Thursday, May 14, 2009

Slice of Lime-Prom

It's that time of year when girls primp and boys strangle themselves with ties and corsage/boutonniere sales skyrocket. It's prom season. We shall commence with the old pictures and move through time to present day. Here we have young Lime when she was a junior in high school and asked to attend this young man's prom. Finances being what they were, she borrowed a frothy pink confection from a friend. It was the mid 80s after all, when froth was at its height. Please take note that Young Lime;'s hair was not at its height as she resisted baptism into the Church of Aquanet. Upon seeing this and other pictures her father could only comment on the proliferation of upper lip whiskers possessed by "the date" in spite of said date's tender age. Lime's cousin, who was an exchange student to Spain and who had found herself a Spanish boyfriend, told Young Lime half of this picture was being carried around by her Spanish boyfriend's best pal who wanted to be able to tell folks he had an American girlfriend like his amigo. I wonder if he was a better dancer than my date?


The following year I was a senior and it was time for my own prom. Mother Lime told me since I had been so thrifty the previous year she'd make me the prom gown of my choosing for my own prom. I was very grateful. Here she is hard at work on my gown.


And here is the finished product. Yes, it was the 80s so it was still covered in lace, but it lacked froth and it wasn't pink. It was a simple, strapless tea length with an A-line skirt. I was quite pleased with the work Mother Lime had done. Pity I had such rotten posture.
It is interesting to note that though my date this year was....erm...considerably older than the previous year's date, the younger guy had a better 'stache. In the words of Forest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that." Let's skip ahead shall we?


Now we come to my own Limelette and her prom. Two years ago she and her sister found my old blue prom gown and wanted to try it on. It fit them like a glove and they declared, "We never knew you were as skinny as us!" I resisted the urge to smack them and extended grace when they asked if they could wear it to their respective proms by granting permission to do so. Flash forward to earlier this year when Diana pulled it from the closet once again and discovered she could no longer wedge herself into the tiny garment. She asked Mother Lime if she'd be willing to sew her dress. If you recall, Mother Lime agreed most delightedly and a pattern and fabric were selected. Here is an early mock up made from bed sheets.

Mother Lime worked diligently and produced a fine garment. Since I bought the pattern and fabric she said she wanted to pay for the hairdresser. Last Friday Prom day arrived so we all piled in to the salon as Diana had her hair piled up. Just for a point of reference I offer a "before" picture.


After about an hour here is a midstage picture. Quite the mass of curls, no?


Finally, after another hour, 2 rubber bands, 58 bobby pins, and a gallon of hairspray, we have the completed work. We were all quite pleased even if Diana said her hair felt somewhat helmet like. It was at this point I reminded her of the advice she gave me when she was but 8 years old and I complained about something I had to endure for a semi formal occasion, "It's fashion. It has to hurt."

After a quick bite for lunch and some time primping at home we have the grand unveiling along with the seamstress.

The full effect.

The date, with nary a trace of fuzz upon his upper lip.


"The look," which has defined this child's expression for much of her life. "Would you take the last picture already so I can just get on with it???" There are those who have suggested this look is a perfect derivative of someone else they know. I can't imagine who they might mean.



Just a little closeup I thought was nice. I am happy to report, a good time was had by all.

27 comments:

Maureen said...

Hah! I know that look!!!! I get it nearly every day!!! And my daughter is preparing for her Grad from grade 12 in June (you guys are always ahead of us Canucks).

I think all the dresses are beautiful (says the woman who wore a bright green dress in 1977).

furiousBall said...

beautiful girl, beautiful mom

for a different kind of girl said...

Your beautiful daughter looks just like you!

I love how I think high school students look so much older than we ever did back in the day, but when I see old prom photos from back in our day (I promise to quit using that phrase now!) the boys look so much older than any high school student should! I think it was the hardcore mustache growing so many of them were doing (back in the day...)(sorry!)

Shadow said...

what an array of beautiful women and gowns in this post!

Bijoux said...

Limelet and her date are so cute! We have had no prom goers in this house. College Daughter hates that sort of thing and so did I (back in the day!!!!) Although I'm sure I could find a photo of Husband looking dapper in a blue tux or something.

S said...

The dress came out awesome! She looks lovely in it.

Now, being the cotton gal that I am, I am much more attracted to the bedsheet version. I remember on project runway when "jeffery" made a gown out of yellow cotton plaid. Very unconventional and very successful, he won!

I am so glad you girl had a good time and an awesome Grandma helped to make that happen.

Jazz said...

Look at you in your frothy pink confection. Like a wedding cake it is. I much prefer the "real" prom dress.

And your daughter (and her dress) are lovely.

Suldog said...

Wow! What an amazing array of feminine pulchritude! And all embodied in only two women ready for their proms - Lime and The Limelette.

While your dates had the lip fuzz, Lime, I sported the Elvis sideburns during my latter years of torture - excuse me, high school. RED Elvis sideburns, I might add.

No, there will not be photos made available.

G-Man said...

That girl is STUNNING!!
Just like Mom....

