Homecoming is the New Black?

I think it’s time we discuss the homecoming dress code.

No, not the one handed down by the administration. The other one. The dress code consisting entirely of black, body-con dresses that seems to be enforced year after year. Did I miss the official decree that black dresses are the only garments allowed at homecoming? Because every year I have attended homecoming, I have been greeted by a veritable swarm of black nylon, cotton, and polyester.

Not that there is anything inherently wrong with a little black dress. It is a wardrobe staple that has stood the test of time for a reason; it is classic, versatile, and flattering. But it’s also not very fun. While a black, body-con homecoming dress can be sexy, demure, trendy or classic, its scope is only so wide.

I am a firm believer that fashion should make a statement. It should declare to the world how you feel, what you love, and who you want to be that day. And most importantly, it should be enjoyable. Every student at Sparta High School is unique, and has a distinct perspective. We all feel different things, love different things, and aspire to be different things—and I think that individuality is one of the best things about people. And a little black dress can only express so much. How can the one-of-a-kind spark of 300+ different girls shine through when they are all wearing a variation of the same dress?

Perhaps it’s peer pressure, or marketing, or the Illuminati for all I know. I can’t explain why everyone wears tight, black dresses to homecoming, but I can say it’s time we stop. I challenge you to wear something different to homecoming, be it a color, a texture, or a pattern. Wear something fun, outrageous, and entirely you. Of course, if you truly and deeply have an affection for that little black dress, then by all means, who am I to stop you? But before you zip up that dress and head to homecoming, think for a second about why you’re wearing it. Does it bring you joy? Do you feel amazing? Is it who you want to be that day?

So enjoy homecoming, and if you can solve the riddle of the black dress phenomenon, let me know.

#Homecoming