I will watch anything that shows people losing their shit and weeping their mascara on to their chin while wearing a collection of clashing sequins. So it is with great joy and sofa cushion plumping that I read Channel 5 is about to show a whole documentary about UK teenagers spending serious dollar preparing for their proms. Apparently the UK prom industry is now worth 30 million pounds which will either have you clutching at your pearls and demanding the return of National Service (It’s fine, Granny, you can keep reading, this one isn’t going to be rude) or wondering whether you can set up your own make-up station and limo service combo in order to cut yourself a slice of that sweet cash pie.
In a way, the only surprising part of the prom news is that it’s taken us so long to come up with an event to rival the US tradition. When you grow up in the UK, you’re presented with endless, glamorous glimpses of US high-school culture. Why else are we unable to change channels when Grease is being shown on TV on a Sunday afternoon? Even if the closest you’ve ever got to cheerleading is muttering something encouraging while the rest of the third form played netball in the rain, you’ve probably still been eyeing up the newest batch of Letterman jackets in Topshop.
If the American high school experience can keep us interested when we’ve left school, imagine how exciting we’d find it if we were still there, and could plot our own proms! Interestingly, parents seem as excited about the experience as their kids. Last month, the Mail reported that the mother of 11 year old Aimee Tipton spent £1000 on her daughter’s high school prom, taking a part time job as a cleaner to fund the fun.
Although my friends and I spent money on a car. We were pretentious teenagers and we didn’t want a limo, so we hired a vintage Rolls!
When I asked Twitter about their prom experiences, I was overwhelmed with responses in about four minutes. @JanHopis got in touch to say that making an effort wasn’t reserved for girls – he came to his prom in a tank. ‘There were eight or nine lads in my year – one of whom knew a bloke who owned a tank, through his dad. On the inside it had padded seats, fairylights and a (sadly locked – we did try) minibar. I think it was mainly used for stag parties. We were forbidden from shouting at anybody from the top of it. ‘
So the question on our lips is OBVIOUSLY ‘How much does it cost one to hire a tank?’ Janis says ‘I think we all had to put in £20 to cover whatever tank-based overheads he had. It’s hard to say if I’d do my 16 year old prom again… I remember I had a hat and a cane, and was all in black, except for a white tie and white shoes.’
READ MORE: TEENAGE GIRL STABBED TO DEATH AFTER TURNING DOWN HER CLASSMATE'S PROM INVITATION
Natasha says that although her own efforts were relatively modest, some of her pals really pushed the boat out. ‘Some of the girls had their own photographers! I wore a dress from French Connection, but plenty of people had theirs made in Thailand. Although my friends and I spent money on a car. We were pretentious teenagers and we didn’t want a limo, so we hired a vintage Rolls!’ Natasha explains that there wasn’t a Rich Kids Of Instagram vibe – but everyone was keen to celebrate and make the most of the day. ‘I’m from Stoke, and it’s not a rich part of the country. My school made it clear that it wasn’t about having a big dress or making loads of effort. I think I would have felt a bit awkward if I hadn’t had a nice dress, but if I didn’t, no one would have said anything. The men were more into it than the women, too! Some came in ice-cream vans!’
I got locked in the disabled loos in my prom, and missed the free champagne.
However, most people don’t remember the spendy parts – it’s the less glamorous memories that get stuck in their heads. Amy recalls not being allowed alcohol ‘so all the boys smuggled in vodka under their jackets.’ Jack had a less boozy time. ‘I got locked in the disabled loos in my prom, and missed the free champagne.’
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with UK proms getting bigger and better. Whether you’re celebrating the end of your GCSEs, A Levels or even leaving primary school, you deserve to mark your achievements properly, with your friends. Generation Y and Z are supposed to be the ‘experiential generations’ – we don’t care about accumulating stuff, but we do want to capture and enjoy special moments. And there’s nothing wrong with making that moment extra special by hiring a limo. Or a tank.
Prom Queen Divas will be shown on Channel 5 at 8PM on Thursday
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Picture: Getty
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.