Going to prom is supposed to be one of the most memorable nights of high school. After months of planning, many students have extremely high anticipations, hoping to feel like movie stars for just one evening. But even when they get all they wished for — extravagant gowns, over-the-top rides, sweat-filled dances, and wild after-parties — some things are bound to go wrong.
In honor of prom season, Jimmy Fallon asked his audience to participate in yet another challenge. "It's Hashtags time! Tweet out a funny or weird story about your prom and tag it with #PromFail," he wrote and triggered an avalanche of painfully relatable tales from people’s teenage years.
From hilarious wardrobe mishaps to hair catching on fire, we at Bored Panda have selected some of the best tweets from this thread. So buckle up, scroll down, and share how ridiculous your prom experience was in the comment section below! And after you’re done reading this post, be sure to check out some funny responses to Fallon’s recent challenges on #NanaQuotes, #MyHighSchoolWasWeird, and #WorstGiftEver.
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For most, the iconic high school dance is one of the most unforgettable moments of the entire school year. Prom-goers shiver from anticipation and hope to leave with some of the best memories from teenage life. But if you look back to that crazy night and cringe with nostalgic discomfort or think back on your wardrobe choices with a bit of a shudder, you're definitely not alone.
So this recent challenge on The Tonight Show was all about the funniest and weirdest #PromFail moments. Jimmy Fallon kicked off the thread himself by tweeting: "My friend ripped his tuxedo and spent the night crying because he thought Men’s Wearhouse was going to sue him." But it seems that people on the Twittersphere have had it way worse. I mean, we’re talking about being named the "condiment couple" or being crowned as the Prom Queen yet having to slow dance with the King who turns out to be your twin brother. Pretty odd, right?
My date was best friend’s with my sisters so we double dated because she wanted to go with this guy. Later she married my date. Not a fail. Just funny.
After all, prom is notorious for being the perfect ground for things to go terribly wrong. We all remember how hard our own teenage years were, so just imagine having a school full of overly excited youth — there’s bound to be no shortage of mortifying moments. Moreover, they sometimes expect too much from this celebration and often label it as the most important night of their young lives, something that’s hard to live up to.
Is it just me, or is the lad on the left oddly reminiscent of the son in Modern Family?
According to columnist Claire Suddath, the word prom is short for promenade — the formal, introductory parading of guests at a party. The prom can be dated back to the simple banquets that happened in the 19th-century American universities to celebrate each year's graduating class.
"A growing teenage culture pushed proms younger and younger, and by the 1940s, the adolescent dance we know today had almost entirely taken hold," Suddath added. With time, every generation continues to improve and change our society, and that in turn leads to proms becoming more eccentric each year. As customs change, we see an increasing amount of extravagant limousines, creative themes, colorful wardrobes, and teens trying to make this celebration represent what they believe in.
As you’re scrolling through this list, you’ll notice that no one is immune to occasional slip-ups on this big night. Some teens feel extremely worried about this iconic dance and may fear creating situations that would be the perfect material for the next #PromFail challenge. To avoid that, parents can also help out their children with handling the many stresses and challenges.
Amber Olson, a licensed clinical social worker, explained that parents can play an important role in how teens experience their prom. "Ask your teen about what they want from their prom experience and then help shape healthy expectations for the evening," she suggested.
That includes considering several elements your child might be slightly obsessing about. For example, you could set a realistic budget for the apparel and the extravagant "promposals". Or discuss your teen's feelings about their potential date or the celebration in general. You could also sit down and have a chat about unhealthy diets or extreme workouts your teen may do to lose some weight. "These short-term gains can lay the groundwork for long-term unhealthy eating habits and poor body image," Olson said.
"Role model for your teen the importance of being present in the moment and encourage them to stay mindful as they take in all the details of the evening," she added.
and his tux stayed together? Can't even take a big step in some jeans before rrrriiipppp! Lol
It’s not exactly cheap but it’s not bad compared to some dresses out there
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Mine was $45 dollars and had pockets!!!! (Going out of business sale) And I fit in it better now than I did then(20 years ago)!!
Lol wow, mine was maybe $40, still very pretty. Other dances like home coming were also very cheap dresses and skirt/shirt combo. It doesn’t have to be expensive to look nice!
dunno, I would have been said kid, and I would of had one of my friends lend me a dress they already had. I hope this happens there for the ones who want to go.
