By: Jordan Sullivan

April 27, 2025

I never thought prom would become such a stressful event for me, but here I am, two weeks away from the big night, and everything has turned into a battlefield of color schemes and expectations. My girlfriend, Emma, has been planning her outfit for months. She’s even having her dress custom-made by her friend, which is pretty cool, I guess. But here’s the kicker—she wants me to match her colors exactly. Light purple and cream. I’m not even exaggerating when I say these two colors are probably my least favorite shades in the entire spectrum of hues. I’ve never liked them, and now, she wants me to wear them too.

At first, I thought maybe I could just go with it, you know? It’s her big night, and I love her, so I figured I’d suck it up. But when she mentioned that her friend would be making my suit, that’s when I started to feel trapped. I know it’s supposed to be a sweet gesture, but I wanted to pick my own suit, something that reflects me. I’ve been holding on to this idea for months, thinking that this prom would be my chance to wear something I actually like.

But when I brought it up to Emma, things got heated. Like, really heated. She and her friends started screaming at me, saying how I was being selfish for not wanting to match her. One of her friends even said, “You’re literally ruining prom for her!” That stung. And now I’m stuck in this position where I either have to give in and wear something I hate or disappoint Emma and risk her being mad at me for the rest of the week.

The other option they gave me was to re-wear last year’s suit. But, honestly, I hated it then too. It was an uncomfortable, awkward fit that didn’t really feel like me either. I want to make my last prom memorable, but it feels like I’m being forced into something I don’t want.

I don’t know if I’m overreacting or if I just need to put my foot down. Part of me wants to take control and wear something that’s me, even if it means a bit of conflict. But then there’s the fear of disappointing her. I hate that my last prom is turning into such a mess because of a couple of colors. I guess I’ll have to figure this out soon, but I really just want to enjoy my night without feeling like I’m compromising who I am.

– Jordan Sullivan