The expression on his face said it all.
The high school junior was forced to try on a suit coat and matching slacks over the weekend as a step toward finding prom attire.
In casual conversation with a friend last week, I mentioned prom, and she speculated that her son had a prom suit he’d be willing to sell.
So, she brought it to me, and I brought it home, and the kid was required to try it on.
Sigh. He was busy doing other things (xBox) and wasn’t excited about a fashion show.
He emerged from the laundry room with what appeared to be a good fit.
“Stand up straight so I can see how it fits through the shoulders.”
Sigh.
“Reach forward with your arms so I can see how it fits across the back.”
Sigh.
“You’ll have to put on a pair of dress shoes so we can see if the pants length is right.”
“Mom! Really?”
He complied, and his audience approved. Especially his mother, who was surprised by the suit’s magical power to transform the rowdy cowboy into an apparent gentleman.
It might not be THE suit, but it’s a start.
For the modest price, it would at least be a standby suit for a wedding or funeral.
But this was prom, and the kid is also aware that if there ever were an occasion to put effort into an outfit, this would be it. And we were running out of time.
His date already has her attire selected, purchased and tailored, so I wonder if she and her mom are nervous about the other half of the prom date keeping up with his end of the deal.
I texted the other mom a photo of the kid in the second-hand suit, just so they knew we hadn’t forgotten about prom. (She, too, was entertained by the boy’s eyes rolled toward the ceiling.)
It’s been five years since his big brother went to prom, so I’ve forgotten how it works.
Except that I remember scrambling for a tie at the last minute, and I’d rather avoid that route.
So, we’re pressing the junior to make some decisions. … Which start with coordinating his colors with the dress she’ll be wearing.
“It’s gold,” he informed me.
Gold as in Minnesota Gophers gold? Or metallic gold?
He produced a cell phone image of the girl in a shimmery, satiny, glittery gold evening gown.
She looked stunning. And that was just the dressing room mirror snapshot.
With her on his arm for the grand march, nobody will even notice he’s there, let alone care about what he’s wearing.
He just needs to show up in a suitable suit and smile.
Seeing that photo took all the pressure off shopping for the boy — as far as his mother was concerned.
Meanwhile we’ll start whitening his teeth and shopping for some really flashy gold patent leather shoes.
Prom shopping just got more interesting.