Dressing

In the weeks leading up to prom, you're probably thinking more about how you'll dress for it than any other event you've been to. You'll spend hours shopping, deliberating and deciding between dresses, jewelry, shoes and hand bags. When the big night finally comes, you may begin to second guess your choices.

The most important rule of dressing for prom is to ensure that you feel comfortable in the clothing. You should be able to look in a mirror without feeling uncomfortable or uncertain. The clothing you wear to prom is supposed to make you feel powerful and beautiful, no self conscious.

Apart from feeling fabulous, you should be able to move easily. Anything that leaves you restricted in any way, from sitting to standing to jumping, should be put back in your closet. Spend the days leading up to prom testing the shoes you chose. They should be comfortable to walk in for longer periods of time.

Also ensure you accessories are comfortable. You don't want to be playing with or adjusting them the entire night.

Dancing

You've dressed, had dinner and now you're at the dance. Even if you've never had formal dance lessons, you can still enjoy the dance floor and have a great time. Since you've already made sure your clothes are not only confidence inducing but incredibly comfortable, feel free to dance to whatever beat comes over the speakers.

There's no set way to dance. For upbeat music, just move however it moves you. Sway back and forth, jump up and down or shake your body to the beat. Fast paced dance music is less about looking good and more about having fun while you move.

For the slow, steady songs, dance at a comfortable distance from your partner. Getting to close, while cozy, can result in tripping, sweating or other unpleasant results. The floor will probably be packed, though, so unless your school has a specific policy, skip the "arm's length apart" policy. And since there won't be much room to move, just take small steps in whatever area you can get.

As a final word on dancing, be sure to brush up on the Electric Slide and the Macarena.

Dating

When at prom, standard dating etiquette applies. If you're going solo, don't get too attached to any one particular person, unless you plan on spending the brunt of the evening with them. Other than that, feel free to float around and enjoy attention from a variety of people. When cutting in, be sure to ask permission first.

If you're going with a date, give him most of your attention. Barring any catastrophic rudeness on his part, stick with your date for the whole night. Just as you should ask permission, don't begin dancing with another guy until he has gotten the OK from your date. This may sound like a throwback to a less feminist society, but it works both ways and is just common courtesy.

The prom should be your date destination. Before you go, be sure to discuss which after event, whether it's school sponsored or not, with your date. Again, barring any extreme reason to ditch him, you should attend the after events with your date as well.

Above all, your date should be fun. If at any point, it stops being entertaining and starts draining your night, excuse yourself from the date. Don't make a scene, and, if he hasn't been doing his best to offend you, say you'd like to spend the rest of the night with your girlfriends. Invite him to come with, and enjoy a group instead of a twosome.