Homecoming is a long-anticipated rite of passage for many high schoolers in the US. Each school has its own unique homecoming traditions, whether that’s a parade or even a week-long celebration. Either way, Homecoming is often a long-awaited excuse to pick out a dress and dance with friends until midnight!

However, there’s one major problem: we’re still tackling a global pandemic. Given current social restrictions, many proms and homecoming events have been canceled. Because of this, thousands of high schoolers have had to rethink the way they celebrate their Homecoming this year, and many have taken to social media as a way of celebrating their beautiful homecoming dresses. TikTok has become hugely popular among teens this year and has become a platform for them to share their homecoming make-up tutorials and dress-searching tales from their own bedrooms.

TikTok even put on their very own prom night, complete with live DJs and surprise guests, and may do the same thing come Homecoming.

Many have decided to see Homecoming as reimagined, rather than canceled, and this is a truly great way to look on the positive side of things. If you, like many others, are choosing to make the best out of this situation, here are some awesome ways you can prepare to show off your amazing homecoming dress on TikTok:

1. Cue the music. These days, great video content is all about the music. Whether you’re planning on making a TikTok compilation of videos for each step of your homecoming preparations, or one simple video to sum it all up, a playlist can really set the mood. If you’re super creative and have decided to create your very own homecoming theme, your playlist can tie in with that, or you can just select a few hours’ worth of your very favorite jams.
2. Share tutorials. It’s not all about the night itself; people love to see before and after photos. For some, the make-up is just as important as the homecoming dress itself. If you’ve got a good online following, they’ll certainly want some teasers about what your face will look like on the night! So film yourself practicing some make-up looks in advance (this will also serve as great practice runs and inspiration for future looks!). You may want to film a step-by-step scenario where your followers can see every part of your process, or simply two photos side by side.
3. Recreate the Glambot video. As many have recently done, recreating the famous Grammy Glambot videos can be a great way to pay homage to the glamor that would have been Homecoming. The best part about this is that everyone who has recreated it has only had a phone and something to tape it to the ceiling. This is the epitome of inventiveness and can be a super fun way of getting that ultimate slow-motion glamor shot.
4. Play your date. This doesn’t mean you ask them to Homecoming and then never show up, this means dressing up as your date and filming a cute and funny homecoming scene. This will test your acting skills, as well as your ability to remove that inevitable fake mustache you’ll draw on your face! Your followers will love to see your funny and goofy side, and it’s a great way to show that you look great, both as yourself and as your homecoming date.
5. Plan the big reveal. This may mean filming yourself twirling around in your bedroom, or it may mean enlisting the help of a sibling or parent to film you walking down the stairs in slow motion. Remember, this is your Homecoming, and if it’s taking place in your home, you can be as dramatic and fabulous as you want to be! Be sure to take lots of pictures of you in your homecoming dress, and let them serve as a reminder of how creative and inventive you were at a time when the most exciting event of the year was canceled. No, reimagined.

Your homecoming dress should make you feel wonderful, and if sharing it with your friends on TikTok is what you want to do, then why not go for it and celebrate with everything you’ve got? Get your friends together to share TikToks in your Homecoming dresses and have fun with it!

Clare Louise