Welcome Becky Hoy, founder of Brave Crate–a deployment countdown subscription box for military spouses. I’m so excited to have her on Jo, My Gosh! sharing advice and ideas for homecoming outfits.
I used to have a recurring nightmare about my husband’s homecoming.
To be clear, the nightmare wasn’t so much about him getting home- it was really about me feeling unprepared. In this particular nightmare, I would somehow forget his homecoming date. When I suddenly realize that “today is the day,” I run out of the house in pajamas and furiously speed to the Fort Bragg Green Ramp- no time to blow dry my hair, shave my legs or put on that adorable outfit I had picked out 8 weeks prior.
Inevitably I would wake up in a cold sweat and reassure myself that I had not, in fact, forgotten his homecoming date. The thing that interests me most about this dream is what I’m most upset about each time I have it. It’s not being late, or feeling forgetful- I’m clearly distraught because I didn’t have any time to get ready for homecoming.
There’s something perfectly distracting about planning a homecoming look and the process of getting ready to meet your spouse after deployment. It feels similar to getting ready for a first date, but this time you already know you’re meeting the person of your dreams. The anticipation and waiting is a beautiful part of the moment.
Whether we’re choosing something very casual or incredibly fancy, most of us spend at least some time considering what we’ll wear when picking up our deployed partner. Today I’m sharing advice and reflections on homecoming outfit choices from 10 members of the deployment countdown box Brave Crate, along with pictures to inspire your own!
1. Prepare to be active
Whatever you’re comfortable in. Don’t get too dressy because you’ll be waiting for a little & something you can run in because it takes over. – Paige Anne
2. Consider the location
We’re Navy so I had to take into account safety walking on the pier – Megan (photo credit: Shelbi Washam Photo)
3. Bring an extra outfit
So I’ll be honest I wore one shirt and packed my actual shirt and wore a tank under because I kiddo wrangled at the time and knew I would sweat/get drooled on- Lauren F.
4. Wear the right mindset
Comfortable and realistic. Homecoming is a chaotic and unpredictable event. Flight delays, location adjustments, and weather conditions leave you scrambling to accommodate emotionally much less outfit wise. -Leota
5. Treat Yo Self
(Be) comfortable but also feel free to do something a little ‘extra’ as part of the fun anticipation! Hair done? Manicure? Why not??.- Jessi
6. Watch the weather
Definitely pick something you feel good in, but that’s comfy for waiting/pacing around. I tend to run hot when I’m anxious so I always pick something a little cooler than the weather suggests (like this dress in February) so I’m not dying. – Rachel from Countdowns & Cupcakes
7. Pick a favorite
Pick something that you feel amazing in. I also like to pick something that I know my husband will love. It’s the little things like; picking his favorite nail color, doing my hair how he likes it, his favorite perfume of mine, – Maria S.
8. Stand out in the crowd
I always wear a bright color or distinctive shirt so my husband can find me among the crowd! (This last time I wore gray, but my hair is purple so it did the job!) -Cristie R.
9. Dress for YOU
Comfortable!!!! I’ve only picked my hubs up from the airport when he arrived on leave so I wanted to make sure I wasn’t overdressed and stuck to what I was used to! Thank goodness because we both had hoodies and that’s 100% us! -Christina W.
10. Prepare to stand
Something comfortable and weather appropriate, you never know how long you’ll be waiting! Haha something you feel confident and cute in too though! I wore comfy shoes with this one. – Robin
So… what if my nightmare came true?
Now, after counting down multiple deployments and extended separations, I look back on my homecoming nightmare with a bit of laughter. I still love planning my homecoming outfit, and would definitely prefer a little time to get ready, but I’ve learned that when I see my soldier walk off of that plane, my outfit will be the last thing on either of our minds.
I love the advice that Jo from Jo My Gosh gives about homecoming outfits: Don’t stress too much. No matter how hard you try, homecoming will not be Pinterest perfect, but it will be perfect for you. The homecoming outfit is fun, but it’s not as important as the homecoming moment.
It’s true, deciding what to wear can be a great distraction – but I’m confident that in the event I actually forget about homecoming, I’ll run into my husband’s arms without either of us having so much as a second thought about my wet hair, pajamas and unshaved legs.
Becky Hoy is an Army Spouse, Blogger and Founder of Brave Crate– the deployment countdown box for military spouses.
Less time picking your homecoming outfit means more time to chat with your deployed spouse! You can get Becky’s Skype Conversation Starters eBook totally FREE here! It’s filled with conversation starters to spice up your next chat with your deployed loved one!
