Sunday, September 17, 2006

To Each Their Own

I stopped by Micheals last week (to buy a basket in which to keep Lincoln's toys and some fake flowers to sew on my creation quilt) and I was accosted by mums and mum-making-supplies. I'm pretty sure it's a Texas thing. And I'm pretty sure I haven't laughed so hard in quite some time.

Apparently, high school girls go nutty creating these corsages-gone-wild for homecoming.

There are ribbons braided in all kinds of fancy patterns, tons of plastic charms proclaiming your participation in band, cheerleading, volleyball, student government, etc etc etc. Of course, if your boyfriend plays football, I'm sure you can a charm with his jersey number.

I am a bad bad bad blogger because I wasn't carrying my camera so I couldn't take a picture of the display which showed a "good" "better" and "best" mum. Here's an example I lifted on google images.

This would barely quality as "good." Better and best have tons more crap on them. I've actually seen pictures of girls wearing these things. I don't know how they strap them on, when or where they wear them or how they might concentrate on their studys when they are blinded by all the glitter and satiny surfaces.

I must confess, if I'd gone to highschool in Texas, I'm sure I would have been right there at Michaels filling my basket and giggling with my girlfriends. Tradition is good even when it's totally kooky and over the top.

8 comments:

Jo Griffith said...

That is such a riot! I lived in Wichita Falls (a big football town) for a few years back in the late '80s. Being a "displaced Yankee", I had never seen such a thing as these mums. A huge mum with all kinds of doo-dads hanging all over it. And the bigger, the better. Thanks for your post! Brought back memories.

Anonymous said...

The all important question... What does Claire think? Will she a mum-wearin' kinda gal or not?

Anonymous said...

Texas really is a whole world away from Maine, isn't it?Those are so wild - I've never seen anything like it! But yes, like you, I can see being 16 and being WAY into making one! Tradition!;)

Sarah Ann Smith said...

Oh MY...thank you I'm still chuckling and snorting, and seriously resisting the urge to type why a girl might want TWO mums, size varying according to physique..... oh dear oh hear will stop NOW!

Cheers, Sarah

Shelina said...

Wow, I've never heard of these. I wonder they are used to decorate lockers, and not actually worn on the person? You would think though that with the heavy bookbags that they would need something in the front for balance.

Anonymous said...

Deborah, in Arlington at homecoming they wear formals and fancy evening gowns to the Homecoming game. I never saw such things until I moved to Texas also. Some of the kids even have limos to take them to the Homecoming game. They do wear these mums. I am still learning about Texas also.

Julie said...

I wore my green and white one on a bright red dress! In my decade you did not make them yourself and bigger ones meant your date spent more money.

Kringie said...

As noted by another poster, "the bigger the better". I used to help my florist put these things together. While I never had the "pleasure" of wearing one, a really popular girl (or one who thinks she is such) may have multiple flowers making the mum, so it becomes an over the shoulder creation with streamers going down both the front and the back. That way it balances somewhat to keep you from flashing your classmates. The doodads usually have some representation - like organizations you are involved with or your boyfriend is involved with, hobbies, interests, etc. I personally think the ones with teddy bears hot glued into the center of the mum are the most questionable...

something that I find even stranger, is that the GUYS wear these things too! Albeit smaller versions, glued to a garter. How weird is that?