The hard work is done … graduation day is the moment to recognise and acknowledge your achievements and celebrate!
Living in a university city I have the pleasure of seeing the streets teeming annually with newly-crowned graduates in freshly starched gowns and stern looking mortarboards, surrounded by their proud families.
If you have never been to a graduation before you might be wondering what is appropriate to wear. The same rules apply no matter if you are the graduate or the guest; it is a formal occasion often held in a cathedral, so while the party may happen later that day, formal rules apply when it comes to graduation dress code.
Graduation Outfits As A Guest
If you are invited to a graduation ceremony as a guest, what does formal dress mean? In short it means don’t wear your casuals, show reverence to the special occasion and dress up.
The graduation dress code isn’t sombre, but no athleisure. No need to stick to dark serious colours, most are held in early summer so embrace light and bright colours, prints and even heels. Keep in mind it’s a ceremony and you can expect to be sitting for a period of time, so wear something that doesn’t crease too easily and take a jacket because graduation venues tend to be large so can be draughty, even in the height of summer.
Chic graduation guest outfits might be a jumpsuit, a silky midi skirt , a belted shirt dress or a wide leg trouser with an elegant top.
What To Wear To Graduation As A Graduate
If you are the graduate, congratulations, this is your day to shine. All of the above applies to you too, but you will be wearing your academic regalia so you might want to consider a few extra things. Look for a dress that fits under your gown, anything with puffy sleeves, exaggerated A-line or oversized might be uncomfortable.
The gown will fall to below your knee so if you don’t want the hem of your dress showing, keep that in mind too. The same goes for your neckline, avoid anything that peeks out from the collar and a graduate tip is to carry safety pins or a hardy brooch to secure your gown, they are heavy and can slip.
If your university has a strict graduation dress code of blouse and skirt then at least pick options you can wear again, such as:
If you get a choice of what to wear here is my pick of what to wear on graduation day
With 20 years experience as both a Fashion Buyer and Stylist, Joanne Watkinson has a wealth of knowledge about everyday style and event dressing. We’ve asked her to share her tips and tricks on how to pick the perfect dress or outfit and how to perfect your look for special occasions.
