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The Greeks wore togas. The Aztecs wore headdresses. And now, in times of celebration and sophistication, we wear suits and dresses. One such sophisticated celebration is the Homecoming Dance of last Saturday, an event which had no shortage of fashionable modes of dress.

Now that Homecoming has home-come-and-gone , it may seem strange to write an article on students’ fashion choices for the dance. But fashion is about more than just movie premieres and magazines. It’s an industry that employs hundreds of millions of people all around the globe, but even more than that, it’s a silent, but essential facet of our everyday lives. Picture this: You get up, you take off your pajamas, and you put on your outfit for today. Did you pick it out last night? Do you have a whole schedule in place, perhaps? Or is this outfit a spur of the moment decision, some mad amalgamation of socks, sandals, and cargo pants thrown together at the last moment?

Now, it could be (and certainly has been) argued that the societal view on fashion should be reconsidered, that comfort should be prioritized over style, and that less pressure should be placed on people, especially kids, to fit into traditional societal beauty standards. Now, I wanted to touch on these aspects of fashion because I think they’re important to address whenever fashion is discussed, but diving into these topics could lead down a whole rabbit hole of political and sociological debates and tangents, a fact that leads to a double quandary for me, as A) I am completely unqualified and unprepared to reckon with topics such as these, and B) these are not the topics you came to this article for, so instead I will simply say this: All of these statements are valid, and while expectations of unattainable beauty and perfection are extremely unfair, for many people fashion is a fun, mainstream method of self-expression, and yes, even a form of art.

The way we dress and take care of ourselves is an integral part of the way we see each other, and in many ways, it’s a part of the way we see ourselves. “Yeah, I’m very into fashion. I make all my outfits match everyday,” said 12th grader Elaina Evers at a Bruin Broadcast photoshoot to showcase Homecoming outfits this past Wednesday, wearing her rosy red dress that she bought from Macy’s.

Now, so far, this article has been primarily focused on fashion, but where exactly can you find fashion? Why, a school dance of course! The theme of this year’s Homecoming dance was “Casino Night”, held on Saturday the 12th, and students showed up in spades, turning the auditorium into a full house (sorry, I had to).

Homecoming is defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “an annual celebration for alumni at a high school, college, or university”. However, as Jude Hitzelberger, another student interviewed for the Homecoming photoshoot so eloquently put it, it’s largely seen as “basically just like the pre-prom, but it’s for everyone.” This isn’t a negative thing though. “It’s just a fun event where you get to dress up and dance,” Hitzelberger continued. “I think it’s fun.”

“I’m really excited about Homecoming,” said Iris Fritsch, a Junior, last Monday. “[...] I think it’s a really fun thing for all of us to do to get all dressed up and just have fun.”

As this article comes to a close, I feel I must confess something. Although I sit here and blather on about the meaning of fashion, I myself am lounging on a comfy chair, wearing socks and a pair of blue jeans. So not exactly fashion forward. Still, I think I, and most other people can agree that this year’s Homecoming dance came up aces, and in regards to fashion, whether you’re wearing a designer dress or a Grateful Dead t-shirt from the flea market, all that really matters is if you’re happy at the end of the day. Because isn’t that what it’s all about?

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Written by Miles Johnson

Photography by Monserrat Hernandez Rivera