Where Did The Theme Go? Homecoming 2025

By Maria Salyards '28

Let me set the scene for you. Golden hues splattering the gentle waves at the beach, rays peaking through the dusty clouds, and under the gaze of the Carpenteria mountains, stood Cate students on the senior lawn, dressed up in Homecoming attire. It was a time right before the tree leaves turn orange and crimson, and right after a much-deserved summer break. Light blues, pastel pinks, sunset orange dresses, and black and grey suits, but no one in neon disco themed clothing… why did no one follow the theme? A month before the Hoco date, planning begins. Logistics, such as decorations, parent meetings, food and drink choices, pickup day, and, of course, the theme, will be decided. At some schools, themes like "Stars, "Masquerade Ball," "Enchanted Garden," "Back to the Future," and "Black Tie" are a great deal. Yet somehow, here at Cate, attire is never in alignment with the theme. 

To uncover the truth behind adherence, I first consulted with a couple of members from the Activities Committee to gain their perspective. New member of the committee, Josie Song ‘28, explained the process: “We had a bunch of ideas, like under the stars and some ocean themes, but then at the end we combined all our ideas, and we just landed at neon disco.” When asked the question of what the committee’s reaction was to people not dressing to the theme, she replied, “Honestly, we had already expected it; no one ever follows the theme. The theme is more for just guiding the decoration part for the dining hall and where the actual dance is, not really dressing for it.” As for some of the attendees, when posed with the question of why they didn’t dress neon, senior Akemi Oloritun ‘26 said, “I didn’t want to buy a new dress, especially for it to be neon and I can’t wear it again, also I had bought it prior to the announcement of the theme, so I was going to wear it regardless. She expressed that “the themes are just announced too late.” She also shared, “I feel like since my freshman year, I feel like there are people who would try and follow the theme, but honestly, it’s another one of those unsaid cate traditions.”

So maybe the question was never what happened to the theme, but rather, was it going to be followed in the first place? Whether this problem stems from late announcements, the impracticability of purchasing a neon dress that you’ll end up shoving in the back of your closet for the rest of the year, or simply just wearing something you like, it’s clear that for most Cate students, the theme is more about the tone of the dance. This year, it was the decorations that got to live out their disco dream fantasies, while the rest of the high school students stuck to our timeless blacks, soft pastels, and the outfits that felt like themselves. That’s the real tradition.