On Saturday, April 6th, South El Monte High School hosted its first prom since the pandemic began in Glendale at the Glenoaks Ballroom. The last prom took place in April 2019, and from 2020 to 2021, no prom was able to take place due to the ongoing pandemic as a result of the rise in cases of COVID-19. The theme of this year’s prom was Midnight Masquerade. Students’ outfits for prom were consistent with the theme, which revolves around mystery, darkness, and curiosity.

It seemed that the popular colors of this year’s prom were shades of red, black, green, and blue. In addition to these colors being popular, many accessories such as hairpins and pearls, gloves, and chunky necklaces were also major staples in the SEMHS Prom 22 attire. Shoe choices were more simple for many seeing as they tied together looks. Many wore loafers, dress shoes, platform heels, and flats. Some students were able to give input on what their inspirations were when it came to dressing for the event.

Newly crowned 2022 Prom Queen Emiliana Morales said that when it came to choosing an outfit,“I took inspiration through Belle, the princess, but as I was searching for a dress, the red one instantly caught my eye. I was mesmerized because it was so beautiful, and I knew it was the dress for me.” She also mentioned that she went to Pinterest to look for inspiration. Student Celeste Bucio said, “I took inspiration from the Met Gala,” and senior Ingrid Aguilar said, “ I wanted something that would give off runway vibes for a famous designer.” Each student clearly established their style through their outfit, and showed how outside influences might have led to the final outfit. 

The style that came from the event displayed how each student took the theme and made it their own. Student Alexis Ramos stated, “I mostly saw the people who stood out like Belen who had a dark fairytale dress, or my friend Janira who had like an Audrey Hepburn type of vibe, or my friend Summer who had a material girl/empowering woman dress. But in short words, everyone was trying to recreate icons or going with the masquerade aesthetic.” The social media app, Pinterest also seemed to be a common mode of drawing inspiration as Bucio stated she searched, “Pinterest for some gowns and found my inspiration from that!” Jewelry helped make great statements as well as Bucio added, “cute purses, bedazzled earrings, rings, and necklaces” were very prominent that night. 

In short, prom allowed students to express themselves in a formal mode as opposed to at school where the environment is more casual. The theme allowed for students to take their creativity and create outfits that encapsulated the glam and simplicity that came with the theme. The first prom event since the pandemic has proven to be successful, and the future of fashion when it comes to events like these is going to evolve with many trends emerging so quickly, and influencing the world of fashion.