Recoup a Bit of That Prom Season Magic With These Throwbacks of Stars at the Big Dance

Celebrity

If the world of pop culture and everyone who loves and follows it (that’d be you, E! News reader) were a high school, celebrities would undoubtedly be the cool kids.

Just think how breathlessly we consume the minutiae of their daily lives. We cheer for the class couples (hi, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend!), speculate over who is most likely to succeed (at the Oscars, on the Met Gala red carpet, throughout television’s fall schedule) and campaign for who we’d like to see as president. (So, Oprah Winfrey, that’s a firm no?) 

And we’re forever declaring someone queen. See: Zendaya, Ariana Grande, and, as always, Beyoncé

So no shock here that in real life, future celebs were already being crowned in high school with everyone from Meryl Streep to Halle Berry honored by their classmates from New Jersey and Ohio. (Also, Will Ferrell just straight up snagged his date’s tiara, which we’re absolutely here for.) 

And while pretty much no high schooler is able to go to prom this year, unless it’s the virtual kind or a backyard date put together by the sweetest babysitting charge you ever did see and there are many heavy, entirely imperative conversations happening, we can all still enjoy a bit of levity with these throwbacks of your favorite stars at the big dance. Because while some promgoers were every bit as impossibly chic as you’d imagine (though, to be fair, Yara Shahidi was a high school senior in Ungaro all of three years ago) others fell victim to the same trends we all tried. (Remember two-piece formalwear?) 

Also, if you need more convincing, we’ll leave you with two words: ’80s hair. 

Instagram

Taraji P. Henson, Allure, Prom Pic, Before and After

Allure

Lance Bass, Danielle Fishel

Twitter

Jaden Smith, Amandla Stenberg, Instagram

Instagram

Giuliana Rancic

Courtesy Giuliana Rancic

Formal Dance Gallery, Britney Spears, James Spears

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, George Clooney

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Reese Witherspoon

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Carrie Underwood

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Jaden Smith, Prom, Batman

Instagram

Formal Dance Gallery, Dianna Agron

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Amanda Seyfried

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Elizabeth Banks

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Fergie

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Paul Rudd

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Sandra Bullock

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

The Oscar-winning actress looks elated as she dances with her senior year homecoming date. 

Formal Dance Gallery, Renee Zellweger

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Halle Berry

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Kellie Pickler

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Kim Kardashian

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Kristin Chenoweth

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Lance Bass

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Lindsay Lohan

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Brooklyn Decker

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Ryan Seacrest

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Snooki

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Debra Messing

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Lizzy Caplan

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Faith Hill

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Meryl Streep

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Montel Williams

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

The talk-show host shows off some serious swag on his senior prom night. 

Formal Dance Gallery, Meg Ryan

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Will Ferrell

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Randy Jackson

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Before his days as a judge on American Idol, the singer was busy showing off his best tough guy ‘tude in his senior prom pic. 

Formal Dance Gallery, Stacy Keibler

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

Formal Dance Gallery, Magic Johnson

Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library

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