Of Vintage Proportions: A Look Back at Prom 2003

Actual Adidas shoe box, peppered with dust, protected by that wicked, stylish spider web effect.

A few weeks ago, while cleaning out what mom calls my sty, I came across an old shoebox where I stored memorabilia of my convoluted teenage years. Inside was a collection of pictures, letters, postcards, souvenirs, old ID cards, strands of hair, scents — the antiquated box held reflective material of interesting people and events that came before. Noteworthy was a series of prom pictures I recovered from my high school days.

In the summer of 2003, prior to my senior year of high school, on a magical Friday evening, I went to prom.  It was Tracy's senior prom and I was invited to be her gentleman for the night. At the time I was 16, yet in my 3rd year, and was fortunate to have experienced prom before my junior classmates.

Social events were never my bag and as such, there was nothing thrilling about the occasion except that it was my first and I was queasy. An uncomfortable experience it turned out, when I stepped through the door a complete stranger among T.T.’s senior classmates. But there she was, by my side the entire time, relieving the discomfort. Thank you T.T. and forgive me for posting these pictures without consent.

Leonardo and Tracy at Muffles College High School Prom 2003. View larger versions here.

Looking back, it did seem like much fun. Not certain if I’d allow myself to dress up like this again, but if you fancy it, who am I to let you down?