Is it wrong to love them?

I don't know where these people went to school, but some of those getups would't even be allowed entry into the building, let alone the prom itself. So I suspect the more scandalous looks were from colleges, and other post-high school events.

My sister's senior prom gown was made by our second cousin as a graduation gift, at cost. It would look fairly dated now, but it was beautifully designed and made.

If I were a young lady in need of a prom gown, I'd design & make it myself. My mother did just that in 1966. The Home Ec teacher was so impressed, she paid out of pocket to have it dry cleaned. But ultimately, my mother came down with a horrible case of flu, and missed the event.

I actually had that dress up until a few years ago, but it hadn't been stored correctly, so at some point it was damaged beyond repair. I couldn't even salvage any of the fabric as a keepsake. It saddened me.