Over the weekend of Sept. 11, Wildcats dressed up for the first time in almost two years. The annual homecoming dance had students buzzing about who they were going to ask, where they were taking pictures, and most importantly, what they were going to wear. Some planned at least a month in advance while others bought their outfit a few days before. Regardless of how they prepared, students still arrived showing off their unique style.

   The Paw Print interviewed a variety of event attendees about their fashion choices for the night. Here’s what they had to say: 

Mimi Asfoury, 12th grade

   Though most students took the traditional route of shopping at the mall or online, Senior Mimi Asfoury took inspiration from her mother’s closet, borrowing a dress her mother used to wear.

   Her dress was long–made from black chiffon–with silver floral sequin embellishments. It was flowy and comfortable-looking with a semi-formal touch. With such a unique, almost vintage feel, she was sure to stand out amongst the sea of modern dresses.

   “I’m so glad I decided to wear my mom’s dress, I loved it,” she gushed.

   She paired her dress with strappy Steve Madden heels, pearly dangle earrings, and a metallic purple eyeshadow look.

   Asfoury describes her style as “wear whatever you want, when you want,” she told The Paw Print. “I don’t like limiting myself. I wear whatever I like at the time, which changes often.”

   Asfoury added that she loves dressing up, because it makes her feel “like the occasion is special.” She gets excited for these kinds of events, “especially when my friends dress up with me,” she concludes.

Sela Patterson & Ian Town, 10th grade

   An extremely significant part of homecoming is oftentimes going with a close friend or a possible interest. After being featured on a WRTV satire segment, “How to ask someone to Homecoming”, Ian Town and Sela Patterson decided to attend together. 

   The two sophomores wore similar colors: browns and whites. Patterson was seen in a long silk-like dress in a dark chestnut color, matched with silver earrings and a necklace. 

   “I really liked my dress because of the color and the silkiness. Brown is a super versatile color, and the dress I wore was a pretty shade,” explained Sela Patterson, when asked about her style choice for the evening. 

   On the other hand, Town complemented her outfit unintentionally, by wearing a brown monochromatic bowtie and a light brown belt to accentuate his outfit, “My outfit was pretty simple, with a white button down and black pants. I wasn’t too worried, I was excited to have a good time at homecoming,” Town explained. 

   The two were also able to match their shoes, both seen in bright kelly green high-top Converse.

Elizabeth Chaidez, 10th grade, and Xander Hepburn, 12th grade

   Another dynamic duo spotted at homecoming was Elizabeth Chaidez, a sophomore, and Xander Hepburn, a senior. The two embraced a warm earth tone color scheme, with Hepburn styled in rust maroon pants, a black polo shirt and black leather shoes. 

  “It looks good but it’s about drawing attention all to the face,” Hepburn bantered, when asked about his outfit. 

  Similarly, Chaidez wore a marbled brown, tan and baby blue dress with a pair of white Adidas sneakers, complementing Hepburn’s attire. “It was such a fun pattern and I’ve never had a dress like it before. I love it,” she professed. 

Esi Otoo, 10th grade
  Since homecoming is a rare opportunity for students to show off something different from their everyday wear, the pressure is on to find the perfect outfit. Luckily for Esi Otoo, a sophomore, she was able to wear her dream dress to the dance. 

  “I actually really wanted a satin silk dress for a long time and I’ve never been able to find one that fits well on me. So when I found it [the dress], I knew I had to get it,” Otoo expressed. Otoo wore a metallic pink colored dress made of satin silk material with black heels and matching jewelry.

  While Otoo enjoys the personal ritual of dressing up, she also enjoys the sense of community it promotes. “I like the idea of a big group of people dressing nicely. I like how it looks and the sense of classiness people usually don’t have,” she beamed. 

   Dressing up is not something that most teenagers do often, especially in distance learning. Coming out of the pandemic made this homecoming extra special for students, expressing their style in an elegant and formal way. Though some students do not prefer putting on a tie or silk dress, many students love the opportunity to get creative and put a little bit of extra effort into getting ready.