Doesn't this cooler Fall weather just make you want to go to a high school football game? Ah, I love it!! This time of year also means girls all over America are searching high and low for their Homecoming dresses! In my hometown in Arkansas, girls wore casual dresses and skirts, and guys wore dress pants and sweaters or jackets.
But, MOST IMPORTANTLY, as you will see below--Homecoming was ALL about the CORSAGE. Excuse me--I mean the Mum Corsage. As in, the biggest, giantest mum you could find, attached with your school's colored ribbons trailing down.
Do ANY schools still do the mum corsage? I think it was a Southern thing. Oh, I hope some schools still do! Because it is a lovely tradition...of comparing your corsage to other girls'...to see whose boyfriend liked her the most, of course!
Here is a primer on Homecoming Mum Corsages:
*Let me just get this out of the way: I MUCH preferred the REAL mum corsage (sorry for using some all-caps, but it's important that I express my TRUE emotions on this subject!) Now, Michael, I am really sorry for "throwing you out there"--because even though your corsage won the longest ribbons award by far...it was a silk mum. (My girls are happy it was fake, since I've kept it all these years!)
*The longer the ribbons, the more your boyfriend liked you. Because I am SURE Morgan's Florist charged for all that purple ribbon!
*The more "doo-dads" on your ribbons, the better!! For some reason, there was ALWAYS a cowbell of some sort tied on. Personally, I thought the small cowbell was much more tasteful than the honkin' large one. But, I am sure some boys were selecting the extra-large cowbells to impress the ladies.
*All of the doo-dads were cool to look at, but most importantly--they provided entertainment for the girls during the football game. On my 1988 Homecoming corsage, I had a white rabbit's foot. I thought SURELY that meant something good, coming from my date! But, sadly, college Freshman John David soon found himself a college girl.
Now that your Homecoming Mum Corsage Primer is complete, let me show you my Homecoming pictures from 1987 and 1988.
May I first appologize to David of 1986? I am heartbroken that I cannot find our picture. I've seen it somewhere in the last year--but I can't find it today. It's a crying shame that I will not be able to show you all my lovely lace collar over the pale pink angora sweater...both of which were too flimsy to support the (REAL!) mum corsage. Yep, that year I had to CARRY the corsage--how embarrassing! But, David's corsage for me sure was a pretty one!
Drum roll for Homecoming 1987!
I sure wish I remembered the "theme" for Homecoming that year. I'm sure that would give me a clue as to why we are standing in front of a yellow skyscraper skyline...especially since the only "skyscraper" in our town at the time was probably 10 floors!
And, can we talk about the angel's hair spread across the floor around us? Is that supposed to symbolize clouds? But, I do have to give it to the seniors for the silver foil stars hanging everywhere. Nice touch, seniors!
But, oh, moment of silence for 2 things: Liz Claiborne ensemble and Nina ivory flats. Oh wait--I need another moment of silence for the pink Guess "jelly watch." (isn't that what we called them?) Man, I miss those 80s--we were CLASSY.
And, in case you're wondering how I achieved that tall swoop of a cowlick on top of my head? That's au natural, baby! You just have to grow the bangs to the proper length, add a nice turn under of the Vidal Sassoon curling iron, and that hair would swoop like none other. A little White Rain with the green lid hairspray didn't hurt, either.
Don't you think Michael and I coordinated our clothes well? Nice shades of dusty rose and burgandy blend nicely with the purple ribboned corsage.
Okay, ready for 1988?
When I see this picture I notice 2 things: Bangs and sweater. Sweater, as in how many yards of pink angora sweater material did it take to sew this long sweater skirt, long sweater cardigan, and short sleeve sweater underneath? Wow, that is a lot of bald bunnies who lost their fur for my outfit. But, oh how I LOVED that outfit! I felt very sophisticated in that outfit...As well I should have...I'm sure it was marketed to 30-year-olds! And who knew I would find matching pink Connie pumps? (he he he, we used to call them pumps)
John David sure looks the part of Southern gentlemen of the 80s in the requisite starched khaki pants, blue oxford, tie, and blue blazer. I sure loved this corsage he picked (or really--I always wondered if it was the mamas that bought all of the corsages back in the day??) Do you notice the purple feathers below the REAL mum? Oh yes, very classy I thought! As was the white rabbit's foot hanging just above my cardigan pocket.
In the absence of my 1986 Homecoming picture, I would like to present ANOTHER OUTFIT I wore to Homecoming...the BAND UNIFORM. Yes, yes, I am proud to admit I was a band nerd. However, I didn't have to wear the nerdy band uniform too often--because I was on the Flag Corps.
So, may I present to you the 1988 Flag Corps line:
Should we talk about the composition of this picture? Nah...we all understand how terrible it is... Let me crop it so you can actually see our faces...and not the yellow no parking line or the dirty pavement...
Oh, THERE we are! (That's me in the middle...on the left.) Too bad we are all squinting into the sun... But, aren't those pretty uniforms? I loved the long white prairie skirts, the purple and white ruffle, and the purple vest. Simple, clean lines. Pretty. It beat the heck out of the purple satin catsuits the flag corps wore the year before I joined. Whew--that was a close one! I am pretty sure my parents did not want to see me prancing across any football field in a purple satin catsuit.
Well, there you have it. Homecoming Flashback to the glorious 1980s.
Now, TELL ME about YOUR Homecoming memories...and super-cool outfits!!! Or even better--e-mail me some pictures!! Especially if you wore a mum corsage!!!
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