As prom season is a month away at Edison, students are already planning every detail of the night. From buying dresses and tuxedos to deciding on their transportation — Edison students have been kept busy.
For many students, prom has become something they have imagined for years, with social media playing a huge role in how they plan the night. Trends from TikTok and Pinterest are influencing everything from dresses and makeup looks to promposals and transition videos. Students are also spending more time coordinating with friends and trying to create a night that feels memorable both in person and online.
“I feel like prom culture is definitely a lot more glam now,” Parisa Tahsin, a current senior said. “The dresses are more glittery and crystalized, and everyone wants to look unique while still keeping up with trends.”
She has been thinking about prom since freshman year, but only recently started planning. She explained that many of the trends she is seeing this year involve glam dresses with corset tops, crystals, and mermaid-style fits.
While girls have seen bigger changes in dress styles and accessories over the years, there has also been a noticeable change in colors becoming popular each season for the boys. Amirul Islam a current senior, explained that although tuxedos and suits stay relatively similar each year, the colors and styling trends continue to change depending on what is popular online.
“I think black, navy, dark green, and burgundy are probably going to be the most popular colors this year,” Amirul said.
Like many students, Amirul said Instagram has heavily influenced prom fashion ideas. He had noticed classic black suits, fitted tuxedos, velvet jackets, and matching ties becoming especially popular this year.
Along with prom outfits, social media trends are also influencing how couples prepare for prom together. Many students are planning TikTok transition videos and matching outfits before the dance.
“I saw the Bruno Mars ‘Cha Cha’ prom transition and I really liked that one, so I’m thinking of doing it,” Michelle Chavarria, a current senior said.
She was inspired by the popular “Cha Cha” prom transition trend on TikTok and hopes to recreate it with her boyfriend. Along with planning videos, Michelle said couples are also focusing on matching their outfits through accessories and colors. She explained that her boyfriend will likely match the color of her dress with his tie, showing how trends are influencing even the smaller details of prom preparation
Transportation has also become a bigger part of prom planning, with many students coordinating rides with friends or dates ahead of time. Students are planning to ride with their friends. Instead of expensive limousines, many students are choosing more practical options like shared cars or taxis
Jiayu Lin, a current senior said she plans to take a taxi with her friend to prom and believes many students are focusing more on convenience and spending time together rather than luxury transportation.
“A lot of friend groups are coordinating transportation together to make it more fun and easier,” Jiayu Lin said.
Behind the scenes, students on Edison’s prom committee have also been working for months to organize the event. This year the first step in planning prom was deciding on this year’s theme.
We first started with the theme,” Rozina Mowree, a current senior in the prom committee said. “Everyone gave in what they think the theme should be for prom.”
Rozina explained that this year’s theme is “In a Starry Night,” inspired by a night sky filled with stars and galaxy colors. Balancing how creative she can be with the school’s budget has become one of the most stressful parts of planning the event.
“For me personally, it was the budget,” Rozina said. “We tried to find something not too over-the-top, something that’s a little cheap, but it’s still good.”
As prom culture changes, Rozina believes students are becoming more comfortable attending prom on their own rather than only focusing on having a date.
“I feel like more people are now comfortable with prom and with going by themselves.,” Rozina said.
For many students spending time with friends matters more than creating the perfect social media moment for prom. “I’ll probably throw myself in front of the camera,” Natshon Ponnavolu, a current senior, said when talking about possible prom transition videos.
Rather than arriving with a date, Natshon said he plans on attending prom with his friends. Natshon highlights how the experience itself is what matters most for him and other students.
