Fashion

Homecoming Dresses Guide: How to Pick the Perfect Style for Your Big Night

Published by
Sonja Henrikssen
Shop the Look: Manhattan Moment Blue Ruffled Midi Wrap Dress, Image via @chhaviverg

Homecoming is the first big event of the school year and your first chance to dress up and celebrate with old friends and new ones. In the right homecoming dress, you’ll feel comfortable, beautiful, and in the mood to party, so make sure you start thinking about your outfit ahead of time to avoid the last-minute scramble. 

Shop the Look: Forever Your Girl Wine Red Bodycon Dress; Image via Lorie J.

Fortunately, there are tons of options, no matter your aesthetic. Ahead, check out ideas for stunning homecoming looks, including trendy cutouts, classic florals, and glam sequin styles that are sure to stand out!

Sequin Homecoming Dresses

Shop the Look: Get in the Groove Champagne Sequin Fringe Bodycon Dress, Lost In Your Eyes Silver Sequin Bodycon Mini Dress, More Than Iconic Emerald Green Sequin Fringe Mini Dress

Make yourself the star of the show in a glittery sequin homecoming dress. Light-catching and attention-grabbing, sequin dresses come in myriad styles and colors, so you can choose something that fits your vibe. A big statement on their own, keep the accessories minimal when wearing sequins, and instead, go all out glam with your makeup and hair. 

Floral Homecoming Dresses

Shop the Look: Always Decadent Magenta Floral Brocade Puff Sleeve Mini Dress, Alluring Dream Navy Blue Floral Mesh Lace Bodycon Mini Dress, Radiant Love Black Floral Embroidered Short Sleeve Skater Dress

Florals are a classic choice for homecoming and are just as diverse and wide-ranging as flowers themselves. We love the look of embroidered and jacquard floral prints for their dynamic depth, but you really can’t go wrong no matter what you choose. Sweet and pretty, strong and powerful, florals can evoke any vibe you choose. 

Bright Homecoming Dresses

Shop the Look: Home Before Daylight Periwinkle Dress, Love Vividly Chartreuse Floral Jacquard Strapless Mini Dress, Poised To Party Hot Pink One Shoulder Bodycon Mini Dress

A pop of bright color is the perfect way to start the school year off right and make a standout statement. Bright shades can be slightly toned down like a gorgeous bright periwinkle blue or can be deeply saturated like a Barbie-worthy hot pink or chartruese. Play with different fabrics, textures, and patterns until you find what’s right, you might just be surprised by how great you look in electric hues.

Cutout Homecoming Dresses

Shop the Look: Poised To Party Mint One Shoulder Bodycon Mini Dress, Cutout On The Town Dark Teal Cutout Bodycon Dress,Cross Your Heart Red Surplice Cutout Bodycon Midi Dress

Cutouts can turn an ordinary dress into an edgy statement piece; peek-a-boo accents can be asymmetrical, subtle and elegant, or bold and unexpected. Cutout dresses can also help you to feel more comfortable showing a hint of skin without opting for an extra-mini mini dress or a plunging neckline. 

Midi Homecoming Dresses

Shop the Look: Adoring Attitude Rusty Rose Satin Column Midi Dress, So Flirty Burgundy One-Shoulder Cutout Asymmetrical Dress, Jazzy Belle Slate Blue Velvet Dress

Midi dresses are so chic, and we love the look of a hemline that stops below the knee or mid-shin. Sophisticated, elegant, and flirty, midi dresses in luxurious fabrics like satin and velvet are especially stunning. These mid-length hemlines definitely call for high heels to keep your legs looking gorge, but make sure to choose something you can dance in like a platform heel.

Long Homecoming Dresses

Shop the Look: Meteoric Rise Slate Blue Maxi Dress, Molinetto Burgundy Lace Ruffled Tiered Sleeveless Maxi Dress>, Alluring Dream Emerald Green Floral Mesh Lace Trumpet Midi Dress

Long dresses are a classic choice for homecoming or any formal dance, so you absolutely cannot go wrong choosing a maxi. This year, we’re loving unique silhouettes like the trumpet dress, playful details high-low hems, and bold colors and prints. 

Homecoming Dresses with Sleeves

Shop the Look: Spread Your Shine Emerald Green Sequin Embroidered Bodycon Dress, Eternal Bond Blush Satin Ruffled Flutter Sleeve Maxi Dress, Perfect Mesh Black Bodycon Dress,

Sleeves add so much to a dress, completely transforming a look. Long sleeves can help make a dress look sleeker, fluttery ruffled sleeves can add a touch of whimsical romance, while off-shoulder sleeves feel edgy and modern. Since homecoming is during fall, you might even appreciate the sleeves for a little extra warmth at night. 

Romantic Homecoming Dresses

Shop the Look: Blowing Kisses Dusty Pink Pleated One-Shoulder Mini Dress, Garden Romance Magenta Floral Print Organza Maxi Dress, Divine Darling Black Ruffled Skater Dress

If you’re going to homecoming with a special someone and want the night to feel special, choose a homecoming dress with romantic details! We love dreamy fabrics like organza and lace, flowy dresses that look beautiful on the dancefloor, and flouncy ruffled accents and tiers. Whether you choose a classically “romantic” color like pink or go for the sophisticated vibes of an LBD, creating a romantic evening is ultimately all about who you spend it with. 

Let us know in the comments what you’ll be wearing to your big dance–or show us your homecoming dress on Instagram or TikTok @lulus using #lovelulus! For more options, head to our Homecoming Dress shop!

This post was originally published in 2019 and has been updated with new content.

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