Prom is a big moment for high school students. It’s supposed to be a magical night for teenagers who excitedly planned and took months of preparation to enjoy a perfect evening. Although they dress up to the nines, ride luxury cars, and dance like there’s no tomorrow, several things can go wrong.
From outfit blunders to mistaken identities, there are too many to mention prom fail stories that will definitely make your day. Jimmy Fallon asked his Twitter audience to share their crazy prom moments, and we’ve rounded up hilarious tweets for your entertainment. Who knows, you might relate to one of these funny tales!
The Clueless Prom King
A major highlight at prom is the coronation of the Prom Queen or King. These honorary titles are what teenagers dream of getting. Remember those movies and TV shows that featured magical moments of being crowned queen and king? We’re sure those high school students who got the highly coveted awards were elated.
Not for Grant, though. Little did the prom king realize that he had a big booger in his nose throughout his dance with the queen and all those photo shoots. His concerned friend only informed him of his visible booger later that night. How embarrassing!
Sorry, Wrong Person!
Every teenage girl wishes to be asked to prom, especially by someone they like. So imagine the joy of receiving a text message when someone finally invites you, and you immediately reply with double exclamation points. Then they tell you, “Sorry, wrong person!” Ouch.
We can imagine the pain and frustration, Kaitlyn. We hope Caleb actually asked you in the end, and this little conversation turned out to be a little joke—or that you still went to the prom with a date and had a perfect night.
Donuts, No More
Christopher never thought he would lose his prom date because of reckless driving. The young man thought drawing donuts in their school parking lot was cool. But being busted by a cop for such a dangerous activity cost him his would-be prom date.
Imagine the shock on his face upon seeing this lovely girl’s dad and realizing he was the same cop who gave him a ticket for turfing. Sorry, Christopher, some things are not meant to be. Those just weren’t the right kinds of donuts.
Color Malfunction
Finding the perfect prom outfit can be challenging, especially for teenage girls who want to look their best on the biggest night of their high-school years. Katie thought she had everything at hand—the color of her gown made her want to disappear.
To avoid color malfunction, never wear green when snapping photos against a green screen (obviously). Maybe Katie forgot this rule of thumb, so she wore a green prom dress. The result? She vanished from the neck down in all her prom photos.
Proms Are Costly
As you all probably know, proms can be a pricey event. Holding big events like prom requires months of preparation and a huge budget. Some schools hold lavish parties in five-star hotels and even book celebrities to entertain everyone.
Usually, the school requires the students to pay for tickets to help with the fees and services. But unfortunately, this school’s budget was so pricey that nobody showed up. This is so sad. We’re sure the school staff feels bad about the canceled prom.
Not Cool At All
It's awful when you're abandoned by your girlfriends after all of you swore not to go to the prom. But sadly, when the people you least suspected of leaving you behind were the very people you once considered friends, it can be hard to deal with.
This happened to Tomo when she and her pals made a deal to avoid going to prom since it was too “mainstream” and uncool. She later learned that all of them went to the dance while she was just sitting in their house. Ouch.
Channeling His Inner Channing Tatum
Hannah's boyfriend had invested so much of his time and energy for the big night. After all, showing off your dance moves, ala Magic Mike, at prom would secure you fame and compliments. But Hannah’s boyfriend earned a different name after that night.
He gave his best performance, but his best was not enough. He underestimated the tightness of his outfit, not realizing that it would give him one of the most embarrassing moments of his life—ripping his jeans and pants front to back.
Saved By A Onesie
Andrea is one of the many unlucky students who experienced a wardrobe malfunction during prom. A wrecked zipper nearly ruined her big night, but then a grinch onesie came to her rescue! It’s painful when a zipper falls flat on you when you really want it the most.
After she locked herself in the restroom for almost an hour, a good samaritan offered her a onesie to wear for the entire evening. We liked that she looked happy in the onesie and in heels! That’s one way to make a memory!
Not Kidding At All
Asking somebody to be your prom date is no easy feat. Rejection fears can really kill your spirit. Unfortunately, Ben’s friend had a terrible experience with this. This traumatic event occurred during a period of text message signatures, and Ben's friends had been using his JK initials as his signature.
In textspeak, JK means "just kidding." So, when he messaged the girl he liked, requesting that she go to the dance with him, he was shocked by her reaction—"Thank god you're kidding." How mortifying!
Crocs On The Dance Floor
Crocs were super famous in the early 2000s, but they're generally outdated today. Knowing the comfort this type of footwear allows, Rachel opted to wear them over heels to safeguard her feet from agony and discomfort during her prom.
