Prom season is upon us! Take a stroll through this month's exhibit to view the finest fashions from decades past.

The prom (short for "promenade") had its beginnings in the late 1800s as dances held at New England colleges to teach students proper etiquette. The tradition caught on with the high school set after parents and teachers thought that such dances might confer similar good manners on the younger crowd. By the middle of the 20th century, the prom had officially become part of the high school experience.