How well do you remember your prom? Was it a magical evening filled with sparkling formal wear, fragrant corsages, killer dance moves and the excitement of young love? Or was it about a million times more depressing than that?
Teen movies have a way of presenting prom night as something pretty far from reality. Most high school kids have, at best, a fun night of dancing, and, at worst, one giant humiliation that they're still not fully recovered from. I, for example, met my prom date at the local grocery store and was forced to watch as he slow-danced with my best friend for the entire night. While I've since overcome the embarrassment (mostly), it still stings to think about all these years later.
If your experience was anything like mine, the following 30 tales of #promfails will make you feel a whole lot better. And they'll make you really glad that you're no longer an awkward teenager.
This celebrity fail
I was social director so I added “Star Spangled Banner” in the mix for prom song. It won. So that was the prom song… https://t.co/dl5w8pSd5Q— jimmy fallon (@jimmy fallon)1557849686.0
This logical replacement
My junior year everyone received champagne flutes with the prom slogan and date on them. Come senior year, it was d… https://t.co/QZCI5UW1A3— JDK81 (@JDK81)1557850020.0
This Dad joke
My dad answered the door wearing a flannel top & bottoms, hillbilly fake teeth & a greasy comb over. While I was ge… https://t.co/VtlPoRp4BE— 𝙹𝚎𝚗𝚗𝚊 𝚁𝚊𝚒𝚗 (@𝙹𝚎𝚗𝚗𝚊 𝚁𝚊𝚒𝚗)1557852355.0
This snotty surprise
@jimmyfallon After becoming prom king, after all the photos and the dance with the queen, my friend pointed out to… https://t.co/iQQJrMMHX5— Grant Hutchinson (@Grant Hutchinson)1557850439.0
This disgusting solution
Oh, honey, no. Just...no. Although I suppose this was better than just projectile vom-ing on the dance floor?This comfy outfit change
@jimmyfallon my prom dress zipper broke during dinner and i was stuck in the bathroom half naked until someone brou… https://t.co/ZSEoWr0Bin— Andrea M. Jensen (@Andrea M. Jensen)1557852695.0
This sticky swan dive
This one would be tough to shake off. Plus, if she was covered in punch, it would be tough not to be uncomfortably sticky for the rest of the evening.This clumsy chaperone
True story. I sprained my ankle 3 days before senior prom and also re-injured it that morning so I could not dance.… https://t.co/EZIvzfOnsX— Chuck (@Chuck)1557849925.0
This rainy day regret
@jimmyfallon We drove to my prom, and it was raining. When we got there my date jokingly said “Fetch my umbrella”.… https://t.co/aCDKuvVySf— erik stelling (@erik stelling)1557850547.0
This clueless date
I asked a friend to prom, and in the car on the way there he asked me "so....is prom like a dance or something?"… https://t.co/5O3BQsxLKG— Kaylie (@Kaylie)1557849928.0
This magical memory
I passed out on the field during prom photos #PromFail https://t.co/3QqvF4mRBg https://t.co/8mqcSnW0I1— SW (@SW)1557852854.0
This questionable shoe choice
I wore my crocs to prom underneath my dress because you gotta be comfy all night on the dance floor #PromFail https://t.co/3nzAbuSX4f— Rachel Pinsky (@Rachel Pinsky)1557851083.0
This rebel without a cause
@jimmyfallon Her dad opened the door. He happened to be the same cop who wrote me a ticket for doing donuts in the… https://t.co/uZHEwM3eaP— Kristopher (@Kristopher)1557849837.0
This invisible dress
@jimmyfallon So my prom dress was green- you can figure out the rest... #PromFail https://t.co/2MuF7OJd4U— Katie Boller (@Katie Boller)1557860502.0
This intercom mix-up
@jimmyfallon I thought I was being smooth by asking this girl Katelyn to prom over the school intercom. When she sa… https://t.co/fC2KhqLg9Z— Mason (@Mason)1557849967.0
This bumbling break-in
@jimmyfallon i left my prom ticket at my house & my group was in a limo. while i frantically tried to break into my… https://t.co/NtMTMf65eI— ehhhma (@ehhhma)1557851803.0
This maternity photo
@tabbylikeacat @MarahFeltmann @jimmyfallon @eswizzley When the backdrop lines up perfectly with your date’s stomach… https://t.co/BgV7vyyswl— Fletcher Nelson (@Fletcher Nelson)1557871281.0
This big 'ol bummer