Each lady out there knows that heels can be inconvenient, particularly if you have to dance the entire night in them. Knowing this, Rachel took a risk and wore Crocs under her dress so that she could remain comfortable and enjoy her evening.
A Different Katelyn
Asking your crush to prom requires confidence and creativity. If you don't invest sufficient effort in the task, you’re likely to be rejected. Mason thought he had the most effective strategy, but it blew up on him. Well, not completely!
He was too confident in his plan—imagine going through all that just to find out at lunch that you’d invited a different Katelyn. He should have included Katelyn’s last name when he asked her to dance over the school intercom. Now we’re curious whether he went to the prom with the other girl.
Cardboard Cutout For A Date
Not being asked to prom can truly be frustrating. But for Anna, she had the option to swallow her pride and have a great time with her imaginary prom date. Really great for you, Anna, Congrats! She assumed control over her prom experience and went with a cardboard cutout of Channing Tatum.
Some things aren’t meant to be, and Anna had to figure out how to savor the moment instead of whining about not being asked for the dance night. We think this guy probably had more personality than most high school boys, anyway.
A Traditional Monarchy
Isn’t it weird seeing a sister and brother slow dancing together to Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One” on prom night? Adding to that already awkward scene is their passionate stare into each other’s eyes. Just imagining it makes us cringe!
Well, these two were crowned the school’s prom king and queen. As expected, they had to share the floor romantically. We can’t help but get completely creeped out by all of this! We’re sure they feel the same. Anyway, congratulations on earning the prom’s honorary titles!
We Spiked The Punch!
Refreshing, non-alcoholic cocktails are a lasting tradition at prom. They’re refreshing, delicious, and most important of all, non-alcoholic. As students savor their last secondary school hoorah, they still are expected to be responsible for their actions.
However, Mason and his pals were a tad reckless when they chose to spike the punch bowl at their dance, and they didn't thoroughly consider the consequences. Unfortunately, the hotel was sued by the school for moving the punch bowl to the teacher’s table. We feel sorry for the clueless hotel and its staff.
Dad’s Prank
Prom is one of the biggest moments for high school students. It’s supposed to be a magical time not to be met with ugly surprises. In contrast, Jenna’s father was ready to drop a crazy dad joke when her date arrived at the door, seemingly oblivious of what awaited him.
Wearing fake yellow teeth, a flannel top, and an oily comb-over, Jenna’s father opened the door to greet her date. We’re sure the young man was shocked—we just hope that he wasn’t traumatized by what welcomed him.
Dancing With Another Guy
The most unexpected thing happened to this poster when he thought everything was perfect for the big night with his crush on his arm as his date. Shortly after he put his jacket on the chair to dance the night away with his crush, he looked for her only to be surprised with a shock.
He saw her dancing with another man. Aww, this is heartbreaking. We hope Brandon’s night wasn't totally devastated and that he still managed to enjoy it with his friends and hopefully a new date. There is plenty of fish out there for you, Brandon!
The Case Of Curious Parents
While preparations are made months ahead of the big night, there’s always room for ruinous surprises. Terrible entertainment and unacceptable guidelines on the dance floor can ruin the moment. Worse, having to put up with a large group of parents staring at you as you try to hit the dance floor with your friends sounds utterly horrifying.
Unfortunately, Maegan experienced this nightmare when the local performance art center hosted her high school dance. The parents thought their kids would need their presence to cheer them up—for reasons we can’t quite fathom.
She Didn’t Show Up
There are different ways of telling somebody you're not attracted to them. Perhaps the worst way you can do this is by getting their hopes up and letting them down at the last second. This might be the most creative use of cruelty we’re ever seen.
Poor Brandon just can’t catch a break! He went to his prom date’s address, only to discover it was an abandoned warehouse. Did the girl play a prank on Brandon, or did he go in the wrong direction? Either way, it’s not okay to lie. We only hope Brandon got a better prom date.
Too Much Excitement
Attending any high school can be challenging. School requirements, mean teachers, and rival classmates are some of the many trials high schoolers have to overcome. Adding to that is a prom experience at the end. As the dance approached, Kate made sure everything was ready and perfect.
She went to a salon to get her hair and makeup done. She couldn’t contain her excitement and took pictures. Then she realized her prom was still a week away. Now that’s what we call jumping the gun! Don’t worry, we understand you—it’s something high schoolers have to increasingly worry about these days.
Her Drunk Date
Prom night can be intimidating, especially for young men. Imagine meeting your date's parents for the first time, hoping they will have a good impression of you. In order to conceal his anxiety, Melissa’s date decided to get extremely drunk, hoping this would be enough to carry him through the task.
