High school reunions are social rituals intended to help alumni reconnect with old friends and purge old emotional demons. If you’re planning on attending yours, you may be wondering what to expect. No doubt, your high school reunion planners will have games, activities, and a collection of pictures assembled for the night. But you may be plagued with more pedestrian questions like what to wear to your high school reunion and how to make a good impression after all these years.
1. Great Grooming. Whether you’ve gained or lost ten pounds since high school, gone on to become a doctor, or spent the last six months in rehab-the first thing anyone is going to notice is your grooming. At a minimum, men should opt for exfoliation and a close shave. Women attending a high school reunion should indulge in more elaborate grooming rituals including a manicure, pedicure, eyebrow waxing, and facial.
2. Style Update. Take out your high school picture. If you’re still wearing the same hairdo, it’s time for a style update. If you’re still wearing the same clothes, you probably need a whole new wardrobe. The point is that you don’t want to look like a throwback at your high school reunion. Experiment with sleeker, modern haircuts. Times change and you want to give the impression that you’ve matured.
3. Dress for Success. Unless your high school reunion specifies that it’s a black tie event, men should wear a simple suit. Even if you’re reasonably certain that your classmates might go without a tie, it’s better to be over dressed than under dressed. The same idea goes for women. No matter what your invitation says, jeans are never appropriate for a high school reunion. Opt for a dress that flatters your figure; failing that, a smart pantsuit with glittering nighttime accessories will do. If you want to show your classmates that the ugly duckling has turned into a swan, you can and should wear the sexiest outfit you own. However, resist the temptation to cross from sexy into slutty. You may think that you’ll impress old friends with a revealing, skin-tight dress, but what you’ll actually be doing is providing gossip fodder at every table; they’ll all be saying that you’re trying too hard.
4. Put Your Best Foot Forward. For your high school reunion, choose the most comfortable dress shoe that you can get away with. You’re going to be on your feet socializing, and you may even dance the night away. Don’t choose this night to break in a brand new pair.
5. Bring Photos. If you have some old photos from high school that you can share with your fellow alumni, bring them along. They’ll make great conversation pieces. Go ahead and bring pictures of your kids too-if nothing else, it will give your spouses something to talk about while you and your classmates reminisce.
When all is said and done, don’t put more anxiety into your high school reunion than it merits. No one is going to stuff you into a locker or tattle to the teachers now. Armed with your adult perspective and the tips in this article, your high school reunion should be a memorable night spent with teachers and old friends. So relax and have fun.
