Recently, some members of the Class of 2024 have made the decision to make the switch from short, “cocktail” dresses to longer gowns for prom this year. As a junior, I’ve always loved the thought of wearing a long dress for my junior prom, and then a short dress to signify my seniority, so this shocking change to a longstanding tradition is leaving me confused.

Seniors at LFHS prom have primarily been wearing short dresses for many years now. While it isn’t a requirement, and any dress worn by any class is acceptable, it’s more of a standard that has been consistently followed since around 2007, and last year was no exception, as seen on the red carpet. 

There has been some talk around the school for a few years about switching back to an all long dress prom attire, but no action has been taken until this year. 

An instagram account for seniors was created to take a poll on their thoughts on a possible switch, and the majority of the vote was people who wanted to wear long dresses this year.  

Mrs. Nelson, beloved study hall teacher since 2001, says that she remembers “both juniors and seniors wearing long dresses to prom” when she started working at Lake Forest.

“All of a sudden, year by year, the length of the senior class dresses started to go short, and I don’t know when exactly that changed. I think that all of the kids would enjoy wearing long dresses to prom,” Nelson said.

I understand the desire to wear long dresses to prom – the majority of the student body already wears cocktail-length dresses to other school events, like Homecoming and the Winter Formal – but many seniors have looked forward to their final school event of their senior year wearing a short dress. 

Current Class of 2024 senior Alana Tennett says that she “doesn’t know how to feel” about this decision from many of her peers. She recalls a current staff member who is an LFHS alum showing a picture from his senior prom, and all of the girls in the picture were in short dresses. 

“I don’t want to be known as ‘that grade’ that changed a long-standing tradition,” Tennett said. “It seems very abrupt, so I’m not sure if it will actually be something that is followed through with.”

Personally, if I’m going to be wearing one long dress I really love my junior year, I want to splurge on that dress once. Having to buy an entirely new gown for my senior year seems far fetched, and a much bigger financial burden than only going all out once. 

Some of the other schools around the North Suburban Conference, such as Libertyville, Lake Zurich, and Stevenson, wear long dresses for both of their upperclassmen years to prom, but that is what their tradition is. 

It’s possible to make a change to a longstanding tradition, but there just isn’t a necessary change that needs to be made. Maybe the next few years will be a toss-up to see what each senior class decides to do, so only time will tell what the ‘standard’ will be in the future.  

While this change doesn’t directly affect me this year, I’m unsure of whether or not this will carry onto my senior year, and if this will be a permanent change at LFHS. Anyone can wear whatever they want to prom, but I know I will want to stick to the short dress tradition.