The generational differences are being highlighted on social media once again, this time over how "short" homecoming dresses have become.
Homecoming 2025 dresses spark generational discourse
TikToker Pam (@thewhorticulturist) recently posted a video where she criticized modern homecoming fashion. She described the dresses as "basically lingerie" and questioned how parents allowed it.
This debate about homecoming dresses resurfaced, as it does almost every fall. Homecoming dresses typically lean shorter and flashier, while prom dresses lean more formal. Still, each season sparks arguments about what counts as appropriate attire for teenagers, especially with older generations weighing in on the discussion.
Pam’s video highlighted her disbelief. She asked, "Where are their par— who was buying these dresses for these young ladies?" She added, "These kids are in high school. What the f*ck are you doing, parents? Where are you?" Her words echoed a familiar generational divide.
"Literally me scrolling my phone," she said, showing expressions of shock. "Like, the disapproval, the shock, the parenting is parenting."
What the older generations are saying
On Reddit, similar complaints have appeared for years. Three years ago, u/lolomanigan wrote, "Although I agree in freedom on all fronts, I have a 15-year-old girl and I see no benefit in allowing her to wear dresses that land at the bottom of her butt cheeks. Short, yes, street worker short, um. No."
Another Redditor, u/freshamy, commented, "I’m not a prudish old lady, but I don’t like the looks of what I like to call the 'hootchie-mama' dresses. They look like swimsuits and are made of the same fabric as one. Not very classy." She added that her niece tried to call one of these outfits a cocktail dress, which she strongly rejected.
Even last year, one parent recalled chaperoning and feeling overwhelmed by the trend. u/Expensive-Gene-2273 said, "I know that formal dresses have shrunk in length over the years, but I was not prepared for how many times I was flashed last night. It truly made me uncomfortable." They estimated 70% of the dresses fell just below the buttocks.
Social media weighs in
However, many TikTok users pushed back. They argued that Pam’s video exaggerated the issue and ignored history. For example, @emache01 wrote, "I’m a millennial. When I was in middle school, girls were pulling their thongs above their ultra low-rise jeans so you could see the whale tail. Stop pretending teens were conservative back in the day. They’ve always been like this."
Another commenter questioned Pam’s motives directly, asking, "Are you rage-baiting? These are not much different than the ones we wore in '88-'91."
Some adults demanded stricter dress codes, while others defended fashion freedom. At the same time, teens themselves seemed unfazed, treating the styles as standard.
Two TikTokers utilized the "Chopped and Screwed" TikTok trend to share their thoughts, bringing an end to the discourse:
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