History of Homecoming

Growing up in San Diego and going to a small private school, I was always in awe of the big homecoming dances that appeared in movies or on TV shows; the football games, the cheerleaders, the extravagant dance (similar to a prom) that would follow. Guys would go to extraordinary lengths to ask out their dates, and girls would dress up in long sparkly dresses. My school, on the other hand, had no homecoming. Our football field wasn’t even long enough to be considered regulation for games, so our team had to play at fields nearby. We had no cheerleading team, and certainly not a student population large enough to fill a dance hall. I never witnessed the extravagant homecoming proposals, with big posters or students breaking out in song. So did I miss out on some momentous occasion? Is Homecoming all it’s made out to be? I’m sure you might be looking forward to your own homecoming; the spirit week, pep rallies, and dancing, but do you know how it all started?

Homecoming began in the 19th century as a way to celebrate alumni returning “home.” There would be a big football game, and students, alumni, and community members alike would support the team. It was a way to bring a school or a community together. University of Missouri-Columbia is credited with its invention in 1911, when Coach Chester Brewer invited alumni to return home for the football game. With the large turnout of graduates, it was considered a huge success, and inspired similar celebrations across the country.

Today, celebrations usually include football games played on the home field, activities for alumni and students, parades, tailgate parties, dances, and a homecoming court. The football game is arguably the most important event out of the festivities. At most universities, tailgate parties are set up in stadium parking lots, where the community joins in barbeques, games, music, and socializing. Most high schools and many colleges have Spirit Week, where students dress up according to a different theme each day. The dance is the final major event, in essence the culmination of the previous week’s activities. There is also the homecoming court–a group of students chosen by their peers to serve as royalty. It includes a King, Queen, Princes, and Princesses. Parades include the school’s marching band and floats made by different student organizations.

So did I miss out? Well, yes and no. My high school had other special events, including prom, and we had great school pride and spirit. And, I’m now getting to enjoy homecoming events at the university I attend.

Homecoming is a way for community members and students to come together and celebrate a mutual pride for their schools and towns. You don’t have to be a football player or cheerleader to participate in the festivities, and you certainly don’t need a date to take you to the dance. It seems like homecoming can be as momentous as you want it to be. If you’ve been preparing enthusiastically for spirit week and homecoming or have been waiting for the perfect night to get dressed up and dance, then homecoming can be absolutely magical. Go find that perfect dress, heels, and accessories! This can be your chance to show off that special dress you have been dying to wear, whether it’s short or long, halter or strapless, sequined or patterned. (And, if you’re on a tight budget, you can even purchase a reasonably priced, yet beautiful preowned dresses online from promagain.com.) Homecoming and school spirit are truly whatever you make of them, so enjoy!

And if your school doesn’t have a homecoming like mine didn’t, it just means that your community celebrates in a different way, and that there are other opportunities to have fun and feel pride in your school. (And other opportunities to dress up too!)

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

“Prom Again” vs. “EBay”! Sell your Prom Dress Online

Prom night is still one of the most anticipated nights of any high school student and even though the event is special, the prom dress is what puts it over the top. It is no great secret most women love to shop and shopping for something as unique as a prom dress is no exception. But, shopping and purchasing are two completely separate events. Today you can still have the thrill of finding the perfect dress without necessarily having to pay the exorbitant price. This is one of the few occasions in a young lady’s life where you will shop for a dress you more than likely will only wear once.

In the past, there were several different ways to find a preowned dress but it took a lot of work and time. Once the internet came along things changed. You no longer had to hunt for your dress at the second hand stores in town or have it custom made by your grandmother. Along came sites like “Promagain.com” and “EBay.com” where a plethora of choices is available. But which site do you use and what differentiates the two?

To begin with, you have the behemoth EBay that has pretty much taken over the online shopping and auction venue in the world. Then you have a couple of dedicated moms who determined there had to be a better way and began a business in their garage to better serve the specific niche of buying and reselling preowned special occasion dresses. Unlike EBay, they cater to a certain niche. Prom Again is a way to recoup money spent on a formal dress while giving someone who cannot afford an expensive garb for a single evening the chance to enjoy something beautiful and affordable. Once a sale is made, the entire profit is the sellers.

Unlike EBay, which began more of an auction house then retailer, Prom Again is steadily building inventory and they are beginning to add accessories so a person can mix and match with one stop shopping. Much of the merchandise advertised on EBay is new and imported and sizing can really become an issue depending on where the item was manufactured.

To become a seller on EBay you need to open an account and publish the item you have for sale. There are optional charges if you want to enhance your listing that will help it stand out from the hundreds of other listings. There is also a healthy commission (10%) deducted by EBay if and when your item sells.

