From the Charleston to the hand-jive, 80s perms to 90s trash, slow dances to slasher scenes: 'prom' is yet another American invention that has crept successfully into British culture too, so much so that we all think we had one, even if it was just a whirl round the dancefloor in flares after you finished your GCSEs.

Prom has been the setting for all sorts of movie action. And with the prom, of course, comes the prom dress.

Back in the day, it was quite a classy affair. It was in the 1940s and 50s that the prom started to take its shape as we know it today. Check out this vintage footage of a couple arriving at prom together from the 1950s. The ladies wore beautiful, voluminous dresses with circular skirts and tight bodices - a shape so flattering we wish we could have worn one to our coming-of-age. The look is finished off by elegant white gloves, corsages and a string of pearls - all so glamourous. 

 

And in the movies... It's A Wonderful Life featured tiered 1940s frocks and Rock, Rock, Rock is full of beautiful full skirts. Then the 70s and 80s upped the pace and colour – with pointy collars in Grease and frilly shirts in Footloose. And then the 90's took hold, replete with shiny mini dresses in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.

There's something for everyone, whether you were a swot or a cool kid, whether you were ever actually asked to dance or just pretended you didn't really want to, like the rest of us.