Current U.S. prom themes
January 30, 2020 7:02 PM Subscribe
When I was of high school age (the late 90s), proms and sometimes regular school dances had themes. I am writing a story that needs to reference a prom with a theme now, in 2020. But...what is that? What are regular high school prom themes, if any, in the U.S. today? I am interested in regional differences too.
Oriental Trading has their decorating kits for "Grand Events" here.
Here's another prom decorating theme provider.
posted by Jahaza at 8:45 PM on January 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
Here's another prom decorating theme provider.
posted by Jahaza at 8:45 PM on January 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
Best answer: When I chaperoned prom in 2018, the theme was "A Night in Paris" and the kids had built a big Eiffel tower in the middle of the dance floor. 2019 was "Arabian Nights." I'm not sure what they're doing this year; the students haven't started talking about it in class yet.
A lot of the student council kids at my school have Pinterest boards with their prom inspiration. That could be somewhere to look for current themes, too.
posted by abeja bicicleta at 2:35 AM on January 31, 2020
A lot of the student council kids at my school have Pinterest boards with their prom inspiration. That could be somewhere to look for current themes, too.
posted by abeja bicicleta at 2:35 AM on January 31, 2020
Response by poster: No one else? I thought for sure we had people with high school aged kids here...
posted by tiny frying pan at 6:52 AM on January 31, 2020
posted by tiny frying pan at 6:52 AM on January 31, 2020
I'll ask my daughter, who is currently a college sophomore, what her prom themes were. It may take a while to get an answer; see: college sophomore.
posted by cooker girl at 7:00 AM on January 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by cooker girl at 7:00 AM on January 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
Best answer: themes when my kids (graduated 2 and 6 years ago)
Hollywood (twice)
Arabian Nights
Bohemian (which was not bohemian, more like vintage hipster style that came from pinterest)
Secret Garden
i can't remember the other one they went to.
but yeah most of the time it involves buying a kit from a provider to get them started.
when i was in high school we picked a song for the theme song and that was the name of the prom and then planned the decorations around it. which compared to shopping in a catalog like you are buying a prom theme from Sears is a pretty cool way to do it.
posted by domino at 7:01 AM on January 31, 2020
Hollywood (twice)
Arabian Nights
Bohemian (which was not bohemian, more like vintage hipster style that came from pinterest)
Secret Garden
i can't remember the other one they went to.
but yeah most of the time it involves buying a kit from a provider to get them started.
when i was in high school we picked a song for the theme song and that was the name of the prom and then planned the decorations around it. which compared to shopping in a catalog like you are buying a prom theme from Sears is a pretty cool way to do it.
posted by domino at 7:01 AM on January 31, 2020
Best answer: Miracle of miracles, she answered!
(she went to a small school where all grades were allowed to go to prom)
Freshman year: don't remember
Sophomore: Great Gatsby/1920s
Junior: My Big Fat Greek Prom
Senior: Masquerade
posted by cooker girl at 7:06 AM on January 31, 2020
(she went to a small school where all grades were allowed to go to prom)
Freshman year: don't remember
Sophomore: Great Gatsby/1920s
Junior: My Big Fat Greek Prom
Senior: Masquerade
posted by cooker girl at 7:06 AM on January 31, 2020
Best answer: I remember the other one "a royal prom" - same day as royal wedding.
and this is all small town rural middle america.
posted by domino at 7:58 AM on January 31, 2020
and this is all small town rural middle america.
posted by domino at 7:58 AM on January 31, 2020
Best answer: My district high school (Long Island, NY) does really elaborate, over-the-top prom themes every year (think huge wooden custom-built sets). Some of the recent themes have been Peter Pan, Arabian Nights, Casablanca, Moulin Rouge, "One Enchanted Evening" (Cinderella), and The Great Gatsby.
posted by Jemstar at 8:30 AM on January 31, 2020
posted by Jemstar at 8:30 AM on January 31, 2020
Last year, Scripps Ranch HS (in southern California) chose "The Garden of Lights" as its theme. The prom was held at the local natural history museum.
posted by Iris Gambol at 9:38 AM on January 31, 2020
posted by Iris Gambol at 9:38 AM on January 31, 2020
Need to chime in here because my local district has The Best Prom in America
Can't remember what the theme was when I graduated.
In 2017, it was Philadelphia (check out the rotating LOVE statue)
2018 was Destination Prom
2019 was Music More pics here.
My youngest will be graduating this year, but I'm not sure what the theme is (bad parenting).
This is a really cool event. Parent volunteers decorate the whole school, the kids spend months making floats for the parade, and they regularly get celebrity acts (John Mayer, Questlove, that dude from Jersey Shore) to perform. Kids love it.
posted by qldaddy at 10:35 AM on January 31, 2020
Can't remember what the theme was when I graduated.
In 2017, it was Philadelphia (check out the rotating LOVE statue)
2018 was Destination Prom
2019 was Music More pics here.
My youngest will be graduating this year, but I'm not sure what the theme is (bad parenting).
This is a really cool event. Parent volunteers decorate the whole school, the kids spend months making floats for the parade, and they regularly get celebrity acts (John Mayer, Questlove, that dude from Jersey Shore) to perform. Kids love it.
posted by qldaddy at 10:35 AM on January 31, 2020
I asked my niece, who graduated last year.
Senior year: Outer Space (huh, cool)
Junior year: Back to the 60's: Hippies in High School
Sophomore year: "I don't know, that year sucked"
Freshman year: Great Gatsby/roaring 20's
posted by Gray Duck at 10:50 AM on January 31, 2020
Senior year: Outer Space (huh, cool)
Junior year: Back to the 60's: Hippies in High School
Sophomore year: "I don't know, that year sucked"
Freshman year: Great Gatsby/roaring 20's
posted by Gray Duck at 10:50 AM on January 31, 2020
The default theme for 2020 is likely to be "Roaring 20s." Flapper dresses, prohibition signs (possibly labeling the snacks & drinks area "the speakeasy"), gangster suits, jazz music, and lots of art deco.
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 11:35 AM on January 31, 2020
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 11:35 AM on January 31, 2020
Don't forget that many high schools theme a prom after a popular song of the year/decade.
(The theme for my 1990 senior prom, which I did not attend, was Forever Young. It quickly became "Forever Young, but not the Rod Stewart one." [It was the 1984 song by Alphaville.])
posted by themissy at 2:40 PM on February 2, 2020
(The theme for my 1990 senior prom, which I did not attend, was Forever Young. It quickly became "Forever Young, but not the Rod Stewart one." [It was the 1984 song by Alphaville.])
posted by themissy at 2:40 PM on February 2, 2020
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posted by aetg at 7:10 PM on January 30, 2020 [1 favorite]