With any new business, there is competition and it takes time to grow the business. Whether it is an internet business or brick and mortar operation there is going to be a learning curve. The founders of Prom Again may not have reinvented the wheel they are just trying to make it better for you to sell your Prom Dress Online. As long as their inventory grows and their customer service response is top notch, even they should be able to compete with the giant EBay.

Find top designer prom dresses online for cheap

It is that time of the year – prom time. A designer prom dress is not cheap and just buying a designer label is not going to guarantee you are going to look beautiful. There is an alternative. There is a plethora of cheap online dress designers offering their services with the same quality of a designer label at affordable prices.

There seems to be a misconception that designer prom dresses are expensive and they can be. Even though a designer dress can cost $600 and up, many can be purchased much cheaper than this. The reason? Because you can still have a designer dress but with a few changes like the quality of material used, the amount of material and, most importantly, the artisanship on making the gown. A similar gown designed and made this way could mean a savings of up to $400 or more.

There are a variety of reputable designers that have been around for years and have terrific reputations for designing and producing gowns for under $200. Jessica McClintok is one such designer that has been a favorite for many years and is said to design beautiful gowns each year for as little as $150. What you would be getting is a unique creation, beautifully made that would make any debutante proud. Flirt is another designer who caters to the affordable scene with strapless gowns as well as full-length formal attire. The Jovani prom dress is the cream of the crop and very well known as celebrities around the world purchase these creations for a variety of formal affairs. Some of these designs can be duplicated with minor changes for as little as $300, a little more spendy than the others but still affordable.

Another way to beat the price is by considering buying last year’s creations. The styles do not usually change that much year to year and would you rather have a year old Jovani or a brand new design by Target?

Start looking for your prom dress online. Find a designer or a particular dress you like from last year then go to your retail shops and see if they still have it in stock. You can then negotiate since they will want to move last year’s inventory and you may get even a better deal.

There is nothing better than wearing a designer prom dress to make yourself feel special on one of the most memorable nights of your adolescence. And with a little work and perseverance, you can get a designer creation for the same price as your peers who buy a department store dress. It takes a little effort, but with a little work and determination, you could be the star among your friends and the designer queen of the prom. Why not go for it!

Prom Time Should Be Fun Time

Unless times have changed since I was in high school many years ago, Prom time should be one of the most memorable high school experiences. And the fun starts with the preparation. For young ladies such things must be considered like makeup, hairstyle, and of course, the prom dress. For young gentleman, it is the grooming as well, the suit or tuxedo rental, and if affordable, the limousine rental or other transportation.

A Prom is a large social event similar to the red carpet at the Oscars or Golden Globe Awards. You want to impress your friends and family while not stressing out over what you may not be able to afford, but thankful for what you can. It may only be a one-time event so you want to make everything count.

First, a few tips for the ladies:

• Begin by making your to-do list ahead of time. Organize it chronologically then check things off as you complete each step.
• Next, the all-important formal. Finding just the perfect prom dress is not always easy and may take some time to find the ideal dress. There are many places to look for a formal today including online, department stores, and formal dress shops. There are online websites where one can buy, sell or rent formals or wedding dresses and it is a growing business.
• The dress is just part of the entire formality. Accessories come next such as shoes, purse or clutch, and jewelry.
• Skin care and makeup need to be considered and started early. With all the many lotions, potions, oils and creams available today many of them need to be used well ahead of prom night. Avoid chocolate and spicy foods to make sure your skin is clear.
• Hairstyle is as important as the dress. You want to make sure you pick a style that suits you. If you are going to do it yourself or have a friend help you, make sure to practice doing it a few times before prom night. If you use a hair stylist, find a picture of what you would like and take it with you.

For the guys there is a little more planning involved since they are not only responsible for themselves but also usually responsible for the transportation to and from as well. Proms often tend to go all night so after prom activities must also come into play.

A few tips for the gentlemen:

• Although most men are not as organized as the ladies are, a good to-do list would be in their best interest.
• Make arrangements to rent that tuxedo well ahead of time and don’t wait until the last minute to get fitted.
• Know what you are wearing for shoes and make sure they are polished and ready to wear.
• If you are going to after parties and changing out of your tuxedo, have a bag packed with what you are going to wear.
• Take care of planning for any grooming such as special hair treatment or haircuts ahead of time.
• Make arrangements to rent your limousine ahead of time and look for the best deal. Plan to take advantage of the time you rent it by touring the city and enjoying the use of it.
• Plan for any after prom activities such as bowling, cruising, or attending any after prom parties. This should be your responsibility to make this evening as memorable as possible both for you and for your date.

These are not all the tips but there are certainly enough to get you started. At least you will be ahead of the game and don’t be afraid to add some of your own. The last tip for both young men and young ladies is to be safe and have fun.