Craver Vii said...

As I read this and perused the pics, I found it thoroughly delightful. Your experiences rekindled own prom memories and made me grin. But then, I realized that my younger daughter is almost sixteen, and I could feel my hair instantly turning gray.

You are both stunning, by the way.

Desmond Jones said...

Aw, Lime, you wuz such a QTPi. And so's yer Limelet (I'm gettin' quite a kick outta Suldog's 'feminine pulchritude'; well put, bro). It's funny, ain't it, that our willowy daughters turn out not to be able to fit into the clothes that we once wore (Even 6F, who's 14, is now straining to fit into some of Molly's duds - the ones she wears right now). . .

I hadn't realized that the 'staches lasted into the 80s; I thought they were pretty much a 60s/70s thing. . .

Anonymous said...

beautiful!!!! :) Oh how I love prom and all the glitz and glam of it! :)

Very beautiful!

Ed & Jeanne said...

Nice! Look at you all prom like and such. What a cutie. Reminds me of this song by the Beatles....I'll spare you today though. ;)

DianeCA said...

First the new dress is lovely, very impressive!! Then your prom pics are precious and bring back tons of memories. A child of the 80's myself with 3 proms experience I did the lacy, I did the off the shoulder, and yes I did the frothy pink...my pink gown was actually satin so it was not only cotton candy pink it was shiny!! Mmmmmmm lovely hahaha!!!

Elle Dubya said...

i am seriously hoping my momma has lost my prom pictures.

seriously.

RennyBA said...

I had a great time reading this lovely post and at the same time a very nice talk with Diane about this tradition of yours (that's the advantage for a Norwegian of being married to an American). Thanks for sharing your history about this which I know means a lot to you.

You looked great and your daughter looks gorgeous (of course, since she's yours!).

Hope you like Diane's note sent to your mailbox :-)

airplanejayne said...

fab.

You.

Lous.

Hilary said...

That's just lovely. Your daughter is a beauty.. much like her Mom. Love that last shot.

Anonymous said...

You know, you reallly haven't changed at all since your HS prom days. Astounding. And good news for your daughter if they follow in your footsteps.

Cheesy said...

I just realized you are the same age as my oldest son my dear! OUCH!

hehehe

The mass of curls pic is priceless! When my younger gurlie got married a couple of years back, she insisted I go with the "group" to get my mop done up too.. First they straightened it then did that same mass of curls job Gingerhead got. Everyone was cracking up... but it did turn out purdy I have to say. Took a week to get all the hairspray out and I still on occasion find a stray bobby pin... The child is a vision in purple ~ ya done good mommers! [loved the nostalgic lime photos!]

San said...

Prom dresses have come a long way in terms of the sophistication quotient. Your daughter is a vision of loveliness, but then you were too, in your lace and froth. Thanks for sharing the sweet pictures. BTW, your daughter's date for the prom looks trustworthy. Here's hoping looks are not deceiving.

(M)ary said...

seriously, your dates looked like---um---MEN! shocking. (as opposed to boys, i mean.)

KFarmer said...

The Lovely Limeys~ most beautimous :)

Free Blog Directory said...

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The Zombieslayer said...

Wow Lime!
That top shot of you is soooo pretty. Love how you looked with that side shot.

It fit them like a glove and they declared, "We never knew you were as skinny as us!" I resisted the urge to smack them and extended grace when they asked if they could wear it to their respective proms by granting permission to do so.Ouch!

Don't feel bad. I told a female friend (and fellow blogger) who is 53 that honestly, I can appreciate a beauty of a teen but do not find anyone under 25 "sexy." I think a woman is sexiest at 30-35, because they simply don't have the curves at that age. And don't mean to be a d***, but when they do have the curves at that age, that usually doesn't bode well for when they hit 30-35.

Who I find the sexiest celebrities out there (in no order):

Salma Hayek - age 42
Monica Bellucci - age 44
Kate Winslet - Age 33
Kate Moss - Age 35
Penelope Cruz - Age 35
Sophie Marceau - Age 42

Heh. I had to look up their ages and didn't realize my fave of all is 44.

FYI - My fave of the 80s when I was in HS was Michelle Pfeiffer. Loved her.

Back on topic - Good job with the dress. Sewing is actually something a survivalist takes seriously. I actually can sew, but it looks ugly. You make it look good.

It was at this point I reminded her of the advice she gave me when she was but 8 years old and I complained about something I had to endure for a semi formal occasion, "It's fashion. It has to hurt."Glad I'm a guy. You can't get me in a tux. Only time in my life I was in one was Prom, but never again. Can't breathe in those stupid things.

The Metal outfits I wore back on stage (20 years ago) were actually pretty comfortable, and they looked sexy. Once again, glad I'm a guy.

Jocelyn said...

I adore the connection across generations! You were hawt; your daughter is killer gorgeous (with the very definition of peaches and cream skins); and the seamstress is Queen of the Machine.

Susan English Mason said...

Naw, the limelet bares no resemblance to Mother Limey Bean, especially not in the photo with "the look." tee-hee