With homecoming rapidly approaching, we girls are faced with the ultimate quest: finding the perfect homecoming dress.

After visiting all of the major department stores (think Dillard’s, Macy’s, and Nordstrom’s), I compiled a list of this season’s Homecoming dress trends, so before you search through the throngs of dress racks for that perfect dress, you know which styles are popular and which you aren’t likely to find.

As I entered Macy’s dress department, the first three dresses I saw were shades of navy blue. A few steps later, I found myself in sea of blue, blue-greens, and occasional green dresses. Most of the dresses were short, with several high-low dresses making appearances. As I rifled through dresses, I noted several black dresses, ranging in patterns from lace, leather, beading, to a mix of both black and white. Given that nudes and beiges are becoming a big trend in the world of fashion, it’s no surprise the neutral color palette also made it’s way into homecoming dress choices. Purple was also prominent, especially among dresses featuring lace or beading.My next stop was Nordstrom’s. As I headed into the high-end department store, I immediately saw a large dress display that was clearly aimed toward Homecoming. The first thing I noticed was the accessories table. It was piled with handbags, necklaces, and earrings of various colors and styles. The dresses matched the accessories: neutrals, bright colors, and metallics. Most of the dresses I saw were either blue, sparkly, neutral, or brightly colored, but lacked a unifying style.

Finally, I ventured into Dillard’s, where I found similar styles to those at Macy’s and Nordstrom’s. I encountered a lot of pinks, and sparkles, sure to add some “bling” to the homecoming dance. Another trend I saw at Dillard’s was many bright colors, more blues, greens, and oranges, and tangerines. But, overall, most of the dresses were brightly colored, guaranteed to make you stand out amongst the crowd.

So, whether you choose a dress that is blue, neutrals, pink, or sparkly, it definitely will “pop” amongst the sea of people. And remember to choose a dress that you love, not that your mom wants or friends pick for you, because your opinion is the only one that matters. #