Prom – the holiday of both family and school

In Polish school in Lithuania in February the prom and the meeting of graduates take place. Smaller schools organize it as one party, bigger usually organize two independent parties.

The atmosphere of the prom, the first adult party, needs specific clothing. In every Polish school, the prom starts with polonaise which should be dance in a uniqueness outfit. So that students decide to have a wonderful dress.

-My daughter chose a dress that would not be worn on the other occasion. We bought it spontaneously in Poland – says Diana Iwanowicz, mom of one of the student from school named Adam Mickiewicz in Vilnius.

The average cost of the prom is between 300 and 500 lithium. Lots of this money is spent on appearance – dresses, hair, shoes, make-ups…. When in a family there is a daughter parents usually have to spend more money than in a family with a son.

-It is an individual decision. One can afford to spend so much money, the other not. It all depends from their financial situation. One girl decides on a universal dress which could be worn on other occasion, the other buys almost “wedding dress” and some of them buy classic dress which will be in fashion for the next some years. I think that if someone is 17 or 18 years old and everything in his life is just going to happen they look beautiful in each dress – added Diana and claimed that each person on the prom looked beautiful.

-The girls would like to look originally, each of them has her favourite clolour and tailoring. From my daughter I know that the dress in one tailoring and colour has no sense because each girl dreamt about her own colour. We rented long, pink dress the one that girls wear on big parties – says Irena Rudis, mom of one of the student from Landwarów.

When we asked the teenagers from Landwarów about proms’ superstition – like wearing red underwear or cravat – they said that these superstition as well as the others: waking up from bed with left leg or sleeping with a book under pillow – would not help unless you prepared hard. The boys would prefer to write their exams not in suits but in more comfortable clothes.

The other mom – Janina Jankowska from Vilnius – claims that the look of a boy also needs some money to be spent. The suit should be not casual, black or navy blue, very well tailoring, the trousers should be classic or narrow and of course – shirt must be well-matched to the rest of the outfit. Accessories and shoes are also very important. A cravat should be matched with the colour of the girl’s dress. On this party can appear cufflinks and tie clips which give very masculine and elegant touch. And what is the most important – a men’s shirt should be new. Nowadays, men know more and more about fashion. Moreover, they often even know how to make a beautiful stylization with accessories.

The teacher of the class of 12^th grade from comprehensive school in Troki, Mrs Daiva Bernatavičienė, claims that the dress code in their school is an individual matter.

-A few years ago students rented long, almost “wedding” dresses. Lately, the fashion has changed, dresses are shorter and more classic. The traditional party starts with polonaise so that the clothing should be appropriate to the dance. I think that it all depends on a financial situation and the style of a person. Mothers often advice in that issue for girls-teacher says.

Prom is a very important party, and the first adult party. There are 100 days left to the A-level exam. Exam which will have an influence on the rest of somebody’s life. Although there is a saying that clothes do not make the men, it is not true in one hundred per cent. In the whole world there in no  woman who does not want to look beautiful. So that well-matched outfit can make that night unforgettable.

Source: http://kurierwilenski.lt/2013/02/07/studniowka-swieto-szkolne-i-rodzinne/

Tłumaczenie Diana Omiljaniuk w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Diana Omiljaniuk the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.