Recently Faron Greenfield, so inspired by the prom phenomenon in his home town of Racine, decided to launch a Prom themed clothing line. This flashy new clothing line can be enjoyed by prom go-ers nationwide. Check out the catchy "future prom queen" and "prom survivor" accessories at his site.



I find it truly amazing how this small town has come together to focus on this special event for their kids. When local residents are inspired to make clothing lines in honor of a high school event, you know that you have something special going on. This is beyond any high school bake sale or musical production. This is an event to be anticipated by every resident of Racine, particularly the students and parents involved. When I think about my home town, or most towns in America, I can't help but think that most of the main high school events featured just a small group of students, just the most athletic or the most musical or the most artistically inclined. But in Racine, the main event, the prom, is shared by one and all. Now babies can flaunt their special prom bibs and truckers can flash their prom hats. Everyone either went through the prom or is close to someone who has. Racine's Promsession is something to look up to...and wear!

The clouds have parted, the snow has melted, the scarves, hats and mittens have been tucked away and the ice cream trucks have come out of hibernation. Yes, it's that time of year again. It's prom season. And with prom season - and all its' glorious sun and ice cream filled days - comes an overcast of gloomy prom headlines: parents concerned about underage drinking, school administrators concerned about explicit lyrics, students spending record amounts of money, teen pregnancies, segregated facilities and so on and so forth.

I'm not trying to say that these issues completely ignored through out the year. I guess I'm just concerned that when i google-search prom, what comes is mostly negative headlines focusing on the problems of prom.

There are probably a few things going on here:

-News, in general, likes to focus on disasters and mishaps. Let's be honest, people, for whatever reason, like to watch it more. More viewers means more ads. More ads means more money.

-Issues that exists year round come to the surface around prom: when parents, students and the administration all come together for one last harrah, 4 years of pent up denial and repression come back to haunt what should be the best night of a teenager's life.

What I love about the World's Best Prom is that it addresses a lot of issues without being dramatic. Take, for example, Tonya, who's prom experience is one mishap after another. But her story doesn't end there. Her story goes on to a personal level, to a place that headlines won't go because it's not breaking-news worthy. Also, the World's Best Prom doesn't go out of it's way to exploit "hot" topics like underage drinking, racism, classism and sex. Instead it shows you what's really going on, without exaggerating or passing judgment. WBP goes deeper than a headline and, in doing so, presents a wonderfully touching and moving side of prom without ignoring issues or exploiting them for shock value.

In a 2005 interview on NPR, Chris Talbott, who both attended the Racine, WI prom and co-directed The World's Best Prom, had this to say about his experience with prom:

The Students have their individual high school proms at all seven high schools but then they parade through town from each high school where they make red carpet, academy award style entrances through bleachers of screaming fans with live television coverage. And because it's such a big deal the kids come on fire engines, 18 wheeler trucks, somebody came on an elephant, somebody came on a tank. They get out of their cars and they preen and they yell and it's their moment to feel like a star.

For the full story, including audio clips from the film and behind the scene details from a Racine native and movie directors go to NPR.

Now, 2 years later, The World's Best Prom is still committed to documenting the over-the-top stories and memories of Racine prom-goers. A new feature on the WBP website allows Racine Prom Alums to share their photos and stories with eachother.

I found these pictures particularly striking. The first is of a bleacher lined entrance from a prom in the 60's. The second is of prom-news coverage 40 years later!

With prom season approaching, I thought I might highlight some of the many (many, many) websites and companies out there dedicated to helping out with your prom:

Chiff.com
These sites offer tips and advice on how to choose your prom location, decorations and themes, music, menus plus everything from promotion to final clean-up - along with great ideas for raising money to help feed any size committee budget.

Formalwear.org
Great resource for the prom planner newbie with a complete overview of how to pick a location, choosing your theme, picking a DJ vs. a live band, selecting a caterer and hiring a photographer.

PerfectProms.com
his site has plenty of prom advice and the section for prom coordinators and committees is extremely helpful. Check out the popular themes. You might find one you like - or find inspiration to come up with one of your own.

