Homecoming Without Breaking the Bank
By: Lily Heritage
After two years of buying $200+ formal dresses that I never wore again, I thought “there’s got to be a better way to do Homecoming”. Come to find out, students here at Jenks already cracked the code! Homecoming doesn’t have to break the bank, you just have to know where to look! From thrifting to planning ahead, there are a million options for Hoco shopping.
Kelsey Vogel, Senior
- Thifted her entire homecoming outfit!
- Dress: From Community Thrift (31st and Garnett), $10
- Shoes: From Goodwill (Glenpool), $7.50
- Earrings: From Depop, $11
“I decided to thrift my outfit because I made a commitment to myself at the beginning of 2019 that I would exclusively buy my clothing second hand! Shopping second hand has helped me develop my own sense of style, and it’s allowed me to find timeless pieces that I can wear for years.”
Emma White, Sophomore
- Really good deal! $20 when dress was originally $85
- Got from Dillard’s, marked down
“Rely on stores you know are cheaper but have good stuff. At all the stores I went to, I tried to stay within the clearance racks to find something I like in there, so I wouldn’t have to worry about finding a nice dress and it end up being super expensive. A lot of the time you just have to keep digging until you find something, and you have to keep an open mind if it has anything broken on it, like a zipper or buttons. Those things can easily be fixed!”
Annarose Atamian, Senior
- Dress: got from a friend, $15
- Shoes: Cheap Thrills, $4
“I chose to get my dress from a friend because I was able to find just the right thing, and it’s so much more affordable than retail! I always try to reuse clothes so I’m not wasteful. It’s also so much more rewarding to find a dress and shoes that I love for cheap instead of spending a huge amount of money for just that one night.”
Cyeli Nobles, Senior
- Got dress on sale during the summer: insane markdowns for homecoming dresses
- $90 instead of $200
“I start looking for dresses as soon as I figure out the hoco theme, I bought mine in July just around the Fourth.”
To summarize, here’s your homecoming shopping on a budget quick list!
- Thrifting: the Jenks and Tulsa area have a wide selections of thrift stores to choose from, such as Goodwill, ½ of ½ , Salvation Army, etc!
- Buying early: Once homecoming season comes around, you’ll be hard pressed to find a cheap dress in any of the big box stores. Plan ahead, and save that cash, girl!
- Look for deals: If you’re lucky, you may just find the perfect dress for cheap. Just dig a little deeper in the racks.
- Buy from a friend: A lot of people have their old homecoming dresses from previous years that they don’t wear anymore (me, included). No one will notice, and people sometimes even give them away for free!