What to wear on graduation day is something that students spend a lot of time worrying about. While men will often go for a suit, it can be more difficult for women to decide from the array of options open to them. Here are the pros and cons of wearing a suit or a dress for graduation day.
The choice of outfit for a graduation ceremony is important to many students, which is slightly ironic, given the fact that most of the outfit is covered up by the gown! However, graduation is one of the biggest days of your life, so it’s important to wear an outfit that makes you feel special and proud of your achievements.
Most colleges will hand out some guidance on outfits they deem acceptable or unacceptable for graduation day. Items such as jeans and sneakers are most definitely on the ‘no’ list, since this is a formal occasion that everyone is expected to respect. It’s also not a good idea to overdo it by wearing something too smart, such as a ball gown or tuxedo. It’s a formal occasion, but not a black-tie evening event, so don’t confuse the two!
This is why most women land on wearing either a suit or a dress. Each category still gives plenty of space for adding a little personality, such as the addition of graduation leis. Equally, the range of suits and dresses out there mean that a comfortable option and something that is appropriate to the local weather conditions can be found.
So what are the main considerations for people thinking about wearing either a suit or a dress to a graduation ceremony?
Graduation Suit
A pant suit is the go-to option for men who are graduating, making this a fairly safe choice for women who would like to wear a suit too. For those who like a more feminine look, a pant suit that tapers around the ankles is a good option, since it is mainly the parts below the knee that are on show. Together with heels or sandals, this can be a classy graduation look. Avoid knee-high boots with any graduation outfit, as the tops of the boots sitting near or next to the bottom of the gown can look strange.
Something that should be considered by women opting for a pant suit is the color of the suit itself. Black is a safe option as it will blend in with the mostly black graduation gown. Do double-check that your graduation gown will be black, as this is not always the case. If you would like to wear a colored suit, consider your school colors on the graduation gown and hood. You’ll want to be sure your choice of suit color does not clash.
The other consideration with a pant suit is what color shirt you wear with it, as this will be visible over the top of the gown. Again, don’t choose a shirt color that will clash with any school colors on the gown. A crisp white shirt can look very professional, while a bold color can bring a bit of personality to your outfit.
Graduation Dress
One of the main considerations about wearing a dress underneath your graduation gown is how comfortable you are with the lower portion of your legs. Your legs from the calf down will be on show below the bottom of the gown, and will be quite visible to people in the audience if you walk across a stage for your graduation. If you know you have a tendency towards feeling self-conscious about your legs, don’t put yourself in a position of worrying about this just before you are going to collect your degree. Wearing tights or simply wearing a pant suit instead may be the better option for you.
Many people like the idea of wearing a dress to graduation because they want to wear a dress at the after-party too, once the graduation gown has come off. If you like this idea and know you won’t have the opportunity to change into a different outfit after you graduate, then wearing a dress brings more versatility into your day.
One consideration to make when choosing a dress is how long it is. You either want it to finish above the length of the graduation gown, or a good few inches below it. This is because a dress that finishes at almost the same level as the graduation gown can give a bit of an unkempt look. It’s also wise to choose a dress that is not too low cut, so you can see a little bit of it above the graduation gown. A low-cut dress wouldn’t be a very professional-looking choice for a graduation day anyway, but it always looks better to show a little fabric above the gown too.