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My prom dress was $93 from DEB & I wore it as my wedding dress yrs later. I still have it & it's all in tact almost 25 yrs later! LOL
I paid $15 for my daughter's prom dress 4 years ago. It was brand new, not from wish. It was the first dress she found. I didn't have to alter it in anyway. It is still in perfect condition. Price means nothing. Not sure what she plans on doing with with a black and lavender tulle skirt dress in the future. But She bragged to everyone about her super cheap dress.
My year 12 formal dress was the most expensive I had up to that point- $65! Very similar price to the bridesmaid dress I wore to my mum's second wedding!
Well, yes. I assume that’s why she won prom queen in the first place.
My first prom my date tried to kiss me as he was driving a Cadillac at 60 mph down a very dark, very empty middle of nowhere road in a narrow valley at 2:30 in the morning. Ended up going off a steep embankment Luke Duke style. He climbs up without me, I'm hurt but don't know how bad yet because adrenaline, y'know. Get halfway up in a floor length sequined gown and bare feet ( had to remove 4" stilettos) in briars waist high. Of course I fall and roll back down. Finally get to the top. It's another hour+ until a car comes by. Home is closer than hospital, so we go there. Call his mom, she comes to get him. I'm getting out of my dress and pain shoots down my entire spine. Go to ER and get to spend the next 6 months in a neck brace and I still have migraines from my injury today. This was in 1993 so, good times, yep!🙄
You’d think all the karate would mean he has a decent sense of balance.
waitwaitwaitwait he DIED like dead and nobody's talking about this
I was born in the 80’s and for some reason I loathe most fashion from that decade. My mum has the same thing about the 50’s, the era I love most…
I can understand punishing your kids if they do something wrong, but unless it was an absolute COLOSSAL f*ck up, I would never ground my kid from a once(or twice)-in-a-lifetime event like prom that you just can't get back. Also when their date and/or friends have put out money for an event it isn't fair to punish them too. Come up with another punishment!
Reap what you sow. It’s so empathetic to be considered the “other guy”
I just got an idea for a new show... cross between Pimp my Ride and Sweet 16... Pimp my Swee... uhhh, nvm
I'm guessing it would've been different if it was "Cruise" by Conflict. However, the square dancing would've been funny as hell. Though, I'm not an expert, but I never heard of square dancing at a prom before.
But grenadine is made with cherries...I wouldn't have assumed there was pomegranate juice in that punch.
I'm not sure how the name of the venue beats some of the stories above!
Same. I had no desire to get all dressed up with no date just to see all the people who had bullied me and made me the outcast since elementary school. Plus, tickets were too expensive. My dad didn't understand why I didn't want to go to the point where he had me pulled out of class and into my counselor's office because he thought something was wrong with me.
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My prom date was a freshman I asked to go with me because I needed to have a date to go. I was the outcast ugly girl. His dad picked us up in a camero. I had to squeeze into the back seat. He didn't get out of the car. Then we got there an he had a booger hanging out of his nose and I had to tell him to go clean that up. After we ate he didn't want to do anything so we had his parents drive us to the mall to see rocky horror where all my older weird friends were. Mind you we are in prom clothes. (1987 if that matters) after the movie we all get to a mcds an have a late snack. I called for a ride home from my mom who didn't mind. At least I was out being social. That was it. He didn't pay back the ticket. He didn't do anything but have a booger in his nose and get a free meal and movie. I hate Cameros to this day.
I dated a guy in the 80s, he was pretty cool. I asked him to my prom, he said yes. He waited until we were there to tell me he was in love with someone else. Someone else also had the same first name as me. So much for romance.
Not a fail, but significant. It was Texas, 1968, and for his senior prom, my brother asked one of the few Black girls that was bussed in to the school. There was not any trouble but they were subtly ostracized. The ripples ran far and wide for a long time. We family were so proud of them.
A girl who I had the biggest crush on brought the 25 year old man she was seeing to our after prom. He was a bartender and "aspiring DJ". She ended up taking care of a drunk friend for most of the night, so I, a 16 year old girl, got to spend an hour listening to an adult man describing the challenges of "DJ school" so he wouldn't feel "out of place".
I never got to go to prom bc of Covid. 😥 And my so-called friends made their own and didn't invite me, so there's that. 😕😣
Didn't have a date for junior or senior year, despite being on prom planning committee. Set a trend for going "Stag" for girls. For about a decade (ah, the 90s) it was cooler to go alone or with same-gender friends than to go in pairs, as dates. Clearly, I covered my humiliation better than I thought. Also, rocked the wine-red v-neck. :-)
Had a girl I grew up with, who grew up super-cute, who told me she’d go to prom with me if I couldn’t find a date. Prom season, no date, I ask her to go: “um, I didn’t think you’d really ask me to go…” I didn’t go.
