FUSE TV - Let's Take a Look Back at Prom 1999!

Spring is in the air, florists everywhere are sold out of corsages, and TikTok is alight with high schoolers executing increasingly elaborate promposals: PROM SEASON IS HERE, FOLKS. 

While some might consider prom just another school dance to skip, for many of us, event has come to embody the pinnacle of American youth, a rite of passage of sorts. Every year, high schoolers across the country get dressed to the nines (whether they’re dropping some serious cash on a new Jessica McClintock gown or going the second hand vintage route) and have “the best night of their lives.” 

For our latest #TBT series, we’ll be taking a stroll down memory lane, looking back at all the best prom fashion and music trends of the last 20 years—starting with 1999. 

It’s hard to believe that 1999 was two decades ago! It was a time of the Matrix, cargo shorts, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, but what about prom? Well, if you want a quick glance at what prom was like back then, look no further than now-classic high school romantic comedies like She’s All That and Never Been Kissed, both of which came out in 99. But let’s dig a little deeper! 

Must have prom accessory: Butterfly clips

Butterfly clips were THE item to have back then, a favorite of the red carpet and of course every Mary Kate & Ashley movie of the late 90s. 

Red carpet prom inspiration

Simple spaghetti straps, and two-piece gowns were the way to go for prom 99. Think Gwyneth Paltrow’s iconic Oscars look and Lauryn Hill’s Grammy outfit the night she was crowned Best New Artist. 

Prom night soundtrack: Check out our prom ’99 playlist, including TLC, Britney, and perhaps the most-played slow dance at prom ever.