frequently asked questions

Do all homecoming mums look alike?

Yes and no. To be considered a homecoming mum, there has to be a floral top (or sash) and skirt. Beyond that, mum design is incredibly varied!

Some mums are huge and others are tiny. The top of the mum might be round or in the shape of a heart, square, bow, paw print, or even the state of Texas! The color(s) of a mum reflects class year, traditions of the school, and/or personal preference. The many embellishments and symbols woven into a mum tell the story of the person wearing it, such as school activities, sports, hobbies, clubs, interests, career goals, personal relationships, religion, causes, class year, inside jokes, and more. Check out the photogallery featuring fifteen (!) different types of homecoming mums in Texas and beyond.

Are senior mums bigger than other class year mums?

Typically, yes. Class year is incorporated into nearly every mum design and very often, the class year is implied by the size of the mum. Junior mums are typically larger than sophomore mums, for instance, and senior mums are the biggest of all. In addition to size, students at most schools follow unwritten conventions about a mum’s ribbon colors, especially . For instance, if the school’s colors are red and black, a traditional sophomore mum might be red and white, a traditional junior mum might be red and black, and a senior mum might be white and gold. Learn more about senior mums.

How do you get a homecoming mum?

The homecoming mum tradition in Texas goes like this: a boy asks a girl to go to homecoming with him. “Going” to homecoming usually means, at minimum, attending the game together, going to the dance together if there is one, and exchanging a homecoming mum and garter. This implies that the boy will give his date a mum and the girl will give her date a garter. This is an important detail can be lost on Texas newcomers.

In reality, parents or other family members buy or make homecoming mums for their sons or daughters, or for their son’s or daughter’s dates. If you’re not sure what to do, a quick conversation with everyone involved will help set expectations. The couple arranges in advance to exchange the mum and garter a couple days before homecoming day.

Once plans are made, there are three ways to get a mum: buy one ready-made, make one yourself, or order a custom mum. Whatever you do, please don’t wait until homecoming week to get started. Take a deeper dive.

Do you have to “go” to homecoming with a date in order to have a mum?

Decades ago, it used to be that the only way to get a mum/garter was to exchange them with your homecoming date. Not any more. Anyone can go to homecoming, and anyone can wear a mum. Friends make mums for each other. Students buy or DIY their own mums, sometimes with help from their mom, dad, or other relative. Parents and relatives make or purchase their kids’ mums as gift, especially senior year. The point is, if you want to take part in the homecoming mum tradition, you don’t have to have a date to do so.

When do you wear a homecoming mum?

Homecoming mums are worn to the homecoming game. In many high schools across Texas, students are also permitted to wear their mums and garters to classes during the day and to the homecoming pep rally. Sometimes mums are worn by students participating in the homecoming parade. Traditions vary school by school.

Where do you get a homecoming mum?

Learn more about making a mum yourself or buying a custom mum or one that’s ready-made.

Are homecoming mums expensive?

If you ask most Texans, they’ll say yes. But the real answer is, “It depends.” It depends on style, size, and complexity; cost of available supplies; and if the mum is DIY, ready made, or custom created by a professional mum-maker.

In 2025, the average cost for a homecoming mum or garter is between $75 and $500. An extremely complex and highly customized mum (think senior mum) created by a mum-maker start at $500. You can go on TikTok and find interviews with students claiming a sticker price of over $1000 for a very high end homecoming mum. Custom mums at this price point are considered couture and must be ordered weeks if not months in advance.

On the flipside, I’ve met students whose mums cost almost because they repurposed last year’s mum or someone else’s they bought or got for free on Facebook Marketplace. Some students opt for mini mums which are sized to wear on a backpack, wrist, finger, or Croc (yep, you read that right). Recently, I met a senior who gave an “old school” chrysanthemum corsage to his girlfriend and she bought him a boutonniere. The total price was $65, and their drip was considered next level.