'What century are we in!?': Teen turned away from homecoming dance for wearing jumpsuit

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/10/07/jumpsuit-wearing-tampa-teen-turned-away-homecoming-dance-no-dress/






Before her homecoming dance, Darcy Krueger had done the near-impossible: Figuring out a semiformal look that was comfortable, stylish, and didn’t violate the event’s ban on plunging backs and low-cut dresses. After leaving a store empty-handed, the high school senior settled on a dressy black jumpsuit from her own closet, pairing it with strappy heels, a statement necklace and an elaborate hairstyle.

But when the 17-year-old showed up at the private dance for hundreds of home-schooled students in the Tampa area on Sept. 27, she was turned away at the door. The event’s organizer pointed to the dress code, which stated that young women were required to wear dresses.

“I thought there had to be a misunderstanding,” Darcy’s mother, Melissa Krueger, told Yahoo on Friday. “What century are we in!?”

Her confusion was understandable. Jumpsuits have exploded in popularity in recent years, becoming practically ubiquitous at weddings and other formal occasions. Once associated with the 1970s, the flattering one-piece garments are now a staple of the Oscars red carpet, and white jumpsuits have become a trendy alternative to bridal gowns. And while women have been dressing up in pantsuits and so-called menswear for decades, many of today’s teenagers are rejecting traditional gender norms altogether. Last month, Brandon Allen, a gay high school senior in Memphis, accepted the gender-neutral title of “Homecoming Royalty” in a floor-length gown, telling the Commercial Appeal, “I decided to wear a dress because I strongly believe in the fact that I’m a queen.”

Though Darcy received a refund on her $50 homecoming ticket, she and her mother were angered to learn that she wouldn’t be allowed to attend the dance unless she went home and changed first.

“The bigger question is, why can’t a girl wear something other than a dress?” Darcy’s mother told CNN. “This isn’t ‘Little House on the Prairie.’ ”