Last updated at 13:33, Monday, 18 June 2012

It started in America, now it seems there isn’t a secondary school in the country that doesn’t stage its own high school prom as a way for sweet 16s to mark their final school days.

Lauren Crowther, of Trinity School, Carlisle, chooses a dress

The events are a world away from the leavers’ dos anyone over the age of about 25 will remember.

Girls especially go all-out to make sure they look perfect on their prom night, so much so that you could say proms have become like mini weddings... but with more colour.

Shoes, make-up, hair, tiara, jewellery and spray tans are all part of the perfect prom look and once all these details are chosen there’s the arranging of the evening itself, with arriving in style a top priority.

Shona Rhianne Ross is likely to turn heads when she arrives at her school prom at the Castle Inn, Bassenthwaite, this Friday .

Her stunning black lace dress is a traditional big prom gown and she can’t wait to wear it.

“I’m the type of person who likes to go for something different,” she admits. “I’m a shepherd not a sheep.

“I thought I wanted a purple dress but when I went into the shop, I knew I had to have it.

“I think I was one of the first to get an appointment for a prom dress at Dresses and Dreams, in Workington – in October last year.

“It’s like the American style for a prom and it’s what a prom is all about, but I don’t think a lot of people have gone for big dresses this year.”

The top layer of the dress is black with scattered peacock feathers, champagne colours underneath and layered netting to give a huge skirt. It cost about £400.

“It’s quite heavy to wear,” she laughs. “It makes you stand up straight. My sister had a similar amount of material for her prom dress a few years ago.”

Shona, from Whitehaven, tried out her new hairstyle at a family wedding at the weekend.

She also had a spray tan, Shellac nails with sparkles and eyelashes tinted for the wedding and these will just need to be touched up for the prom, with Swarovski crystals added to her nails.

These beauty appointments were booked by the end of last year.

On the day of the prom, all the pupils at St Benedict’s School in Whitehaven will be picked up from the school and taken to the prom by coach.

“I’m a bit disappointed that I can’t go in a limo,” Shona, 15, says. “The school stopped people from going in limos.

“I hope I can fit in the coach in my dress.

“I’ve always been looking forward to the prom and I’m really excited. it’s very American and you see it all in films – it’s a good excuse to dress up.”

Now Katie Dixon has finished her GCSE exams her thoughts are firmly fixed on her school prom next month.

The 15-year-old Cockermouth School pupil will be joining friends at Hunday Manor on July 4 for their final celebration together.

While she started thinking about the prom last year she says she was one of the last of her friends to choose her prom dress.

She tried on several dresses before she found the perfect one, first in Manchester in February and then with mum Angela at Dresses and Dreams in March.

“When we started year 11 we were excited because we knew this would be the year that we’d have a prom,” she says. “I thought I wanted a floaty dress but I realised I didn’t suit them and so I found one I liked on the internet.”

She finally chose a floor-length dress with a fitted top, laced-up back, big skirt with a train and diamanté detail in sapphire blue.

It cost £320 and she found shoes for £30.

She’ll be having a spray tan two days before the prom and on the day her hair will be styled with a diamanté clip and she’ll get her make-up made up at a beauty salon in Cockermouth.

Katie, who is hoping to go into sixth form in September, says: “I’m getting excited about the prom, some of my friends are leaving or moving away so we might as well have a good last night together.

“It will be really nice but also sad at the same time.”

She’s hiring a limousine with seven of her friends to take them to the prom at a cost of £21 each.

Her mum Angela has taken the day off work on prom day so she can see them all leave and take photographs.

“We’ve all got good friends who are lads and they’ll be our dates,” explains Katie. “We’re meeting them there and I showed my date my dress and he has got a matching tie.

“Some people are being secretive and not saying anything about their dress and going to the prom.

“I think that some people who are from farming families will be coming in tractors.

“You only get to go to your school prom once so it’s worth it.”

The proms have been organised by the year 11 pupils for the past five years and they elect a committee which is overseen by the head boy and girl.

They make all the decisions and the school’s finance department deals with ticket payments. Tickets cost £30 and there’ll be a buffet, awards, DJ, band, photographer, photo booth and cupcake treats.

Lauren Carruthers from Carlisle was so keen to get her prom dress that she chose it before the date of the prom was confirmed.

The 16-year-old Trinity School pupil has been thinking about the dress she’ll wear for years and it was in January this year that she went shopping with mum Andrea and chose an elegant one for £229.

“It’s expensive for one night,” she admits. “You want it to be perfect though.”

She has also bought a pair of light pink shoes which were in the sale and she still needs to get a bag.

While some girls will wear a tiara, Lauren, of Kingmoor Road, is thinking about wearing a flower in her hair and “might” get her nails done.

To complete the glamorous look and justify all the effort that’ll go into getting ready, arriving at the prom in style is top of the list.

There will be a sit down meal and disco at the Crown and Mitre on Friday, June 29 and there’ll be a presentation of awards and some teachers and pupils will be dancing a waltz which they’ve been practicing.

On the night Lauren and a group of 10 friends will meet at one of their houses in Houghton and a limousine will drive them to Carlisle.

“This might be the last time we’re all together as we’re all going on to do different things,” she adds.

Carol Roberts, of Carol Roberts Couture Bridal in Carlisle believes choosing a prom dress has taken on a similar process to choosing a wedding dress.

Dresses are sold on a first come first served basis to avoid girls buying the same dresses for the same prom.

“The average spend this year is between £200 and £275 but last year it was about £350,” she says.

“The girls from Trinity are usually up on the prom trends but this year they’ve been going for simpler dresses – such as chiffon.

“They’re dresses they’ll be able to wear again, maybe to a wedding or to the races.

“They’re elegant sleeker styles. We have sold some bigger dresses as well but I think My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding has put some girls off wearing them.

“It’s a big important date in their calendar. It’s a landmark event – it’s the end of school and chance to mark it with your friends. I think it’s right to celebrate.”

The prom season starts early for Dresses and Dreams in Workington, with girls typically coming in from September for proms the following year.

February is the last month for ordering dresses for a guaranteed delivery for a summer prom.

Elaine Chambers says: “We only sell one design to each school so they know to come in early.

“They usually know what they want because they’ve planned it for so long. They’re very decisive and have a colour in mind.”

Elaine says most popular dresses are the big American style prom dresses in bright colours with heavy beading and they’re typically spending £300 to £400 on a dress.

“They’re going for anything from bright orange and purple to multicoloured dresses and pink is always popular,” she says. “It’s like a mini wedding but with more colour.

“Every year they want to do something different from the girls the year before.”

First published at 11:30, Monday, 18 June 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk