Say No To the Dress: Is This Louisiana Prom Gown Too Revealing?

CENTRAL, LA — It is that time of year again when school officials say yes and no to teens’ prom dresses — decisions that can spark outrage and bickering on the internet about what’s appropriate and what’s not. Let’s begin with a dress officials at a Christian school in Louisiana said was too racy.

Josie Reason’s gown is high-necked and full-skirted. It shows off her well toned arms and shoulders, but little else. And there are some small mesh cut-outs just above the waist, but nothing very revealing.

Josie’s mom, Rebecca Reason, had vetoed some of the dresses she considered — one with a side slit that was too high, another with a neckline that was too low and any that were too tight a fit — but approved the one her daughter ended up choosing. Mom’s main stipulation was that the gown should also be suitable for a dress-up event at church.

On Saturday, Josie’s date put on a tuxedo and showed up at her house in a rented limousine. But when they arrived at Central Private School, where he is a student, school officials said the dress with modest mesh cut-outs was a no-go.

“I could tell Josie was trying not to cry,” Rebecca told Yahoo Lifestyle of the call from her daughter. “She said, ‘Mom, they won’t let me in the prom because of my cut-outs — I either have to wear Christian’s jacket all night or walk 40 minutes to Walmart and buy a belt.’ ”

The two teenagers took a stand. Christian refused to turn over his jacket, arguing other girls wearing more revealing gowns had been allowed in. So instead of creating memories at prom that night, they went to dinner and a movie.

Wayne Cooks, the superintendent at Central Private School, told WAFB-TV the school dress code doesn’t allow “cut-outs that show skin in the mid-section.”

“Central Private is a Christian based school and we have guidelines that we ask all our students and their dates to meet and they sign a contract and get it back to us,” he said.

Rebecca Reason said she thought the school discriminated against her daughter because she isn’t a student there, but Cooks said two Central Private students were also required to wear their dates’ jackets because their dresses violated the dress code.

Josie plans to wear the dress at her own high school prom on Saturday, but her mother packed a “prom care package” kit equipped with a needle and thread, marker, scissors, measuring tape and a belt.

“I don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” she told Yahoo.

Check out the dress below. What do you think? Is it too revealing? Tell us in the comments.

Photo via Shutterstock