By Peyton Lutz
A parade on Main Street, parents screaming from the bleachers at the football game, and the awful music played at the dance. In the days before homecoming and even the following week, the discussion of getting ready for homecoming was the “hot topic.” But what is so special about getting dressed for a dance? Ask any teenage girl, and you will be overwhelmed with the amount of detail and excitement leading up to it.
Typically, there are 5 main steps when getting ready for the homecoming dance. These steps include (in no particular order) makeup, styling hair, putting on jewelry, getting dressed, and taking photos. After interviewing multiple pairs of girls from different high school grades, each of their routines was unique, yet shared some commonalities.
In total, nine high school girls were interviewed. For starters, all nine girls stated that they completed hair and makeup as their first two steps in getting ready. A survey sent out to all high school girls who attended the dance revealed that 70.5% of girls wore their hair down to the dance. Whether their hair was curled, straightened, or natural, everyone’s hairstyle was slightly different.
Known for her long, natural red hair, junior Kylie Gaston explains, “All I did was shower, and I did my normal curly hair routine.” Routine isn’t simple for curly hair, which takes just as long, if not even longer, than curling or straightening hair. Gaston, for example, washes her hair and puts leave-in conditioner in. The conditioner helps hold the curls, soften, moisturize, and prevent frizz.
As part of the makeup routine, an important detail is the products and steps for getting makeup ready. A common brand used amongst the teenagers was E.L.F. Skincare. Rare Beauty blush was also commonly reported to be used. In addition to E.L.F. Skincare and Rare Beauty, 5 out of 9 girls said they used an eyelash curler. Multiple girls spoke about their mascara routine, revealing their secrets to full lashes.
While getting ready together, Sophomores Kylie Hanson and Jayde Bender shared a similarity while putting on mascara. Hanson recalls, “I curled my eyelashes, used Lash Paradise (the gold one), and just did layers of that.” Oddly enough, Bender added, “I curled my eyelashes and did Lash Paradise.” The dynamic duo is similar in many ways and shares even the same lash routine.
After completing hair and makeup routines, the next step is putting on the dress and jewelry. Freshman Preslee Kiss started a new trend with her friend group and explains, “One person puts their dress on, they walk out; like a reveal of our dresses.” A popular trend on TikTok was used by Kiss and her friends for their first-ever homecoming.
Differentiating from previous years, senior Beatrice Quam ended up hosting over 60 high schoolers before the dance. Quam states, “It was a lot of seniors, and almost the entire cheer team. Obviously, some people branch off into other groups, but it was a big part of the senior class.” Typically, there are groups of five to ten people who get ready together, making the occasion of hosting over 60 people even more special.
Many teenagers use TikTok and do transitions or lip syncs when getting ready. Several girls added this to their routine before taking photos with friends. Doing some transitions of her own before HOCO, senior Teghan Swenson emphasizes, “And of course, you have to do your TikTok transitions!”
Overall, homecoming is a bonding experience and includes a sense of unity. Every year is special, with its own unique traditions. A common trend this year was creating flower bouquets, done by different groups in every grade. Traditions don’t just look like flowers; they’re also the routine, or the music. Besides the literal aspect of tradition, there is more to the story than that. It’s not just a tradition, it’s a memory that lasts a lifetime.