Fresh off their Olympics wins, most of the U.S. gymnastics team's "Final Five" hit the MTV Video Music Awards' step-and-repeat tonight. Unfortunately, Gabby Douglas wasn't there (she was in the hospital earlier this weekend), but Simone Biles, Laurie Hernandez, Aly Raisman, and Madison Kocian swapped their glimmering, Swarovski-encrusted Olympic leotards for red-carpet worthy ensembles.
It's basically like a stand-in for prom, which most of these teen dynamos haven't yet experienced. (They've been sort of busy with Olympic-caliber training and all.) For Biles, who was homeschooled, it's particularly poignant. She opted for a beaded coral minidress from Sherri Hill, a formalwear designer best known for her elaborately embellished prom wares.
"I’ve never gone to a homecoming; never a prom. I gave up a lot, but I made the right decision, because look what I’ve accomplished," Biles told her mom, according to The Washington Post. Hernandez, also wearing Sherri Hill, hasn't been to a prom, either. (Though it's on the 16-year-old's short-term to-do list, along with attending college.)
Raisman likely showed Biles the ropes when it comes to prom-like dressing, due to her own experience with the rite of passage. (Back in 2012, Raisman had quite the prom-posal involving her high school's football field and "Prom?" spelled out in Christmas lights.)
Why shouldn't these insanely talented superhuman athletes have an excuse to get kitted out in fancy dresses in lieu of their usual gymnastics garb for a night? It's especially exciting for Biles to don a sparkly, prom dress — sans the actual prom.
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