You are Cinderella and you’ve been invited to a royal ball. You and your fairy godmother have been to every formal shop in the city and on the coast, searching through the clothing racks to find the perfect dress.
For many girls, getting ready for their high school formal is like getting ready for their wedding day. Months are spent agonising over the details, and many trips across town are made for that perfect dress.
A huge part of the problem was all the hype that surrounded formals, or proms as they are referred to in America (unhealthy doses of romantic comedies didn’t help much either). I put way too much emphasis on my grade 12 formal, and while it was a fun celebration to end school with, it certainly was not my wedding day.
“Be realistic” are the words I told myself over and over again, but I didn’t really take that advice on board…and I really should have listened to myself (for once!) Yes, it’s good to make the most out of the experience. Spend ridiculous amounts of time looking for the perfect heels to match your amazing dress, and shop around for that particular style of clutch you must have to store you phone and lipstick in. But try to keep in mind this is not the first and last time you’ll get to dress up for a celebration.
Relax, have fun and enjoy…not just the buzz of formal shopping, but the formal itself. You only have a few hours, so mingle with your grade, take lots of happy snaps with your friends and create some incredible, unforgettable memories!