Feel really bad for all that pressure on US kids. At high school we had leavers disco, no one bought new clothes, no one treated it as a date thing. Had a graduation ball end of uni - same as everyone else I knew, I went with a big crowd not a date. On both occasions I had a boy friend. Years later, I still see school events like this in UK with groups joining up so no date pressure
And absolutely gorgeous underclassman wanted me to ask her to prom, but I was too shy. She wound up getting pregnant AT prom. Not saying that would have happened with me, but I'm glad I dodged the bullet. Probably the only time I was happy to have crippling social anxiety.
Had a 2 month old at home. So didn't go. I was fine with that. Sounds like proms are just drama and chaos. I'd rather deal with a 2 month old!!
My prom date told the entire dinner table that he brought a condom. If he used it that night, it wasn't with me.
I can't imagine anything more useless, expensive, and boring as a prom. Clever marketing, good for nothing.
i went had three panic attacks then ended up having to comfort my ex because her dated walked away
Same. I had no desire to get all dressed up with no date just to see all the people who had bullied me and made me the outcast since elementary school. Plus, tickets were too expensive. My dad didn't understand why I didn't want to go to the point where he had me pulled out of class and into my counselor's office because he thought something was wrong with me.
Load More Replies... My prom date was a freshman I asked to go with me because I needed to have a date to go. I was the outcast ugly girl. His dad picked us up in a camero. I had to squeeze into the back seat. He didn't get out of the car. Then we got there an he had a booger hanging out of his nose and I had to tell him to go clean that up. After we ate he didn't want to do anything so we had his parents drive us to the mall to see rocky horror where all my older weird friends were. Mind you we are in prom clothes. (1987 if that matters) after the movie we all get to a mcds an have a late snack. I called for a ride home from my mom who didn't mind. At least I was out being social. That was it. He didn't pay back the ticket. He didn't do anything but have a booger in his nose and get a free meal and movie. I hate Cameros to this day.
I dated a guy in the 80s, he was pretty cool. I asked him to my prom, he said yes. He waited until we were there to tell me he was in love with someone else. Someone else also had the same first name as me. So much for romance.
Not a fail, but significant. It was Texas, 1968, and for his senior prom, my brother asked one of the few Black girls that was bussed in to the school. There was not any trouble but they were subtly ostracized. The ripples ran far and wide for a long time. We family were so proud of them.
A girl who I had the biggest crush on brought the 25 year old man she was seeing to our after prom. He was a bartender and "aspiring DJ". She ended up taking care of a drunk friend for most of the night, so I, a 16 year old girl, got to spend an hour listening to an adult man describing the challenges of "DJ school" so he wouldn't feel "out of place".
I never got to go to prom bc of Covid. 😥 And my so-called friends made their own and didn't invite me, so there's that. 😕😣
Didn't have a date for junior or senior year, despite being on prom planning committee. Set a trend for going "Stag" for girls. For about a decade (ah, the 90s) it was cooler to go alone or with same-gender friends than to go in pairs, as dates. Clearly, I covered my humiliation better than I thought. Also, rocked the wine-red v-neck. :-)
Had a girl I grew up with, who grew up super-cute, who told me she’d go to prom with me if I couldn’t find a date. Prom season, no date, I ask her to go: “um, I didn’t think you’d really ask me to go…” I didn’t go.
Feel really bad for all that pressure on US kids. At high school we had leavers disco, no one bought new clothes, no one treated it as a date thing. Had a graduation ball end of uni - same as everyone else I knew, I went with a big crowd not a date. On both occasions I had a boy friend. Years later, I still see school events like this in UK with groups joining up so no date pressure
And absolutely gorgeous underclassman wanted me to ask her to prom, but I was too shy. She wound up getting pregnant AT prom. Not saying that would have happened with me, but I'm glad I dodged the bullet. Probably the only time I was happy to have crippling social anxiety.
Had a 2 month old at home. So didn't go. I was fine with that. Sounds like proms are just drama and chaos. I'd rather deal with a 2 month old!!
My prom date told the entire dinner table that he brought a condom. If he used it that night, it wasn't with me.
I can't imagine anything more useless, expensive, and boring as a prom. Clever marketing, good for nothing.
i went had three panic attacks then ended up having to comfort my ex because her dated walked away
