In most cases a distorted view of body image has been presented by the media and simplified with male and female stereotypes. Men are all portrayed as tall, muscular and smoothly shaven, while impossibly thin women with disproportionate attributes make their way into thousands of commercials and magazines. We now know that someone with a camera and a simple grasp of Photoshop can easily change these images, airbrushing, changing size and re-colouring pictures. Simply put, the media portrayal of the human body is wrong.

Never is there a time in an adolescent’s life that the body is focused on so much as the prom. The pressure falls a lot more on girls than it does with boys. Most (but certainly not all) guys are expected to attend prom wearing an expensive formal suit and tie, whereas girls are expected to be skinny but not too skinny, wear fashionable dresses and high heels.

While prom is a formal gathering its important not to lose sense of your own style and personality. Wear whatever dress that you feel like wearing, or even wear pants if you’re comfortable. It’s one of the last big gatherings in high school so take this chance to be creative and express yourself! Maybe you could even craft your own outfit if fashion design is your thing. That’s not to say you should come in with combat boots and a trench coat – you should follow your school’s dress code when deciding what to wear, but let loose and have fun. Don’t let fashion trends or other people’s opinion’s decide for you. Prom is your night, so make your look your own, too.

Prom is a time to celebrate that you are almost done thirteen years of education! This is a huge accomplishment and you deserve to celebrate it no matter your size, gender or personal style. Don’t let other people’s opinions ruin your night; stay true to yourself and your own style. In the end that’s what truly counts.