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Homecoming: History And Fashions
As summer winds down and the weather gets a little cooler, one thing should be on the mind of every fashionable high school aged gentleman: homecoming.
To celebrate this uniquely American occasion, we'll look at a bit of the history around some popular homecoming traditions and offer you a few gentlemanly tips on how to create the perfect hoco ensemble.
And if you're interested in the origins of fashion, be sure to check out our history of fashion guide!
Though homecoming is very popular, most people never stop to think about its history, like how it got its name, or why it has such interesting and distinct conventions that aren't really celebrated anywhere else in the whole world.
History and Origins
A long, colorful tradition spanning over 100 years, homecoming is distinctly American in its history, and has its origins in many of the American University campuses of the early 20th century.
The very first homecoming celebrations were held to mark the school's first football game of the season.
The game was such an important event that many alumni would return (come home) to their former school campuses to watch it and to participate in the festivities.
This returning of alumni to their "home" campus is how the word "homecoming" got its original meaning.
The University of Missouri claims to have held the first homecoming football game in the year 1911, but this fact is disputed by other schools who also claim to have held the first homecoming events, such as Baylor University, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Illinois, just to name a few.
Football
Homecoming and football are deeply connected, and homecoming is usually celebrated alongside an important school football game, usually one of the first games of the season, and most often takes place either in late September or early October, at the start of football season.
While most modern University campuses are now too large to host traditional homecoming dances, many high schools have evolved to make the event the culmination of their weeklong homecoming events and an important part of their student experience.
Styling For Homecoming
To put it very simply, the most important aspect of styling an outfit for homecoming is all about one thing: standing out.
This means a lot of things, not least of which is the fact that a simple suit or vest usually won't cut it if you really want to make a big impact.
It also means that you should pay close attention to your accessorizing, since it's one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to add a personal touch to your outfit.
Although homecoming fashion is all about standing out, its important to remember that its also quite a bit less formal than prom.
Since homecoming outfits often focus less on formality and more on inclusivity, having fun, and putting a unique twist to your style, let this attitude reflect in your outfit!
Another thing to keep in mind is that current fashions trends change, so if you really want to be on top of things, keep your eyes open and do a little bit of research to see which trends are in vogue during your homecoming event!
Stand Out During Homecoming
So, you know homecoming is all about standing out, but how do you actually do it?
Don't worry, you don't have to spend a lot more money than everyone else to stand out, especially if you take special attention to the smaller, more subtle parts of your outfit.
If you want to stand out, try to avoid very traditional all black or all white color combinations and outfits.
Brighter colors can help put eyes on you without costing you any extra money at the tailor: the bolder the color, the more likely it is that you'll be the center of attention.
Using less common textures, like damask, jacquard, or pinstriping can help you stand out and augment the other areas of your outfit.
Make use of fabrics like sharkskin, suede, or silk instead of wool or polyester and you'll be amazed at how differently your outfit feels and how much more attention you'll get.
These types of fabrics and motifs will not only make you stand out, but they also help convey a sense of style-savviness and sophistication not associated with a more generic style.
Plaid is a another common, trendy design that is slightly more lowkey than other options, but can still help you stand out from the crowd of navy blue suits and white button-up dress shirts.
Accessorizing (as we pointed out in our other blog posts) are always a great option to add flair to your outfit, and I'll never get tired of telling people to pay attention to the smaller aspects of their attire.
Homecoming Accessorizing
Socks and ties are a very easy and affordable way to add flair to your outfit and to really fine-tune your appearance.
When worn correctly and combined with other parts of your outfit, even a small addition can make a big impact.
Belt buckles are another often overlooked but very effective option to add perspective and detail to your outfit, and if you really want to go all out, try a buckle with a flashy designer emblem to really add a unique twist to your style.
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