7 Prom Scenes That Have Us Dreaming of Prom

Prom is in the air. And while it’s been … a second since my senior prom, I can’t help but get nostalgic during this time of year. Part of me wishes I could be like Josie Grossie a la Never Been Kissed and get a second chance at prom. Mainly so I could have pictures without an orange spray tan.

Whether you’re getting ready for prom, or feeling nostalgic like me, let’s take a look back at some of the iconic TV and movie moments that gave us so much false hope about how awesome prom would be. Here are seven prom scenes that have us dreaming of dresses and prom themes:

1. SAVED BY THE BELL: ZACH & KELLY’S PROM

Ah Saved By The Bell. Not only did they have one great prom episode. They had two.

First there was Zach & Kelly’s Prom. Remember when Kelly was too poor to go to prom because her dad lost his job, so Zach makes a special prom for them? How sweet is that? This is probably why I was so disappointed with my high school boyfriend. It was like pulling teeth asking him to take me (his girlfriend) to his prom. When all he had to do was this! Also, Kelly’s off the shoulder sweatshirt? Cuter than any prom dress.

And then their senior prom…

2. SAVED BY THE BELL: SENIOR PROM

Their prom theme was Western. Western. If you told me when I was in high school that my senior prom outfit had to involve cowboy boots and pants, I probably would’ve cried. But in hindsight, this is actually very practical. You really only get to wear your prom dress once. Maybe twice if you convince someone from another school to take you to their prom. But cowboy boots are forever! Especially when college theme parties are right around the corner! Because of this episode I always wished I’d get locked in a boiler room with my crush like Jessie did with Slater. Correction: I wish I’d get locked in the boiler room with A.C. Slater.

3. SHE’S ALL THAT

An effortless dance routine to Fat Boy Slim?! Freddie Prinze Jr.?! Usher is the DJ?! (But he’s not Usher, he’s acting I think? Unclear). What more could you ask for? The closest thing my prom had to a dance routine is when everyone ironically danced to the “Macarena,” and I’m guessing for yours it’ll be to “Gangnam Style?” My condolences.

4. GLEE: PROM-ASAURUS

The theme was dinosaurs. This wins for best prom theme. I would have a blast dressing up for this. You basically get to look like a Flintstone! I also love how hair gel is banned from prom (because they didn’t have it in the Stone Age, although if that’s true, how did Fred Flintstone get his hair to be so sleek?). A hair gel ban would’ve helped out the guys at my senior prom. As this was 2005 and the Abercrombie duck beak was all the rage, you know the style that looks like a guy put a ton of hair gel in and then slammed his head against a wall? (Let’s never do that again).

5. NEVER BEEN KISSED

Is it just me, or does She’s All That, Never Been Kissed, 10 Things I Hate About You and Drive Me Crazy, all feel like the same movie? Thankfully Not Another Teen Movie felt the same way and kind of grouped them all into one. Never Been Kissed definitely had my favorite prom theme “Made for Each Other,” AKA famous couples throughout history. Drew goes as Rosalind and her teacher/crush (who I think at this point still thinks she’s a student so I guess this is kind of weird…) goes as Orlando from Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Pro of this prom theme: you can easily re-use your prom dress as a Halloween costume!

6. PARKS & REC: PROM

This episode was just great. Leslie and crew help a local high school with their prom. Leslie takes a liking to the class president, who she sees as a mini her. Like how Zach was resourceful in Saved by the Bell by using the school play’s leftovers to make their prom theme a Western Square Dance, Little Leslie did the same, by making their theme the woods, because her school just did Into the Woods. The best moment in this comes from one of the best TV couples April and Andy. Andy is having a blast where April is miserable, so he brightens her up by basically hijacking the prom and making her prom queen. Now that’s TV love.

Speaking of Prom Queens…

7. MEAN GIRLS

Okay technically it’s “Spring Fling,” but close enough. Regina George’s body brace and she still looks like, “a rock star,” Janis and Damien’s matching suits, Lindsay’s Mathlete’s jacket, and of course her speech. Talk about memories. Who could forget the breaking of the crown so everyone could be a prom queen?! No seriously, I can’t forget it. How was she able to break that plastic crown into all of those pieces?! (This still keeps me up at night).

Seriously, you’re all prom queens. May your prom wishes come true, and if they don’t, it’s okay. Once you graduate, you really never have to see those people ever again.

What are some of your favorite prom moments?

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