Stumps Prom and Party
With 78 years in the prom planning market, this company has plenty of experience to share - and lots of prom items to sell. But the prom how to's and tips are excellent and they offer free personal assistance...

Singer-songwrite April Smith's song "High School Memory" is featured on the World's Best Prom's website. To hear more check out her Myspace page. Here is a list of her upcoming shows. She's wonderful live. Hope you enjoy!

Feb 16 2007 8:00P	Ramapo College	Mahwah, New Jersey
Feb 19 2007 10:00P	Mercury Lounge	New York, New York
Feb 24 2007 8:00P	Dogfish Head	Rehoboth, Delaware
Mar 31 2007 9:00P	Hey Cole Anniversary Show at The Court Tavern!	New Brunswick, New Jersey

Last night I watched Stephen King's Carrie for the first time. For those of you who don't know, the movie is about Carrie, a social outcast, who is asked to prom by one of the in-crowders only to find this dream-come-true is not at all what she had anticipated. Her disappointment manifests itself in Satanic powers and, in the end, Carrie has her revenge on all her taunting peers and her oppressive mother.




Stephen King and Brian De Palma were commenting (in their twisted and gruesome way) on the hype and intensity that lead up to prom and the disappointment which many feel when the night isn't the prom they'd hoped for. Nowadays films seem to be the exact opposite: while watching the movie I couldn't help but be reminded of 1999's She's all That
in which loser-girl-turned-prom-queen actually turns out to be the cutest, most interesting and, ultimately, most popular girl around. In the end of She's All That the audience is reminded, as it usually is, that prom night is magical and amazing.

It should be clear by now to everyone that there are people out there who really love the prom and all it represents, who cherish every moment from the planning committee to the drunken-aftermath. And then there are those out there who think it's an utterly ridiculous social construct worthy of blood drenched exploitation and a serious reexamination of significance. I think that Carrie and She's All That are exemplar of these two ways of thinking about prom.

Where does the World's Best Prom fit in in this prom-spectrum? If you ask me, WBP captures the more beautiful moments that a prom can foster, the interpersonal bonding, familial pride and, most significantly, the sense of community that a prom creates. Sorry Stephen King, but add WBP to the list of movies that prove that prom isn't all that bad. Sure we, as a culture, may spend an obscene amount of time thinking about it and an even more obscene amount of money paying for it, but at the end of the night there are happy endings out there, and does that really call for a blood bath? Really? Probs not, Stephen, probs not. (For the record, I really liked the movie, a lot. Also kind of liked She's All That. What can I say? I just love movies about prom. A lot.)

Here are some of the best prom-disaster stories I've come across lately:

My girlfriends and me were at the prom together because of the shortage of guys at my school. We all had oysters to start and they made us ill and Sarah was sick on herself, and I puked down the side off the table and it ran onto the dance floor. The prom was abandoned because everyone was so sick and we never got to do the final dance. Beware shellfish!

I live in a small town, and my friend and her date decided to get a limo with her dates friends. Well they decided to go to the nearest city for dinner, and the nearest one is 50 miles away. Well needless to say on their way back, they got a flat tire and the driver couldn't change it. They had to call home for a school bus to come get them, they sat in the limo for and 1 1/2, missing most of prom. When they finally got back, they were just in time for the "walk" and the announcement of court and still had to leave on a bus.


My friend ordered us a party bus instead of a limo. We were all looking forward to the big white bus's arrival (it was supposed to be bringing all of us girls balloon bouquets). To start things off, the bus did not arrive until 45 minutes later than it was supposed to and to our surprise, this little navy blue
painted school bus pulled up. It was falling apart!! The door had to be shout with a rope, and it would fly open during our ride. What a disaster!

Me and a friend went to Victoria's Secret to buy corsets and while we were getting dressed the padding in her bra flew under the door and out into public!! We were in the same dressing room so we both were trying to reach for it from under the door! We got our corsets, and while the lady was putting them in the bag she leaned and whispered, "Next time just ask for help.


Better luck next time! Oh, wait, there is no next time. Better luck at your wedding!!!