Unfortunately, as a result, he arrived late and stumbled down the stairs while taking pictures. We hope Melissa and her parents were able to bring him home safely. We feel sad for Melissa—we hope you enjoyed the dance!
Mom And Her 40 Selfies
Most parents couldn’t be more excited for their child’s prom night. This special occasion requires the taking of many photographs and produces happy memories for dads and moms alike. Yet, technology has made it challenging for our parents to keep up.
Take it from Josh’s mom, who was excited to take prom photos of her dear son. Sadly, all the snaps turned out to be selfies since she had the camera turned around. Nevertheless, we hope his mom’s selfies made for great memories of his prom.
The Bedwetter Boyfriend
For most high schoolers, prom night goes off without a hitch, but for others, prom night is fodder for some insane memories. How crazy? Just take Tara’s wild morning-after encounter as an example of how bad it can get.
We thought that things like this only happened in movies. However, they can likewise occur in real life. For example, imagine waking up after prom night and seeing your phone in the swimming pool and seeing your boyfriend having wet the bed? It’s definitely a prom experience you’ll never want to remember.
Best Friends (Not) Forever
This #promfail story is not worth remembering. When Sarah and her prom date agreed to have a double date with her best friend, they thought it was a nice idea. But after getting drunk, Sarah fell under a spell in the front seat of her date’s car.
Her best friend’s date also went under in the car. Years later, Sarah realized that her prom date and her best friend had made out while she was sleeping in the front seat. Poor Sarah—It’s not something we’d wish on anyone.
Dress In The Door
While rain can be a blessing, it can also ruin special moments like a prom. Imagine being dressed to the nines and having your hair and makeup done, then driving through the rain. Erik and his date experienced this crazy moment on their way to their prom venue.
His date thought she was being snarky when she told him to go bring the umbrella. However, the joke was on her. Erik realized too little, too late, that his date’s fancy prom dress was trapped in the door.
Embarrassing Moment
Imagine you're in a Hummer limo having a great time while heading to your high school dance, and you learn you’ve left your prom ticket back home. While Emma’s solution of going home to get her ticket seemed like common sense, it was more troublesome than you might imagine.
While Emma battled to break into her home so she could get her ticket, the Hummer limo had its own battle with the dead-end street she resided on. Not to forget that her neighbors were out cutting their lawns. Indeed, Emma had a prom day filled with hilarious memories!
Define Prom
Just as we thought all high school students knew what prom was, Kaylie’s friend was an exception. When Kaylie’s friend agreed to be her prom date, she assumed everything was settled. However, on the way to the prom, she was surprised when her prom date asked, “Is prom like a dance or something?”
He was so clueless; he didn’t even know that it was a school dance! So we can imagine Kaylie’s surprise upon hearing her friend’s innocent question. We’re sure he was thrilled with his very first high school dance after he realized where and who he was.
A Grandma’s Prayer
A high school dance has a lot of pressures, especially the process of finding a date. So to avoid the fuss and enjoy the night, Susie thought having her sister as her prom date was a brilliant idea. But Susie’s grandma had other thoughts.
Susie’s grandma was candid in saying she’d been praying that a guy would hopefully like her by her next prom. We hope that her grandma’s prayer will be granted later in life—if that’s what she’s into—and that Susie, her sister, and her friends enjoyed the dance regardless.
Backdrop Matters (A Lot!)
We’re sure Fletcher's date wasn't delighted with the way their prom pictures turned out. Any girl would freak out as soon as she saw herself in a prom photo looking pregnant—especially if you weren’t actually pregnant at the time!
The backdrop used in their high school dance created the optical illusion that Fletcher’s date had a bun in the oven. If not for Fletcher’s comment and clarification, we would have assumed that she was bearing a child. Hopefully, they got another round of photos, minus the black backdrop!
Mislabeled As Newlyweds
Throughout the years, prom photos have become fancier and fancier, to the point that some look like wedding photographs. Lauren and her boyfriend were happily taking pictures before their high school dance, but to their dismay, some people took them to be bride and groom.
Obviously, Lauren's father was quite disturbed about the false comments made by strangers thinking his little girl and her beau were newlyweds. Looking at the photo, the couple did look like a bride and a groom. We think the white dress might have had something to do with it.
Crashing To The Ground
To say that crashing to the ground during a prom photo shoot is an understatement. Poor Steph experienced one of the most embarrassing moments of her life at prom. To make matters worse, her awkward fainting fit was captured by the photographer.
Sadly, none of her friends appear to have seen or minded that Steph was in the process of falling to the ground—or maybe they just saw right after the photograph was taken. That’s not something you’ll ever want to reminisce about.
