The Prom™

[Pua'i Mana'o]

tonight is my kid's prom. As neither my husband nor I attended the prom in our high school days, I had no idea what to expect, in terms of needs.

Last month we got the dress, shoes, and undergarments. A mahu relative in the biz got us the dress for dirt cheap, which looked more like a costume from Dreamgirls than anything else.

But today...

got the hair done by another mahu relative.

got the face rhinolined by yet another mahu relative.

Ma! Can we go to Claire's? I want to wear elbow-lengthed gloves! (WTF??)

Ma! What about the lei?

What lei?

Ma, we need a lei for the Date®.

You didn't say anything about a lei. Why didn't you say anything about this before? Where are we going to find a lei right now? (this was 4pm this evening).

Call yet another Very Important Relative and look for the maile hookup. Shrugmhuminarrugrrrlll those buggahs are expensive! Long lecture ensues on absentedmindedness on execution day. Teen retorts with a fable about spilt milk. Mother applies conventional wisdom and teen obliges the point. mummumblefreakingkid...

Why am I on the internet when I really want a bubblebath and a glass of white zin?

[Lei Liko]

Re: The Prom™

I wish I had mahu friends in HS. It would have saved me lots of $$$ so I didn't have to get my hair and makeup professionally done.

Next month makes exactly 10 years since my senior prom. I didn't realize it back then, but I was damn lucky to have a mom who was willing to shell out almost $500 just so me and the date could go to prom. My date didn't attend my HS, so she had to take care of both prom tickets in addition to my dress, hair/makeup, and his lei.

And regarding the lei/bouquet -- my rule back then was to order the lei as soon as I got the date. If not the date, then order em when I got the dress. I don't know how much maile with pikake goes for these days, but those things were about $50-$60 a pop. The bouquets I received were about the same price, I think. Corsages a little cheaper...but you only wore corsages to everything else but prom. Back then, if you didn't get a bouquet that matched your dress, your date (actually, his parents) were cheap. Consider you guys lucky for even finding maile the day of the prom!

This wasn't just limited to my junior/senior proms, either. I was lucky to have been asked to banquets/Valentines' Day Balls/Winterballs/other school proms. I was even more lucky to have friends the same size as me because we often swapped dresses when we got asked to other school functions.

We never bothered to get a limo because most of us had our driver's licenses by then. The money we didn't spend on a limo was eventually used to chip in for a hotel room. Usually there was a big group of us for a room, so nothing naughty could happen.

One of my nieces is using my senior prom dress two weeks from now for her senior prom. Who knew 10 years ago that the cute black dress we bought from Rafael would come in handy again? She'll probably rock it better than I ever could. Oh, to be a Size 2 again.

This thread brought back memories. I think I'm gonna go dig up my prom pics now.

[greentara]

Re: The Prom™

tonight is my kid's prom. As neither my husband nor I attended the prom in our high school days, I had no idea what to expect, in terms of needs.

Last month we got the dress, shoes, and undergarments. A mahu relative in the biz got us the dress for dirt cheap, which looked more like a costume from Dreamgirls than anything else.

But today...

got the hair done by another mahu relative.

got the face rhinolined by yet another mahu relative.

Ma! Can we go to Claire's? I want to wear elbow-lengthed gloves! (WTF??)

Ma! What about the lei?

What lei?

Ma, we need a lei for the Date®.

You didn't say anything about a lei. Why didn't you say anything about this before? Where are we going to find a lei right now? (this was 4pm this evening).

Call yet another Very Important Relative and look for the maile hookup. Shrugmhuminarrugrrrlll those buggahs are expensive! Long lecture ensues on absentedmindedness on execution day. Teen retorts with a fable about spilt milk. Mother applies conventional wisdom and teen obliges the point. mummumblefreakingkid...

Why am I on the internet when I really want a bubblebath and a glass of white zin?

LOL hope you had a nice bubblebath and glass of wine...

