- Prom garters are worn as a flashy accessory to add some pizazz to and outfit. They don't necessarily have to serve a function, such as holding up a pair of stockings. Any color or style is acceptable, provided it matches the rest of the outfit. Garters are available in a wide range of designs, from a soft pink to leopard print, with polka dots and lime green in between. Some can be customized with the year on the ribbon. Prom garters can be purchased at dress or accessory shops, or you can find them online. Proper etiquette dictates wearing the garter just above the knee.
- One custom is for the girl with the prom garter to give it to her date at the end of the evening. It is not necessary that the two be intimate, although the origins of this tradition may have implied they were. Rather it can just serve as a memento of their evening for him. One prominent and traditional place for the guy to display the garter is on his car's rear-view mirror.
- Another custom is for the girl with the prom garter to give it to her date during the prom. Some schools will actually have a song set aside for such a tradition. The boy is expected to kneel down and remove the garter from his date's leg. The boys then often wear the garter for the rest of the evening as an armband. Some also follow the tradition of the girls giving the boys their garters prior to the prom, with the latter wearing them as armbands to school the Friday before the big dance.
- For girls who don't have a date for the prom or don't like him enough to hand over her garter, the prom garter also makes a great memento. She can place the garter in her memory box, scrapbook or even in a photo album with pictures of the memorable event.
