Prom night at Camden High School, New Jersey

[Blatherskite]

Originally Posted by Sister Ray

The last one in the first post looks like it's a woman in her twenties, not a high school kid.

Sister "although the dress is kind of cool" Ray

The pregnancy bump one? I also think it looks like a wedding dress rather than a prom dress, although my school never had a prom so my image of a typical prom dress is based on nothing much.

It's a bit 'experimental maternity fashion' but, again, I don't see what's supposed to be so trashy about it, considering the theme of the original forward. It covers a large percentage of boob and leg. Oh, let me guess: she's purportedly a teenager and evidence of teenage pregnancy is evidence of Sluttery In Females (because everybody knows teenagers can't get pregant from one mistake or a long-term relationship).

[Jenn]

Originally Posted by Blatherskite

The pregnancy bump one? I also think it looks like a wedding dress rather than a prom dress

Brides don't typically wear corsages on the wrists. Girls going to prom typically do.

[Wolf333]

I just wonder why an 85 year old man from Massachusetts was taking pictures at a prom in New Jersey

Yeah, I know the op never said that the FIL took the pictures, but when these types of emails include the (vague) source, it's usually to at least attempt to validate them. The 85 year old father in law doesn't really add anything...

[Cervus]

Originally Posted by Blatherskite

The pregnancy bump one? I also think it looks like a wedding dress rather than a prom dress, although my school never had a prom so my image of a typical prom dress is based on nothing much.

It's a bit 'experimental maternity fashion' but, again, I don't see what's supposed to be so trashy about it, considering the theme of the original forward. It covers a large percentage of boob and leg. Oh, let me guess: she's purportedly a teenager and evidence of teenage pregnancy is evidence of Sluttery In Females (because everybody knows teenagers can't get pregant from one mistake or a long-term relationship).

I first saw this photo years ago. Ignoring the pregnancy aspect, it's an unflattering dress that really could have used a little decoration on the bodice or something. Unfortunately, it looks like a satin bedsheet was draped over her. The Tina Turner hairstyle doesn't flatter her, and the young woman doesn't look very happy.

[GalateaDancer]

This is not a prom dress, this is a belly dance costume. Which of course, she way well have decided to wear to the prom. It's a relatively inexpensive version, often referred to as a Turkish Airport Special, because they are often sold in very touristy stores.

They're very common costuming among student and hobbyist dancers - I had one myself before upgrading to more higher end, pro costuming. Most actual dancers will switch out the filmy, nearly transparent skirts for something a little more substantial, like I did here

[Blatherskite]

Cervus: Oh, I whole some-random-organ-edly agree that it's a butt ugly ensemble. But considering the theme of the initial forward seems to be that the dresses and tuxes of black people are 'trashy' rather than merely unflattering, I don't get it. It's just a pregnancy bump. It's not like the hole is framing a bared crotch (now that would be an interesting frock). Even if she is a teenager, she must be eighteen at least, and that's only barely within the whole shame-addled branding of 'unwed teenage mother'.

It seems to fit into the whole culture of 'urgh' a lot of men (and many women) have about pregnant women and mother's bodies.

And let's not even open the whole can of toothy death worms regarding the attitude that if a teenager gets pregant she must be a slut.

[Lainie]

Originally Posted by GalateaDancer

This is not a prom dress, this is a belly dance costume. Which of course, she way well have decided to wear to the prom. It's a relatively inexpensive version, often referred to as a Turkish Airport Special, because they are often sold in very touristy stores.

And it doesn't fit her very well. It would be far more flattering if it weren't so tight through the bust and around the waist/hips -- it creates rolls that wouldn't be there otherwise.

But wearing clothes that don't fit is certainly common enough among a wide variety of women, IME. I think some women just don't know how to tell whether a garment fits them or not, or whether it flatters them or not.

[A Turtle Named Mack]

I think the 'Buick seat covers' comment would have been pretty good, if the reference to 'The Hood' had been left out. I wonder if that was actually a musical group in that photo.

[Cervus]

Originally Posted by A Turtle Named Mack

I think the 'Buick seat covers' comment would have been pretty good, if the reference to 'The Hood' had been left out. I wonder if that was actually a musical group in that photo.

I noticed that the womens' purses and shoes were made out of that material, and the guys even have it as accents on their sneakers.

[Tootsie Plunkette]

I wonder if the first four were from some sort of talent show at a school. Actually, a lot of these look like costumes for musical or dance acts.

[curlygirl]

Originally Posted by Blatherskite

The pregnancy bump one?

Originally Posted by Cervus

I first saw this photo years ago.

It was used in initiation threads at least as far back as 2005. By late 2005 it was on the "don't use this photo in your initiation or else" list, so I'd say it had been doing the rounds for quite some time before that.

[Simply Madeline]

Originally Posted by A Turtle Named Mack

I think the 'Buick seat covers' comment would have been pretty good, if the reference to 'The Hood' had been left out. I wonder if that was actually a musical group in that photo.

Originally Posted by Cervus

I noticed that the womens' purses and shoes were made out of that material, and the guys even have it as accents on their sneakers.

Isn't that a Louis Vuitton pattern? I seem to recall seeing it on (overpriced) purses a couple of years ago.

[Floater]

Why do I keep reading the subject line as "Porn night at Camden High School, New Jersey"?

[JoeBentley]

My sister told me that for some of the dances her school will do a "theme." Is it possible some of the pictures are for something like that?

[Bettie Page Turner]

God help us all if our worth and intelligence are to be judged by the fashion choices we made as teens.

[Jenn]

Originally Posted by JoeBentley

My sister told me that for some of the dances her school will do a "theme." Is it possible some of the pictures are for something like that?

I wondered something similar about the sports jersey outfits. Themed parties are pretty big here, too. At high schools in the district I grew up in, there is a traditional black-tie formal ceremony and dinner (some schools even have policies regarding the length of dresses; anything shorter than mid-calf was deemed not formal enough) for the graduating class, followed by a late-night party at the school with a theme.

I wore this to the after party at my graduation, but it's not at all representative of what I wore to the formal event earlier in the day.

[JoeBentley]

Originally Posted by Bettie Page Turner

God help us all if our worth and intelligence are to be judged by the fashion choices we made as teens.

Hey plenty of Nobel Prize winners wore acid washed jeans, neon T-shirts, and BKs.

[firefighter_raven]

Originally Posted by Bettie Page Turner

God help us all if our worth and intelligence are to be judged by the fashion choices we made as teens.

sadly despite my best efforts there is still photographic proof of me sporting the mullet in the early 90's (my younger cousins had a ball when they found those and were more then happy to share them with my wife)

[Roadsterboy]

Originally Posted by Cervus

I noticed that the womens' purses and shoes were made out of that material, and the guys even have it as accents on their sneakers.

Originally Posted by Simply Madeleine

Isn't that a Louis Vuitton pattern? I seem to recall seeing it on (overpriced) purses a couple of years ago.

I can't tell if it's an actual LV pattern or something that looks similar-I remember seeing someone wearing a hoodie in what looked like the LV pattern but the logo had different letters.

ISTR that this is a prom photo, though I can't find where I originally read it.

-RB

[DarkDan]

Well, it's not taking place at Camden High School in the first four photos. Camden police cars do not look like that and the school's parking lot does not face any houses.