I can add the requests of my God Son for his prom this year btw he lives in the OC = Video filming ~ Limo ~ and $100 spending money – his mother and I had a good laugh – needless to say his “requests” were not granted. For my prom we were lucky enough to get a dinner at Trader Vics and our parents car for the evening.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: The Prom™

Hmmm. Things changed? Back in my days, the guys were supposed to furnish the lei or corsage. Didn't have no limos either. We doubled up with whomever had the nicest "family" car to use that night. Speaking of which, I never went to any of our proms anyway. Spent those nights out at Waimea Bay with the "da hippy guys".

I did go to a Wailua HS prom. A "good" friend talked me into going as his girlfriend's girlfriend's date. It's the only way she'd go with him. I do remember that WE ordered the leis and corsages. Sheesh, we had to pick up the girls in Haleiwa then drive to Waiks, then back to Haleiwa. In those days the distance didn't matter much. Nowdays, das a heck of a lot of driving. Oh, never did see my date again.

[tutusue]

Re: The Prom™

[...]I was lucky to have been asked to banquets/Valentines' Day Balls/Winterballs/other school proms.[...]

I'm not sure if "lucky" is the right word! After meeting you at the HT Christmas party there's no doubt you were in demand, Lei!

I remember one prom, double dating, cold night, coats over dresses. The 4 of us get to the prom and remove our coats. The other girl and I had on the exact same dress!!! Fortunately neither of us had any hangups about it and played it to the hilt for the rest of the evening!

During my high school days in SoCal I don't even remember dinner being a precursor to the prom. A boutonnière and a wrist coursage was the extent of the "extras"! Oh, and for the gals, shoes from Leed's dyed to match the dress! Dang, the prom was a huge deal, but not an overly expensive one.

It was much more intense when my daughters were in high school...early to mid 80s.

Hey PM...I hope your daughter had a great time and that you finally got to relax!

[craigwatanabe]

Re: The Prom™

tonight is my kid's prom. As neither my husband nor I attended the prom in our high school days, I had no idea what to expect, in terms of needs.

Last month we got the dress, shoes, and undergarments. A mahu relative in the biz got us the dress for dirt cheap, which looked more like a costume from Dreamgirls than anything else.

But today...

got the hair done by another mahu relative.

got the face rhinolined by yet another mahu relative.

Ma! Can we go to Claire's? I want to wear elbow-lengthed gloves! (WTF??)

Ma! What about the lei?

What lei?

Ma, we need a lei for the Date®.

You didn't say anything about a lei. Why didn't you say anything about this before? Where are we going to find a lei right now? (this was 4pm this evening).

Call yet another Very Important Relative and look for the maile hookup. Shrugmhuminarrugrrrlll those buggahs are expensive! Long lecture ensues on absentedmindedness on execution day. Teen retorts with a fable about spilt milk. Mother applies conventional wisdom and teen obliges the point. mummumblefreakingkid...

Why am I on the internet when I really want a bubblebath and a glass of white zin?

Your kid go Kamehameha too? My boy had his prom at Kamehameha last night too. My wife flew in from Honolulu to present a bouquet for his date. She bought the flowers from Watanabe Florists on Oahu and made the arrangement herself when she got here (Keaau).

Ahh yes three of six...three more to go before the empty nest. Seems like a production line everytime a kid graduates from high school for my family.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: The Prom™

Your kid go Kamehameha too? My boy had his prom at Kamehameha last night too. My wife flew in from Honolulu to present a bouquet for his date. She bought the flowers from Watanabe Florists on Oahu and made the arrangement herself when she got here (Keaau).

Ahh yes three of six...three more to go before the empty nest. Seems like a production line everytime a kid graduates from high school for my family.

SIX!!!!! Geez Craig, I pulling hairs with oni one girl. Thank gawd my oddah one is a boy and 24. Oh. Nevermind that one. He's seeing someone pretty seriously. Might have to worry about other stuffs in the near future.

[Miulang]

Re: The Prom™

I know it's a rite of passage and all that, but SHEESH. Expecting parents to cough up that kind of kala for what? 3 hours and a couple of photographs???

