For many teenage girls in Appalachia, this time of the year is full of Winter Formal-The Valentines Dance-and the grand finale-Prom.
All that = sparkly dresses, fancy fingernails with writing on them, way too high high-heels, 3 or 4 giggling screaming girls all crammed into a bathroom, plaited hair, curling irons, boys in suits, nervous corsage attaching, eating out in a restaurant with other dressed up couples, dancing for hours in a hot crowded cramped room, and coming home like Cinderella from the ball with feet that hurt and stories to tell.
Tipper
Appalachia Through My Eyes – A series of photographs from my life in Southern Appalachia.
10 Comments
Susie Swanson
January 29, 2013 at 9:10 pmWonderful memories.. Those kids will look back upon them the rest of their life.. I love the song.. They are awesome..
Ethelene Dyer Jones
January 29, 2013 at 5:42 pmIn my high school days, our “prom” consisted of “walking”–(really!) and a formal banquet, either at a hotel in town or one time at a lakeside restaurant reserved especially for juniors/seniors. And “driving to the prom” consisted of my date’s older brother (a teacher, no less, at our high school!) taking us in his car! Even with all those “ancient” ways, we had “prom” cards listing with whom we walked around the square and the like! Believe it or not, it was a great time, even though it sounds like something from the “dark” ages! Then, when I was a high school teacher and librarian for years, I was always a “faculty sponsor” for the proms–which by then were dances, with all the fancy dresses, tuxedos for the guys, corsages for the girls–and a beautiful theme that transformed our high school gym into a ballroom! I still hear from those wonderful teenagers with whom I worked, and it has been a joy to see what they have become in life! I’m glad I had the privilege of being a teacher!
Ken
January 29, 2013 at 1:24 pmTipper,
I remember those good ole days
too. Nice memories.
Congradulations to Mamabug winning
the Valentine…Ken
Miss Cindy
January 29, 2013 at 12:58 pmI’m sorry, but speaking as a grandmother Chitter and Chatter are much to young for this stuff!! LOL! I don’t suppose my wishing will keep them from growing up. Oh well, In truth I guess I don’t want to prevent it, I just want them to be young and care free as long as possible.
I want to see Slip Sliding Away but I don’t do Facebook. Can I get it on youtube?
Brenda Kay Ledford
January 29, 2013 at 12:57 pmTipper,
This brings back memories of our prom at HHS. It still brings excitement to young people buying their dresses, getting ready for the big event. Thanks for the memories of the good old days.
Sue Crane
January 29, 2013 at 9:07 amfun times! need pictures please. 🙂
Jim Casada
January 29, 2013 at 9:01 amTipper–This brings back bittersweet memories of prom time more than a half century ago. Nervously getting up courage to ask a girl to go to the prom with me (we had been “steadies” months earlier but that went awry), presenting an orchid corsage to my date, washing Daddy’s car which was borrowed for the event (it took a special occasion to get to use his car, and it was rare for a teenager to have a car in those days), pretending to like to dance, and all the teenage hype and uncertainty which is part of the growing up process.
Before you know it you’ll have boys banging down the door (it that’s not already the case), and I reckon the deer hunter will have to put on his sternest face and arrange to be doing a judicial bit of gun cleaning every time one of those lads shows up.
All in all, I suspect you are enjoying it almost as much as the twins.
Jim Casada
http://www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com
Paul N Silas
January 29, 2013 at 8:06 amI looked at the latest video and it is the best yet. They get better by the day. I wish that at the end though they would have busted out their beautiful smiles.
Looks like Guitar Man needs to bust out the bush hog.
dolores
January 29, 2013 at 8:02 amFormals – such wonderful memories for those who participate. French twist hair in my day with some sort of decorative combs or hair pins. Fancy nails and corsages, but words on the nails are a new to me. I’m glad you have been trained. I am anxious to see the girls in their dresses. Great times in a high schoolers life!
Sheryl Ormond Paul
January 29, 2013 at 7:12 amSuch a fun time for the girls; Mom too. I remember when my daughter went to all these things, so much fun getting ready and spending time together.