Almost every girl longs for an excuse to dress up and be pampered like a movie star; they make sure their nails, hair, makeup, shoes, accessories and — most importantly — their dresses are flawless. So what better occasion than the Homecoming dance? Starting early in the school year, the ladies of Carlsbad High frantically searched for their perfect dresses. But what exactly is perfect?

“In my opinion, a Homecoming dress should not be super formal, but not too casual either,” junior Abby Penrod said. “I saw many girls wearing short, tight dresses with swooping necks and low backs.”

One may find it challenging to find a dress in-between fancy and casual, as styles rapidly change year after year. How casual is too casual? One thing to keep in mind: Homecoming dresses are clearly distinct from Prom dresses, which typically reach the floor in a graceful, elegant way.

“I don’t think I saw any long dresses like someone would usually wear to the Prom,” junior Georgi Gnibus said. “I loved all of the sparkly dresses I saw girls wearing, because I feel like Homecoming dresses should be fun.”

Short, tight, sparkly, tan, lace, black and strapless. These styles dominated at the 2013 dance. Also, one-sleeved dresses made a more frequent appearance than in previous years.  Overall, all styles of dresses revealed themselves, a variety that fashion lovers admired.

“Picking out a dress is one of my favorite parts about Homecoming,” junior Raven VanDoren said. “I love getting all dolled up and getting to try on all different kinds of dresses. Once you find ‘the one,’ it is the best feeling in the world.”

For those with girly tastes, shopping for the dream dress is half the fun of the occasion. Trying on dress after dress and deciding the style, pattern, color and length they desire is exhilarating.

“When I went shopping, I was looking for something inexpensive and girly,” Gnibus said. “I really wanted something that was just fun — and I found it.”