point of this post?
Did you see the hideous shoes I wore to my Prom? No wonder Lance didn’t want to kiss me.
*Play along. If you dare.
Back in the Day · Me
meritt
said,
March 22, 2007 at 12:42 pm
That was totally interesting to read… thanks for sharing that.
What year was this photo?
-R-
said,
March 22, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Fabulous! I love that you wore the sex-ay slip!
I wonder what shoes I wore with my dress. I had the worst taste in shoes at the time. Ugh.
HollowSquirrel
said,
March 22, 2007 at 2:32 pm
This post rocks and totally made my day. Too bad all of my old photos are at my parents’ house, otherwise you would be SO jealous of my turquoise hott prom dress and high ass bangs.
Those shoes…oh sweetie. I heart you.
Frema
said,
March 22, 2007 at 2:48 pm
I love that you wore black shoes with a white dress. And a black slip underneath! I do NOT, however, Lance’s negligence in putting a move on you. That’s what prom is all about!
I am so doing this. Look for it next week.
Operation Pink Herring
said,
March 22, 2007 at 3:11 pm
I’m with HS… too bad all my really old pictures are at my mom’s house in New Jersey… and I don’t have a scanner anyway.
But I DO have a picture of myself wearing my senior prom dress to a party in college… will that do? I’ll totally post it. Even though I’m really, really drunk (in the picture).
Emily
said,
March 22, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Oh, Isabel. That was one sexy dress! You are brave. I’ll hunt down some pics tonight and take the challenge. Be on the lookout.
janet
said,
March 22, 2007 at 3:15 pm
I am enjoying this challenge very much. I hope more people play along! Lance looked like a cutie.
Art Nerd
said,
March 22, 2007 at 3:53 pm
I am so on this one, as soon as I get home! The only un-fun thing is that I can’t make fun of my date (for either- Junior or Senior) since it’s my husband.
Rachel
said,
March 22, 2007 at 4:07 pm
I would play along, but I’m not sure if I could find an old prom pic! Besides, I didn’t stay long. We were, ahem, asked to leave. I like this glimpse into your past though.
Lug Nutmegger
said,
March 22, 2007 at 4:55 pm
YIKES! All the memories are flooding back. Now I can’t get Alphaville’s “Forever Young” out of my head. Must…fight…urge…to sing.
I find it hard to comment because your post is so full of womany-ness. I will say that men have it pretty easy when it comes to the prom. Men’s styles rarely change. The tux store is probably still renting out that same tux Lance is wearing in the picture.
On the plus side, Lance really must have valued your friendship because it is not often a man won’t risk ruining a friendship to…um…get some(even if it is just a kiss).
Lug
Lucky
said,
March 22, 2007 at 7:16 pm
I rose to the challenge. Kinda. Check it out.
Dirka
said,
March 22, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Damn it. I need to get a scanner!
LBC
said,
March 22, 2007 at 9:32 pm
Once again, highly amusing. Such a sweet story about a girl wanting her high school crush to kiss her, and then, POW-Isabel throws a ringer- ‘Plus, I think he was banging a girl from our old ‘hood.’ Classic.
TV Goddess
said,
March 23, 2007 at 8:26 pm
This has inspired me to dig out (and e-mail to you, but not post) my old prom/formal photos. I have too many stories, though.
I went to winter formal as a sophomore with my boyfriend. I also went to HIS junior/senior prom that year (he was a senior).
I went to winter formal my junior year with an already-graduated hottie I had formerly had a crush on. I didn’t go to junior prom because my family had an out-of-town engagement. I DID, however, come up with the theme and decorate and take it all down. I was junior class president.
Senior year I went to formal with my then-boyfriend. I basically MADE him go with me even though he didn’t want to. Then I got sick of him about a week before formal and ignored him the whole night. I was so mature. Senior prom I went to with a sophomore boy who was one of my great friends, and who I found out later had a bit of a crush on me at the time.
No horror stories, though. I always got kisses when I wanted them because I was unafraid to be the aggressor!
Lindsey
said,
March 24, 2007 at 3:15 am
Isabel…Isabel…Isabel. I’m not even sure what to say about that dress. I mean, um…yeah, no really, I am speechless.
Jenny
said,
March 25, 2007 at 1:48 pm
I didn’t write about it in my post but my prom date (and later ex-fiance) was totally banging my BEST FRIEND. That’s why I airbrushed him out of the picture. You can totally tell if you look close enough.
Becky..Absent Minded Housewife
said,
March 25, 2007 at 11:28 pm
I wore a black off the shoulder dress that kept threatening to slip down my chest as I had no boobs to hold it up…
Casey
said,
March 26, 2007 at 10:12 am
I totally love blast from the past pics!!! I took your challenge too. You look happy back then.
Christar
said,
March 27, 2007 at 1:59 am
So, I totally did this… Thought you might wanna know. Even though my pictures aren’t as fun as yours. But yet, I do have pictures! Meaning more than one!!!
The Prom Post « What’s A Quirk?
said,
April 6, 2007 at 4:11 pm
[...] April 6th, 2007 So I’m finally getting around to writing the long-awaited Prom Post. Well, I’ve been awaiting it. Probably not so much you. I got the idea from Isabel, who was brave enough to share this little jewel of a prom pic with the internet. Then Whitney bared her soul (or should I say eyebrows) with this prom post. Now it’s my turn. [...]
hola, isabel » What does “Esprit” mean anyway?
said,
April 13, 2007 at 6:23 pm
[...] Yes, that’s a Polo shirt. But it’s a knock off that one of my dad’s students made in his graphic arts class. (And also, those are totally the shorts I wanted to be buried in. I miss them.) (And also, why do I keep posting horrible pictures of me as a teenager for the world to see? Why?) (And what’s with the squinting? It’s like I’m a mole person and the sun is going to kill me.) I always wished I could afford to dress better. I told myself that when I was grown up, I would buy myself name brand items. I said I wouldn’t have a kid until I could afford to dress him exclusively in Baby Gap apparel. While Babboo does own some Baby Gap, I would not say he dresses exclusively in their stuff. And while I think I have nice clothes, nothing I own is what I would consider name brand. (I have discussed this topic before.) [...]