Prom season is officially upon us. This means social media will soon be flooded with images of high school students shopping for their perfect prom dress and GRWM videos of younger generations readying themselves for their big night out.
As a result, many older folks on TikTok have taken to sharing their prom fashions of the past. While some have done so out of pure nostalgia, others are responding to a new trend: Gen Z TikTokers hating on Millennial prom dresses.
Millennial prom style is at the center of online discourse
On Mar. 9., 2025, TikTok user @ilovebenflorian posted a compilation of photos epitomizing prom dress fashions of the 2000’s and 2010’s.
@ilovebenflorian #millenial #prom #2010s #2015 #burger #fyp ♬ We Will Never Die (feat. Kody Redwing and The Broken Hearts) (Cut 1) – Kyle Gordon
The video has 6.4M views, 1.3M likes, 33.1K saves, and 10.4K comments. Many are diving in, contributing their own prom memories.
“Millennial prom slayed guys,” wrote TikTok user @thelesbianbatman.
“When the dresses weren’t lame,” added TikTok user @larasobased.
The video includes seven different images of retro fashions. Designs showcased hot pink tiger patterns, corseted rouching, chiffon ruffles, high-low skirts, shiny fabrics, and plenty of sequins and beads.
There is no caption for the video, but some of the hashtags include #millenial, #2010s, and #2015. Text overlay on the video reads, “‘Millennial burger joint.’ ok, but what about Millennials at prom.” This is playing on the popular “Millennial burger joint” meme, which makes fun of the copycat-styling gourmet burger restaurants have adopted these days.
“No they actually ate this,” wrote TikTok user @soheilajimenez86 in the comments of the video. “I wish prom dresses were fun again.”
What kind of dresses did Millennials wear?
Prom dresses of the 2000s and 2010s were their own breed of extra. It was popular to have bright, bold colors, usually neon or jewel-toned, in organza, satin or chiffon materials. TikTok user @generationmillennial compiled an extensive slideshow for viewing these masterpieces through the years.
But it was the detailing in these designs that really set them apart. Many chose prom as a time to show off their wild side, with dresses that had cut-outs on the torso or came in two pieces, revealing the midriff. Tube tops, and laced corset bodices were also all the rage, paired with big flouncy skirting or dresses with large slits up the side.
Glittery details like sequins, bubble beads and metallic embellishments also made these dresses stand out, especially along necklines and at the waist. Mermaid hemlines were super popular, as were high-low skirts which were shorter in the front and tapered to be floor-length in the back.
Most Millennials chose to keep their prom dresses long in the formal style. However, short prom dresses or cocktail dresses were also en vogue.
Memorable brands included Jovani, Mac Duggal, and Jessica McClintock.
Gen Z apologizes for making fun of Millennial prom dresses
While the trend started off as a way to poke fun at fashions of the past, slowly but steadily, many Gen Zers began to admit these dresses were actually…better than what they wore to prom.
“Ok, but Gen Z prom dresses are just white or baby pink with sequins and/ or flowers and bows,” TikTok user @farrah.estes6 wrote in the comments of @ilovebenflorian’s video.
TikTok user @3rooklyynn elaborated on the subject, highlighting that things have gotten more casual since. “Gen Z prom dress are like urban outfiters white basic dresses with Air Force one or Nike dunk.”
A lot of Gen Zers commented about how unique this era of formal wear was also. “The dresses are so creative i hate how prom dresses look today,” wrote TikTok user @coooldairr.
“Back then, people had creativity,” added TikTok user @kehl_ivan. “Cringe culture made us the new Boomers, really.”
Back to the generation wars
One TikTok user, @itstinacolada, posted a tearful video apologizing for Millennial hate and defending the generation. She urged Gen Z to show more sympathy for the generation of babysitters, camp counselors, and neighbors that prom-ed before them.
“The millennial hate has gone too far,” @itstinacolada admitted in a tearful video. “I’m here as a Gen Z correspondent to say it’s done…. I just saw a video making fun of the prom dresses millennials wore to prom… And I’m gonna sit here and laugh? Those girls were everything to me!”
“I went to see their prom pics taken,” she added. “Best day of my fucking life. I was 8, and I was like, ‘these girls look like goddamn movie stars.’”
She went on to describe some of the styles. “Hot pink, bedazzled prom dress, cheetah print prom dress, teal prom dress, one shoulder. Guess what? It was the vibe at the time, and they looked incredible. The hate train will have To Choo Choo without me.”
Millennials go into prom dress nostalgia overload
“I heard we’re talking about millennial prom dresses,” wrote TikTok user @brideoncaffeine. In the caption of a video she made in response to the diss takes, saying, “This dress ATE and still does.”
On Mar. 19, 2025, she shared a video of herself in the present. A text overlay reads, “Since we’re on the topic of Millennial prom dresses.” It’s followed by a few images of the dress she wore in 2012, a long gown made of rainbow sequins with a slit running up one side of the dress.
TikTok user @barackthechi also clapped back with a prom-tastic response. “Call it what you want, but it was a slay in 2013 lmfao,” they wrote in the caption. The video shows off an image of themselves in a dark purple, bedazzled prom dress, complete with ruffles and a high-low skirt.
“Pulling out my prom photos!” TikTok user @jenjen1115 wrote in the caption of their post. They shared a selection of 2012 prom day pics they still had on their laptop.
TikTok user @infamousmamahenry actually called out Gen Z’s criticism in a video she posted on Mar. 19, 2025. With over 166.7K views and 6,903 likes, she explained that “Millennial prom dresses are having a moment right now.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to @ilovebenflorian, @infamousmamahenry and @itstinacolada via TikTok DM for comment.
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