@jimmyfallon My friends and I thought it would be funny to spike the punch at the dance. Five minutes after we did… https://t.co/dqvNbAIiRx— Mason (@Mason)1557850188.0
This blushing bride
@jimmyfallon My boyfriend and I were taking pictures before prom only to be mislabeled by a few strangers as bride… https://t.co/mVQ3gG86uu— Lauren Moore (@Lauren Moore)1557867481.0
This painful prom night
@jimmyfallon I dislocated my knee at my senior prom while someone was teaching me a dance. A guy came over to pick… https://t.co/IjwTpUdvzz— ren (@ren)1557857044.0
This perfect gentleman
Honestly, this sounds like the ideal date. He's polite, quiet, and won't make you cry in the bathroom by grinding on his ex-girlfriend in front of your whole school.These sad tanks
This is horrendously depressing. But let's look on the bright side. At least those tanks weren't filled with dead fish instead!This hilarious joke
@jimmyfallon During the era of text messages signatures my friend’s signature was his initials ‘JK’ He texted his… https://t.co/WP1Ik7kCKk— Ben Hegge (@Ben Hegge)1557857651.0
This exposed moment
After something like this, you're pretty much forced to change your name and transfer to a different school. There's just no other option.These Doublemint twins
Aren't sisters just the worst?! But seriously, can we talk about how extra that Mom was? Buying EVERY SINGLE DRESS? Kudos to you, Ma. Although, obviously, it didn't work out very well...This amazing friend
This girl was lucky to have such a nice and devoted friend in her time of need. I would have probably just wheeled her into a corner and forgotten about her.This unsurprising outcome
@jimmyfallon @FallonTonight #PromFail Tried to get to second base, but her dress was too tight to get my hand in. J… https://t.co/AcNCkika5O— Kyle Thatcher (@Kyle Thatcher)1557857169.0
These unwelcome spectators
@jimmyfallon The dance was held in the lobby of the local performance art center. The walls were floor to ceiling w… https://t.co/UoWem8ggAi— Meagan Blazewicz (@Meagan Blazewicz)1557855475.0
This mean prank
Poor Brandon! Although I do find it hilariously adorable that he added "she wasn't there" at the end. Which means he probably still went into the abandoned warehouse looking for her.This understandable confusion
@jimmyfallon My friends sticky boob covers fell through her dress and her date stepped on it during a slow song. He… https://t.co/mXoQ6aZulS— KeKe FeFe (@KeKe FeFe)1557886607.0
This wild night
@jimmyfallon Passed out in the front seat of my date’s car from too many cocktails, my best friend hooked up with m… https://t.co/TrdbcfvzsS— Sarah Sweeney (@Sarah Sweeney)1557853666.0
This bad first impression
@jimmyfallon My prom date was so nervous that he decided to show up drunk to meet my parents. He arrived an hour la… https://t.co/Pqkm0BoZiO— Mel.bug 🐝 (@Mel.bug 🐝)1557851689.0
This head injury
@jimmyfallon @FallonTonight someone threw a full beer can to their buddy right next to me. It hit me in the temple… https://t.co/y24vK2hHxM— Katie O’Byrne (@Katie O’Byrne)1557855732.0
This gastrointestinal catastrophe
This sounds rough, but it could have been much, much worse. At least he made it to the bathroom in time. Otherwise, that night definitely would have been ruined. (And that suit.)This total tragedy
@jimmyfallon I never had a prom, cause I went to a private school that didn’t do them..so I would put on a fancy dr… https://t.co/CVbpNMt1Ay— Cassidy Kelly (@Cassidy Kelly)1557859220.0
This epic burn
@jimmyfallon #PromFail my sister was my date to prom and my grandma said “well hopefully next year a guy likes you. I’ve been praying.”— 🇱🇧🇱🇧susie aramony🇱🇧🇱🇧 (@🇱🇧🇱🇧susie aramony🇱🇧🇱🇧)1557857841.0
This terrible tan
Kids, listen up: Do not tan. I repeat: DO. NOT. TAN.This zipper incident
@jimmyfallon I asked the hottest chick in the school to prom. When I picked her up at her parents place I had to go… https://t.co/jx8RVoo7Lb— Taylor Baughman (@Taylor Baughman)1557857343.0
This legitimate excuse
@jimmyfallon I didn’t go to prom because i had a baby. 🙃 #promfail— A L Y X (@A L Y X)1557858871.0
This comfy footwear
@jimmyfallon honestly, id consider this a win #PromFail https://t.co/aBUiFYVH3l— Kamie 🦋 (@Kamie 🦋)1557880218.0