Senior prom - the crown jewel of any teen’s high school experience and the climactic scene of every coming-of-age rom-com. Whether you’re team American Pie (“Dude, prom sucks!”) or Ladybird (“I actually want to go to prom”), prom is a satin-trimmed, corsage-clad rite of passage for final year students.
Call it the Hollywood effect, but prom dress codes have carved out a niche space in the fashionscape - disco and dodgy DJ not always necessary. The early 2000s marked an iconic era for prom fashion. Think satin halter necks, crystal chokers, and pastel tones straight out of a Mean Girls montage.
Lily Allen famously jettisoned prom style into the mainstream with her strapless frocks in neon hues, putting Noughties silhouettes front and centre following the release of her 2006 hit Smile. It was the age of red-carpet influence, with prom looks echoing those seen on stars like Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez.
© Tim Graham Photo LibraryThe prom effect even extended to the royal sphere. The 2000s witnessed the likes of Princess Kate, Princess Beatrice, and Meghan Markle hit the red carpet in sequinned, tulle and puffball pieces that leaned into prim prom style - courtesy of brands such as Gucci and Marchese Notte.
Rewind the clocks and Princess Diana sported a series of prom-inspired dresses following her marriage to King Charles, looking to designers such as Bellville Sassoon and Bruce Oldfield for her eveningwear archive. Classic 80s puff sleeves, full skirts, pastels and swathes of heavyweight taffeta culminated in a formal wardrobe that went down in history.
Read on to discover the best royal-worthy prom dresses that strike the perfect balance between MTV-era glamour and Cinderella-worthy charm.
Royals in prom-style dresses:
© Tim Graham Photo Library via GetPrincess Diana wearing Hachi
Pictured here in 1985, Princess Diana attended a gala dinner in Melbourne sporting a one-shouldered teal gown by Hachi. Her look was elevated by an emerald and diamond choker, which she wore as a tiara - a gift from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The gown was later sold at a Christie's auction in 1997.
© Getty ImagesKate Middleton in Gucci
Princess Kate, then the Duchess of Cambridge and patron of 100 Women in Finance's Philanthropic Initiatives, attended a gala dinner back in 2017 sporting Gucci. The tulle gown featured a V-neckline, a a velvet belt and varying-hued swathes of rose pink.
© WireImage for Primary ActionMeghan Markle in ABS by Allen Schwartz
In 2007, before royalty came calling, Meghan Markle graced the scene at the Primary Action Golden Globe Suites. The bash saw the royal-to-be step out in a monochrome mini puffball dress by ABS by Allen Schwartz, complete with a twisted white bow effect.
© WireImagePrincess Beatrice in Rachel Gilbert
Dressed to the nines in a one-shouldered, tulle fishtail gown with silver sequins by designer Rachel Gilbert, Princess Beatrice dazzled as she arrived at the Royal Albert Hall in London for a concert to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's 92nd birthday.
© Tim Graham Photo Library via GetPrincess Diana in Catherine Walker
One of her most coveted looks, Princess Diana touched down at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival sporting a strapless, pale blue chiffon dress by royal designer Catherine Walker. The gown paid homage to the old Hollywood glamour of Grace Kelly's look in To Catch a Thief.
© Getty Images for ELLEMeghan Markle in Marchesa Notte
Looking magnetic in magenta, Meghan Markle hit the red carpet back in January 2013 for the ELLE Women in Television Celebration. The look hailed from Marchese Notte and epitomised colourful Noughties elegance.
© Tim Graham Photo Library via GetPrincess Diana in Murray Arbeid
Princess Diana was ahead of the curve when it came to dopamine dressing, seen here exiting a Rolls Royce limo for the premiere of the film 2010 in 1985. She wore a long-sleeved, satin gown with exaggerated shoulders in a radiant shade of lemon yellow by Murray Arbeid.
© Tim Graham Photo Library via GetPrincess Diana in Bellville Sassoon
Championing one of her go-to designers, Bellville Sassoon, Diana Princess of Wales attended the 'Splendours of the Gonzaga' exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum wearing a classic Eighties-style gown, featuring an off-the-shoulder silhouette, a satin belted design and a puffed train.
