Last year’s homecoming director Trevon Williams offers several tips and trending styles for the 2012 Royal Ball. This Thurs., Oct. 18 at the Venetian Room, the ball will take place with a masquerade theme.
Williams, the Public Relations Director for Spotlight Programs Board, said while the women at the ball put their all into their attire, the men could use a little help. They tend to gravitate toward a polo, a tie and khaki pants, according to Williams.
“The guys are always a struggle. [They] need to step it up this year,” Williams said. “There’s always a handful [of guys that dress nice.] The basketball team usually shows out, the Greeks always show out. Any student leaders on campus have common sense to put on a suit to a ball.”
According to Williams, the men that do enjoy putting forth the effort in their apparel like to stand out. Williams said colored suits are a lot of fun this year. The feature that will set someone apart from everyone else is if the suit is perfectly tailored.
“If you’re really into extra fashion, guys can do accessories too,” Williams said. “Since it’s getting a little chilly, guys will [wear] gloves, or a hat or throw on that little scarf to compliment it.”
This year is all about accessorizing, according to Williams. Showing personal style through accessories, which is the huge trend for Homecoming, will set your style apart from anyone else, he said. Women have figured out how to optimize the trend of accessorizing. Instead of focusing on crazy dresses this year, women are focusing on very simple dresses and statement jewelry, Williams said.
“You can get that black dress you always had from American Apparel for about 40 bucks and just pair it with the craziest necklace you have, some nice shoes and a bag.”
The women of the ball are very adventuresome in their styles for homecoming, according to Williams. Women’s fashion at the royal ball last year included a lot of cocktail dresses, sequins and chiffon fabric, Williams recalled. The trend was shorter dresses—not long, fluffy prom dresses.
“I definitely saw a lot of knees out, a lot of leg,” Williams said. “Textures- sequins is a huge deal this year. Instead of doing a typical cotton dress, do a leather dress, or [wearing] some other kind of material would be really cool. I know my friends are wearing leather to the coronation this year.”
Because the ball is a masquerade this year, Williams has been encouraging his friends to focus on using their money on masks instead of dresses.
“You might have a black suit on, but if you have on a nice little blue scarf and a crazy mask, people are going to love you to death,” Williams said. “I know me personally, I’ve spent more money on my mask than my suit.”
Williams said stores for men to find their homecoming attire include Macy’s and Nordstrom. Women can search for their cocktail dresses at Urban Outfitters, Forever 21 or American Apparel. According to Williams, focusing on accessories is such a huge deal this year. The outfit doesn’t have to be so expensive, he said.
“If you really take your time and search for the accessories at these boutiques, you can get yourself a bad necklace for $30 and a dress for about $20 and be the star of the show,” Williams said. “But you can definitely walk into homecoming and be the star for $50 or less.”
