We asked, you delivered. Take a walk down memory lane and look back at all of those awkward prom memories you tried so hard to forget. (Some of you cheated and actually sent nice photos. We'll let it go just this once.)

  • Jim Simandl, 1983: "The theme song of our prom was 'On the Wings of Love' by Jeffrey Osborne. Hence the winged paper doves on the backdrop." Courtesy of jim Simandl
  • Mich Sullivan, 1985: "Me and my buddy Russ ... Weston High junior prom, Weston, Mass." Courtesy of Mich Sullivan
  • Denise Montgomery, circa 1985: "When too many 'friends of friends' tried to crowd into the group shot to save money, you ran out of AstroTurf and whatever in god's name that background was supposed to be. Plus, you ended up with a souvenir photo full of people whose names you didn't even know." Courtesy of Denise Montgomery
  • Merry Gordon, 1994: "Big hair. White nurse pantyhose. Off-the-shoulder dress that had to be altered — twice — because my flat chest couldn't hold it up without straps. And the guy still stuck around? Keeper. Five years later, I married my junior prom date — and now we chaperone proms for my high school students." Courtesy of Merry Gordon
  • Karen Meyer, 1979: "Karen and Dave go to the prom in 1979. Are baby blue tuxedos still legal?" Courtesy of Karen Meyer
  • Bob Wilson, 1966: "Bob Wilson and Ursula Seelig, on the way out the door. Both nervous — he more than she. ... Lakeland High School, Shrub Oak, N.Y." Courtesy of Bob Wilson
  • Donna-Lee Phillips and Ralph Agnello, 1959: "Senior prom, Deering H.S., Portland, Maine" Courtesy of Donna-Lee Phillips
  • "When my kids recently saw photos of me at my senior prom: 'Why is that boy in a dress?' Ah, the '80s." Courtesy of
  • Donna Wiegert, 1973: "Ruffled shirts, crushed velvet and polyester." Courtesy of Donna Wiegert
  • Nadine Baehre Lonergan: "Awkward hair. Lawrence and I." Courtesy of Nadine Baehre Lonergan
  • Kipp Matalucci: "I would not call my date's Gone-With-the-Wind gown 'weird,' but it was an unusual choice for the Penns Grove junior prom of 1968. It was an early example of thinking outside of the box, a term that didn't exist in 1968." Courtesy of Kipp Matalucci
  • Martrese White, 1986: "Not at ALL awkward! I planned for months to create this silver lame and turquoise wonder. I now see it as a mashup of Ziggy Stardust meets Scarlett O'Hara, though at the time, I was incredibly proud of my creation." Courtesy of Martrese White
  • Norah Ringma, 1978: "Kemptville, Ontario, Canada. ... What's with that hair — both of us?" Courtesy of Norah Ringma
  • Cari Banahoski, 1991: "This is my friend Brett and I in 1991. I'm wearing a bridesmaid's dress and we are in the living room my stepmother decorated in late '80s/early '90s style." Courtesy of Cari Banahoski
  • Kathy Hale, 1974 "I sewed my prom skirt and top based on an outfit I saw in Seventeen. The fabric for the top proved to be more sheer than I realized. ... But it was the '70s ... so I was fine with the hint of a bare midriff and a bit of bra showing. My mom, however, had other ideas." Courtesy of Kathy Hale
  • Teresa M. Owen Courtesy of Teresa M. Owen
  • Caley Burke, 1998: "In my family, you always take at least one dance picture with your sisters (and whatever random neighborhood kid was also in the house). I'm the one in the dress not smiling, because in 1998, I thought smiling made my cheeks look too big." Courtesy of Caley Burke
  • P.J. Marcy, 1980: "I figured hideous was what you were looking for ... and my photo is that! This was senior prom 1980, Newburyport High School, Newburyport, Mass. " Courtesy of P.J. Marcy
  • Julie Odland Courtesy of Julie Odland
  • "I recently reconnected with my senior year steady boyfriend. My family moved to another state right after I graduated and we lost track of each other. He made me a copy of our prom photo, which I had forgotten we had made." Courtesy of

1 of 20