Failed Promposal
There are too many prom-fail stories to mention, but nothing beats a crazy prom story in which the police arrive on the scene. Natalie's beau was quickly caught by cops while attempting to organize a remarkable promposal in her car. We’re not sure the use of firearms was necessary, but cops do love their murder weapons.
In any case, breaking into a vehicle is against the law, regardless of whether you're doing it to ask your sweetheart to prom. So it’s good to know that Natalie’s boyfriend didn’t have to go to jail or die. That’s the police showing some restraint there.
The Rescue Team
Poor Lauren. No one expects to have a dislocated knee while dancing at prom, yet that is what happened to her. Fortunately, a gentleman acted as the hero and lifted her up off the dance floor, and her teacher came with some ice. Then, Lauren’s parents arrived to bring her knee support.
Despite this terrible event happening at just about the worst time, Lauren was lucky to have a rescue team to ensure that she was okay. Lauren seems to have enjoyed the night. Look at that big smile she flashed in her prom photo.
The National Anthem
Always a comedian at heart, the young Jimmy Fallon was a social director of his 1992 Prom and, as such, added the Star Spangled Banner to the music mix as a practical joke. But things backfired when his class really dug the national anthem as that year's prom melody!
Being a DJ at a high school dance is a difficult task. You are pressured to play all the cool music that the high schoolers need to hear. However, you likewise need to keep an eye out for improper tunes. The fact that the high schoolers like his particular pick just tells you something about social conditioning!
Looks Like Zac Efron
Blind prom dates can be uncomfortable and dangerous, especially when your pals hint that you look like a superstar to your date when you really don't share any resemblance. Kody experienced this terrible situation, and the consequences really were dire.
Zac Efron isn’t the easiest guy to compete with. Kody’s date was gullible enough to set her hopes too high. We hope Kody’s date moved past her frustration and disappointment and at least offered a dance to her less-than-stellar date.
Mom Proms
Let’s admit it—moms don’t get sufficient credit for the hard work they put in. They spend such a great deal of their lives focusing on their kids’ welfare and rarely have free time to unwind and enjoy, and rarely are they thanked for it.
So it makes sense that this group of moms threw themselves a party while their children were all attending their high school dance. They had an exclusive mom prom party! Nothing beats classic songs, great food, and bottles of wine. Why not transform a dull night into an amazing one?
Heels For The First Time
Heels can make or break an outfit, but they can be pretty difficult to pull off, especially when you’re not used to them. It’s surprising that they don’t offer heel-wearing instruction classes for the uninitiated. They can be dangerous in the wrong hands—or feet.
Mariana figured this out in the most difficult way possible. She thought her prom night was the right opportunity to wear heels for the very first time. Unfortunately, her feet disagreed with her, resulting in a calamity.
Blonde Gone Wrong
They say that experience is the best teacher and we couldn’t agree more. Teairra had to learn the hard way that dying your hair isn’t a simple thing when she decided to go blonde for their high school dance.
She attempted to color her hair blonde before prom night, and on second thought of going to the salon, she figured she could do it all alone. But rather than turning blonde, her brown hair became orange—hardly complementing her coral dress. It’s okay—we’ve been there, Teairra.
Stuck In The Bathroom
With so many prom-dress fails on this rundown, we’ve learned that it's smarter to go with a comfortable dress than a lovely one. We’re sure Melly's prom dress was beautiful, yet she was unable to flaunt it to her peers as she was trapped in the restroom fighting with it for half an hour.
Fortunately, her chaperone found her in the washroom and helped her overcome her personal prom dress nightmare. Lesson learned—don’t eat too much pasta at prom, or you might end up trapped in a cringy horror of your own making.
Prom Photos vs. Prom Dance
Taking photographs is par for the course on special occasions. We snap pictures so we can treasure and recall those happy memories with our loved ones. It stands to reason that high schoolers would want to capture the perfect prom photos too.
Christy’s son and his friends invested a lot of time taking pictures. When they finally concluded they had enough photographs and went to the dance, it was already over. Sorry guys—your mixed priorities backfired on you.
The Tragedy Of Braces
During the latter part of the 2010s, before they were cool, having to wear braces was a hit to a teenager’s self-esteem. Braces align teeth and give us a lovely smile. Thus, all through the mid-2010s, high schoolers were wearing dental braces.
Janis was thrilled to have her braces removed before her prom. However, circumstances didn't allow her to do so as she'd anticipated. Her retainer melted in a grievous fiery mishap, and she needed to wear her braces for an additional half-year. Oops!