Great article, Erika. The first prom dress I ever loved that I thought made me much more beautiful than I could ever be was ruined when I loaned it to a roommate who must have slogged through mud in it. The second prom dress dredged up memories of my being stood up the night I was supposed to wear it. The third prom dress left me feeling like a fool because my hair had been done into a ridiculous pouf that left my blind date staring at me like I was an idiot. Not good prom dress memories.