Back in the Pleistocene Age, we mostly had our dresses made (no designer gowns), did our own hair and makeup, we used our own cars to get to and from the dance, and at the time, Maui didn't really have any high class restaurants, so I think we had a party at Kepaniwai Park afterwards and got home by midnight. Oh yeah, and we bought boutonierres for the guys and they bought us corsages.

Miulang

[craigwatanabe]

Re: The Prom™

okay so the Tux rental came out to $150

the picture taking came out to $50

the limo...priceless because my boy's date drove Talk about cheap!

[oceanpacific]

Re: The Prom™

I have no real memories of the prom. The closest I got to it was in my junior year. The junior class sponsored it for the seniors and as a class officer, I was obliged to be at the door to greet the guests. I then retired to the kitchen with my other non-attendee friends on the refreshment committee. I also provided transportation for one of my fellow class officers who represented us at another school's prom twenty miles up the coast.

Other activities I did go to which were "near-prom" included a semi-formal commencement ball of which I was a co-chair, and a dinner-dance at UH-Hilo which required a tuxedo for the guys. The tux rental was quite inexpensive those days: $15.00 for the entire outfit (jacket, ruffled shirt, trousers, bow tie, and cummerbund). No top hats, walking canes, or capes.

OTOH, all of my kids went to the prom at least twice. That doesn't include Winter Balls. My oldest girl went to five proms and gave tips to my youngest daughter, with the admonition: NO SENSE ASKING DADDY ABOUT PROMS. HE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THEM! So true ........

Our home has been the meeting place for the last four proms my younger kids attended. The other parents were in complete agreement that it was a good idea. The limousine arrived to pick everyone up and returned just past midnight. I like the idea of a professional driver taking them to-and-from the event.

[tutusue]

Re: The Prom™

[...]Our home has been the meeting place for the last four proms my younger kids attended. The other parents were in complete agreement that it was a good idea. The limousine arrived to pick everyone up and returned just past midnight. I like the idea of a professional driver taking them to-and-from the event.

Like yours, my home was also the pre-prom gathering place for my kids and their friends. That was a selfish offering on my part. I wanted to see everyone, take pictures and ooooh and aaaaah! Good grief...they were all so adorable! Fun times. I loved the teen years. I know. I know! Weird, huh?!

[greentara]

Re: The Prom™

shoes from Leed's dyed to match the dress

OMG haven't thought of Leed's in years...yup ya had to have those dyed to match shoes.

[Got2HaVKaYaNoW]

Re: The Prom™

Almost got to the prom

.....the boyfriend/now husband, he got the dress, his tux, the flowers, my accesorries, the tickets(*the nerve of some boys not paying for da tickets, nowadays) & yup, I got a mahu uncle too, who did da hair & make up, the only thing I paid for was the kauwila, I spent $80 to rent a Cadillac DeVille, I think I got the better deal.

the dress was made for me, I picked this black and white hawaiian print material,(*I'm not one for frilly dresses & I dont want someone with the same dress as me), I told the seamtress I wanted it to have a halter top, backless fitted at the waist, long cut dress with the slit running up the thigh...uuhh, it was gorgeous....of course I still have it, after all this time, I tried it on & i fit it!

I picked him up, since I had da kar, went to Waik's via Waimanalo Hawaii kai way, so that we could stop and take our own pictures at Makapuu.

We get to waikiki, it was too early, so we went to ALOHA TOWER and oh oh....Natural vibes was scheduled to play later that night, and couple other bands too....we ended up going to the prom just to eat & bounced & went back to ALOHA TOWER...!!!

that was fun.....

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: The Prom™

Your kid go Kamehameha too? My boy had his prom at Kamehameha last night too. My wife flew in from Honolulu to present a bouquet for his date. She bought the flowers from Watanabe Florists on Oahu and made the arrangement herself when she got here (Keaau).

Ahh yes three of six...three more to go before the empty nest. Seems like a production line everytime a kid graduates from high school for my family.

No none of my children attend KS, nor did they attend KS' prom (which was one of four of B.I. schools that held their proms last evening).

Their afterparty was not held in a hotel room, but on a farm lot.

[Lei K]

Re: The Prom™

Their afterparty was not held in a hotel room, but on a farm lot.

Country to da max. Love it.