June 2, 1999
'Prelude to Prom' is the ultimate chick fest
Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Billed as the ultimate chick fest, Kylie and Abby's Pre-Prom Primping Party was an all-night extravaganza of unabashed cheesy girliness.
From chick flicks (City of Angels and Meet Joe Black) and chick food (fruit or veggie pizzas) to mud masks, manicures and pedicures, the night was a chance to recreate female bonding not seen since junior high sleepovers. Primping may have been the excuse, but togetherness was the object.
"It's fun to get together this way because we don't have many girl parties anymore," said Abby Ramseyer, a graduating senior this year at Traverse City Central High School. "We are going to get together and gossip, revisit old times. It's not just a matter of getting pretty, but of getting together to have fun."
Organizers Ramseyer and Kylie Craig, also a graduating senior at Central, gathered at the Craig home Friday night with 18 of their closest girlfriends from school to prepare for the next evening's prom. They planned to model their dresses, discuss accessories, make ankle bracelets and talk about their dates. Movies and snacks into the night rounded out the agenda.
Nearly all attendees decided to spend the night, toting along sleeping bags and pillows to unfurl on the basement floor. Many had early hair or nail appointments Saturday morning and planned to clear out early.
"We have to get our beauty sleep so we will stay up to a reasonable time - maybe 3 or 4 a.m.," said Jennifer Galang.
The party's organizers were also motivated to get things moving in the morning, little dawdling would be allowed.
"We've got to get them out of here because we're cooking dinner for our prom night," said Craig, who was making an elegant prom dinner with Abby and another friend for their dates, which they were eating at chez Craig.
Bob and Claudia Craig are used to crowds of excited teenagers descending on their Peninsula Township home. Kylie's friends in the Choral Aires and other musical groups at Central High School are always trooping through the house, which has become ground zero for their gatherings and parties. Even the family dogs barely lifted an ear as girls began streaming into the house Friday night after 10 p.m. as the party got underway.
"We enjoy having them here, they are good kids," said Claudia Craig, who in her pajamas and bathrobe watched the goings on while her husband installed window screens around the house, tuning out the increasing bedlam. "We go up to our room and shut the door, coming down once in a while to check things out."