Students at Archbishop Ryan Prepare to Shop For their Prom Attire with New Guidelines

By: Newosi Neba, student at Archbishop Ryan High School – Philadelphia, PA

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Prom, sadly isn’t right around the corner, but that doesn’t mean you can’t begin to properly prepare yourself.

With many issues on how the process of prom dress approval was last year, the administration of Archbishop Ryan High School decided to tweak it a little bit. This year, junior and senior girls do not have to submit their dresses to an email address in order to receive confirmation on their selected outfits.

“I think this is a much better idea, just because now we won’t be sending pictures of ourselves to an email with an unknown owner,” said Archbishop Ryan senior Chelsea Hennison.

This year the administration has just released a set of mandated rules in advance, that if not followed completely, will result in immediate removal from the dance.

The Rules Include:

Male Students

1. May wear a tuxedo with dress shoes
2. May wear a suit with button-down shirt, tie, and formal dress shoes
3. Sneakers or casual boots are not permitted

Female Students

1. No two-piece dresses will be permitted. Dresses may not have the midriffs exposed.
2. Dresses may not utilize skin-toned, see-through fabrics, such as (but not limited to) tulle, netting, or “illusion,” below the bust line, which attempt to mimic skin-tone. A more contrasting fabric color is allowed.
3. Dresses may not be cut below the bust-line in the front; this includes cut-outs below the bust line. No excessive cleavage will be permitted.
4. Dresses may be backless; however, they may not be cut below the natural waist.
5. Dresses may not have a slit that exceeds 3 inches above the knee.
6. No pinning will be allowed as an alteration to a dress, if without the pins the dress does not meet the dress code. Fabric inserts must be sewn-in as alterations to the dress.
7. Dresses must meet the dress code without the addition of a cover-ups (shawls/wraps, sweaters, coats, etc.)

Archbishop Ryan’s senior prom is scheduled for Friday, May 4^th. There are no classes scheduled for the senior class that day!