Watch out, Middletown. Homecoming is coming up fast. Before you know it, it will be upon us. So what can we procrastinators do? We hardly remember to get a dress, much less make nail and hair appointments.

Despite common belief, it is possible to look great without spending a lot of time and money. It can be even more fun to get a group of friends together and experiment with hair and make-up tips. Looking online is great for hairstyle and make-up ideas.

It seems that Homecoming is becoming a more casual affair. With girls wearing shorter dresses and flip-flops, why not try to simplify your look with a classy hairstyle that will be comfortable for a dance?

Jenna Caudle, Middletown High School freshman, and I set out to try an easy but cute look that she could use for the upcoming dance. We started out by looking through magazines for ideas. Then we discussed the kind of look she was going for. She wanted something simple she could do at home, but that would look great for the big night.

We decided that we first curl her hair with a one-inch barrel curling iron. By taking approximately one-inch sections of hair and winding them up the barrel, her hair was in loose curls, which are always a good idea. Instead of leaving it at that, we then pulled back very small sections of hair in the front and secured them with bobby pins to give it a more styled look. It was very easy to do, but it looked fabulous.

After doing her hair, we moved on to makeup. Right off the bat, we decided to try the smoky-eye look (it is important to decide to emphasize either the eyes or the lips). I took grey eye shadow and put it thickly on her lid. Then for the crease, I used a darker grey. I lightly applied black powder to the outer corner of her eyes and then used black eyeliner to complete the effect. We finished up with a coat of mascara to elongate the lashes. The final product was a sultry look great for evening.

Homecoming should be fun and stress-free. So don’t complicate it by worrying about making appointments. Find an easy way to get a great look that won’t cost you time and money.