The lady hands her date the garter, which he wears on the upper half of his arm for the rest of the evening. In exchange, the young guy lends his necktie to his date, who wears it. Alternatives Because prom garters have certain negative connotations (e.g., sexual promiscuity), alternatives to prom garters might be considered. Alternatives include exchanging a flower pin and corsage, reserving the first or last slow dance for only the prom date, or exchanging class rings.