ABIGAIL RAN & JASON KWON

Although sophomore Abigail Ran and junior Jason Kwon were in different sections of the marching band last year, they became well-acquainted with each other when a mutual friend brought them closer together. This year, they are attending prom together after Kwon’s promposal. As a couple, the two decided to match outfits for prom.

Kwon will be wearing a black Calvin Klein suit with a red tie to match Ran, who opted for a red dress from Lucy in the Sky. Ran didn’t have specific features or criteria in mind when shopping for her prom dress, but a flowery red fabric ultimately caught her eye due to its vibrant color and textured floral details that popped out from the rest of the dress. 

Both Kwon and Ran are borrowing items from their family members out of convenience and to save money. Beyond the black heels her mom bought for her and a Kendra Scott bracelet, Ran plans to ask her sister to borrow her Hermès bracelet since it’s a similar color to her dress. Similarly, Kwon, who doesn’t have another pair of dress shoes, is borrowing from his dad.

To bring the aesthetic together, Ran and Kwon purchased a corsage and boutonnière from an online store located in San Jose. One of Ran’s friends found the shop on Instagram, and Ran placed an order weeks in advance. To match the red of Ran’s dress and Kwon’s tie, they expect to receive red roses and baby breath tied together with ribbon. Drawing from her own shopping experience, Ran advises those searching for their prom outfits to stay flexible while shopping because being too selective can make it harder to find a dress that meets their criteria.

“Be open; don’t have an exact style or color you’re specifically looking for, because that makes it a lot harder,” Ran said. “Have an idea of what you want, but don’t completely restrict it to just those aspects of your outfit.”

EMILY GUILLIER NGUYEN & JOSEPH MURAI

Junior Joseph Murai opted to rent a classic black tuxedo from a store recommended by a friend, who rented their prom suit years earlier. He is pairing it with a crisp white shirt, black trousers and black dress shoes to achieve the classic look. Murai is going to prom with sophomore Emily Guillier Nguyen, who purchased her dress from Windsor.

Nguyen didn’t have many criteria when looking for her dress and wasn’t particularly drawn to any color, so she kept her choices open. However, she knew she wanted a leg slit: a personal stylistic choice she preferred. Nguyen went in-person shopping with her mom and tried on several dresses, especially liking the way a plain and simple yellow dress looked on her. She intends to pair it with her mom’s golden heels, which are open-toed and have an ankle strap, since the colors pair well together.

Although Nguyen doesn’t know which jewelry items she wants to wear yet, she placed an order for a corsage and boutonnière three weeks in advance at a small business. Murai also has a yellow tie to match Nguyen’s dress. Murai and Nguyen agreed on their outfits because Nguyen picked the dress she liked, and Murai just matched his tie to her dress.  Still, Murai gives advice on how to coordinate and resolve differences when choosing prom outfits if one arises.

“Go with what you want,” Murai said. “But also, if you’re going with a date, you should probably communicate with them in advance because the dress and the tie have to match. Someone would have to be willing to give up what they want. The suit color can differ, but you’d have to compromise on the dress.”

NICOLE JELEVA & CHRISTOPHER LAMFALUSI

Seniors Nicole Jeleva and Christopher Lamfalusi are attending prom together for the second year in a row. Since Jeleva wanted her dress to be more interesting, she looked for intricate designs or features, such as lace and beading. After seeing a dress on TikTok that she liked, Jeleva decided to order it despite believing the website was questionable: there were no reviews, no tax when she purchased the dress and comments on Reddit were mostly negative. However, she was pleasantly surprised when the dress arrived within a week and was of good quality.

Jeleva’s dress is a burgundy red and has a pleated skirt, a lace top and a halter neck. The dress’s unique style appeals to her, and she chose the color because she believes her junior year’s baby pink prom dress clashed with her skin’s undertone. Jeleva likes burgundy as a color for its versatility, and her volleyball teammates’ choices of red dresses further inspired her to pick a burgundy dress.

“Red is such a timeless color,” Jeleva said. “Red’s a really big color, at least for me and all my teammates; they’re all wearing red, and I was like, ‘Wow, everyone’s wearing red this year.’ I feel like red, burgundy and that whole shade of colors is not only timeless, but you also can’t go wrong with it, and it looks good on everyone.”

Lamfalusi is renting a tuxedo from Men’s Wearhouse and complementing it with a white shirt, black pants, a black vest and polished black shoes. He also has a burgundy bow tie to match Jeleva’s dress. Jeleva is pairing her dress with flowery, golden sandals and gold jewelry as she believes gold and red complement each other. 

After attending prom last year together, Jeleva and Lamfalusi are doing some things differently. For example, Lamfalusi intends to get ready earlier, as his hair was still wet when they took photos before prom. This year, Jeleva and her friends decided not to book a photographer, as this gives them more flexibility on when to take photos.

This year will be Jeleva and Lamfalusi’s first time experiencing prom on the SF Belle, and they each have high expectations. Lamfalusi explains that last year’s prom at Gilroy Gardens was fun because of the plethora of activities, such as the themed rides and carnival games, and hopes for an equivalent amount of entertainment on the boat. While the entertainment piques Lamfalusi’s interest, the more sophisticated energy of the boat appeals to Jeleva. 

“I think it’ll be more elegant, in a way,” Jeleva said. “Because I feel like people had low expectations with Gilroy Gardens last year, and I was pleasantly surprised because I liked it a lot. But this year, it’s a boat in the bay, and it just sounds so much more elegant and elevated. I have a little bit higher expectations than I did last year for sure. I think it’ll be fun.”