Although spending a day pampering and getting ready for the Homecoming dance is always enjoyable, many students tend to spend upwards of hundreds of dollars styling and beautifying themselves for just one night.  However exciting a night it may be, the costs can be excessive.

The AHS  Homecoming, which is meant to be a classy and fun event, seems to register in some people’s minds as costly and over the top because of the crazy amounts of money students spend on dresses, tuxedos, and other preparations. The question is, how much money are students really spending on what are supposed to be simple things?

Hair: Most girls who decide to get their hair done claim to spend anywhere from $30 to $80 on a fancy do. According to Prom Girl, girls who do more extravagant hair styles will end up spending much more money than girls who do simple hair techniques.

“I wore my up in a bun for Homecoming 2015, and it costed roughly $50,” said sophomore Emma Brown.

In this era, girls tend to rely on professionals to make themselves look flawless for big events, which is why it is understandable that students are willing to pay a great deal of money on hair.

Makeup: Despite the fact that quite a few girls at Adams  have their own methods of doing makeup, many girls prefer to have it professionally done for this fall occasion. At a place like Nordstrom, the cosmetics sections which contain Mac and Bobbi Brown counters, offer full makeovers for about $50. This is, in fact, quite pricy considering some facilities, such as Ulta Beauty, offer full hair and makeup for just $40.

“My makeup was about $55 when I got it done at the Chanel counter in Somerset Mall,” said sophomore Maddie Pape.

The idea that just makeup alone is more expensive than some dresses seems a bit ridiculous, but spending this much on cosmetics is the new normal.

Dresses: In terms of dresses, prices can vary a great deal. Depending on where a dress is bought, girls at Adams tend to spend anywhere from $50 and to well over $100 or $200.

“I spent about $200 on my dress, which I thought was a good deal because it was on sale,” said sophomore Caroline Guglielmetti.

Not all girls are willing to drop such a large amount of money on a dress they will likely only wear once.

“My dress was only $40 from Rent the Runway,” said sophomore Emily Goodman.

Most girls spend the bulk of their Homecoming budget on the dress. According to Promise, finding the perfect Homecoming dresses on a budget is very possible, and quite simple. Although there are many specific trends girls like to follow at Adams, there are plenty of options for dresses that are not only cute, but inexpensive.

Suits: For high school boys looking to rent or buy a suit, finding high quality material is not cheap. Suits can typically be rented at prices from $40 to $100 , whereas purchasing a suit will cost a little over $100 at stores like Men’s Wearhouse. For an annual event like Homecoming, these prices seems quite high, especially since this is a school event.

Accessories: Although jewelry, purses, corsages, shoes, and other accessories are seemingly small, they play a big role in the preparations of some students, and the costs add up quickly. For both girls and boys, finding the right pair of shoes is very important, but can also be quite expensive. At shoe retail outlets such as Famous Footwear, the typical leather dress shoe for men normally costs around $100. For girls,however, a pair of heels can range anywhere from $30 to $80.

Overall, looking at the general cost of each aspect of Homecoming stylings, it is easy to see that this can be a very costly event. With constant trends being created, whether it is for hair, makeup, or clothes, preparing for a school dance can become a pricey experience. Nevertheless, the excellent photos and fun dancing usually makes up for this seemingly extensive spending.