As Homecoming quickly approaches this year, girls in high schools all over the country are left scrambling to find dresses, shoes, boutonnieres, and anything else they feel is necessary for Homecoming. However, the perfect look appears to be costing students more and more every year. Nowadays, it isn’t just the clothes adding to the price of Homecoming, it’s the hair styling, the professional makeup, and the dinner before. Just 10 or 15 years ago, students did not go to dinner before prom and only girls on Homecoming Court bought new dresses. Girls at The Walker share just how much they fork over every year for Homecoming. On average, girls at Walker spend 150 dollars on a dress, 50 dollars on shoes, 100 dollars on hair and makeup, 25 dollars on a boutonniere, and 25 dollars on dinner, which amounts to whopping 350 dollars a year on just one night. Even to girls who spend this money- or more in several cases- are surprised by this total, especially because just a few months later they will spend even more money on preparations for Prom in the spring. With such a staggering price tag, it is no wonder fewer and fewer girls- and guys- are attending Homecoming each year. Many students are choosing to skip the fall festivities and save their money for Prom.

Class of 2017 Seniors, dressed to impress, at Homecoming 2016.

The true cost of homecoming for a guy is not necessarily a monetary value, but an emotional one. All guys hear their potential dates talking about the “perfect sign” or the “perfect dance” to their friends in the hallways or around campus. The biggest investment a guy makes towards homecoming is creating an award winning pun and poster to try and please the girl yet not seem too over the top about it. Nearly every high school guy today owns at least one suit and therefore does not need to go buy an outfit that they will maybe wear a few times. The only extra item of clothing possibly needed is a new tie to match the dress of his date and a corsage to match as well. Perhaps the hardest part of homecoming for a guy is deciding what group to go with and where. Depending on the relationship with their dates, guys may want to go with some of their friends and dates to an averagely priced restaurant or splurge and go to an expensive one. However, the date could want to go elsewhere and other arrangements would have to be made. This is the most expensive part of the experience for guys because typically, the guy pays for both his meal and his date’s. During homecoming week itself, most guys generally will make a costume or outfit out of something they already own rather than go buy a costume specifically for that dress up day. Although it may not be as great as a store bought outfit, the creativity expressed often is much better than anything a large company could make.