Katy Mum Designers Talk Evolution of this Great Homecoming Tradition
- ncookclark
- 10 minutes ago
- 3 min read
KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
September 8, 2025
By Natalie Cook Clark
Along with football season comes the days where Katy newcomers are baffled by our Texas-sized mums. It may be strange to newcomers learning the tradition, but the ribbons and bells have become as symbolic of the homecoming festivities as football.
Mums Grow in Size and Creativity
Welcome to Homecoming Season Katy! This is a time of tradition and celebration amongst the nine Katy ISD high schools; the students, staff, and alumni. Perhaps one of the most recognizable symbols of the festivities are the mums and garters. These large collections of ribbons and trinkets can often times be a shock to Katy newcomers.
“I start advertising for costumers to start placing their orders in July,” says Mum designer Sterling Greene. “I always encourage them if they want a big and boujee mum to place their order early. My veteran customers have come to understand the importance of placing early orders, because I book up quickly.”
Greene started making mums in 2020 for her daughters and when they graduated, she knew she wanted to continue. For 25 years she’s been following trends and helping Katy students personalize their homecoming experience with all that creative bling.
Girls wear mums and boys wear garters (though this has seen some changes lately) to school the Friday of their school’s Homecoming and then also to the football game that night.
The tradition dates back to the very first homecoming held at Katy High School when a mum was a simple flower to now when mums and garters are made of silk flowers and have evolved into a spectacle of trinkets and bling.
“I am blown away by how big some of these mums can get, but I think kids really love to stand out in this creative way,” says Greene. “Newcomers are always asking questions about etiquette.”
“I tend to refer the huge mums out to other mum makers that specialize in the huge mums,” says mum designer Jen Moody. “I usually stick to the 9.5 flower. I feel it’s large enough to display a bear, a monogram etc, and not become too heavy to walk around with.”
Mum customization has only increased over the years. Moody says that the craziest she’s completed was a customed mum that paid homage to Elphaba from Wicked. She’s also done Disney characters and even customizes ribbons to combine the favorite characters of the dates.
Mum costs can vary based on what the student wants.
“If you're a do-it-yourself person, the supplies alone can cost $100 to $200,” says Moody. “But if you get one professionally made, a simple one can start around $90, while the average custom mum might be $150 to $350. For those over-the-top, massive ones, you could be looking at $500 or more.
"I have seen mums go for $1200 dollars, those packages sometime include a professional photo session with the mum and the student. That package is usually reserved for Seniors. For the boys, garters are usually a little less, starting around $50. adds Moody.”
Mum, Garter Rules to Know
While mums and garter designs continue to get bigger and more intricate, there are certain rules that remain.
Freshman and Sophomores are decorated with school colors
Juniors are decorated in silver and white
Seniors are decorated in gold and white, though some senior ladies have opted for rose gold as a trend lately
Colors can be mixed to indicate the grade level of a date
School colors are mixed when dates attend other schools
Girls may wear two mums if one represents a performance group like dance team.
But students have moved from these traditions this year.
“Things have changed,” says Moody. “These days, students mix in whatever colors or themes they want to express their own style. You'll see everything from Hot pink to cheetah print alongside the school colors. It's all about making it unique.
Katy ISD Homecoming start this week.
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