What to Wear to Graduation

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We are entering a new graduation season, and we know that the graduates and their families are feeling a mix of emotions – happy, nostalgic, and bittersweet. Choosing what to wear to graduation is an important decision, whether you’re the graduate or a supportive loved one. There is no need to add stress to the mix while looking for an outfit to wear to the graduation ceremony. To help you avoid the headache and stress of finding an outfit, we’ve compiled our favorite looks for you to shop. We’ve put together stylish and practical choices for all types of graduates, and even for our attendees. If you like any of the options you see below, we’ve provided a link directly to the products for you to shop easily. Congrats to all of the future graduates!

What should you wear to a graduation?

Best Graduation Outfit for Graduates: Odd Muse Dress & Betsey Johnson Heels

If you’re a grad who is looking to stick to the traditional white-dress look, this is the perfect option for you! We love this dress from Odd Muse. It has a flattering silhouette and maintains a professional and mature look, while still keeping with the trends. The aesthetic of this dress is perfect for all graduates- no matter what age or level you are graduating from. This dress would look stunning on any girl graduating with her bachelors, masters, or doctorate degree. We would pair this dress with a fun pair of heels, we love these ones from Betsey Johnson. The blue floral pattern is so stunning for the spring and summer graduation season. We also love how these heels are low and have a wider heel base to provide extra stability.

Best Graduation Outfit for Attendees: Petal + Pup Dress & ASOS Heels

Attending a graduation ceremony can be stressful, especially if you’re not sure what to wear. Before going, ask around to friends, family, and even the graduate to see what they may recommend for their school’s ceremony. We recommend this maxi dress from Petal + Pup! Maxi and midi dresses are perfect for graduation ceremonies as they can be dressed up really nicely with heels, a bag, and jewelry, or they can be kept more casual with a flat sandal or cute platform sneaker. We love this dress since it can be worn by attendees of any age! Whether you’re attending as grandma, mom, aunt, sister, or a friend, this dress will look flattering on everyone. We would pair this dress with these platform sandals from ASOS to keep the look comfortable and on the more casual side, since you don’t want to outshine the graduate!

Best Colorful Outfit for Graduation: Revolve Jumpsuit & Jeffrey Campbell Heels

We love to see graduates wearing color on their big day! Although white is traditional, we recommend wearing a color to stand out! As a graduate, you worked hard for this day so it’s up to you to show off that new degree in any color you choose. We love this berry-colored, pink jumpsuit from Revolve. We are all for wearing an elegant, dressy jumpsuit on graduation day since they are so comfortable. They look classy, professional, and come in so many different styles. We paired this jumpsuit with Jeffrey Campbell kitten heels in a similar color, with a beautiful pattern. These heels are low, making falling while walking across the stage much less of a worry. You cannot go wrong with this pair to add some color to your big day!

Best Neutral Outfit for Graduation: Abercrombie Dress & Betsey Johnson Pumps

If a white dress isn’t for you, but you also don’t want a bright pop of color, don’t be afraid to stick to the neutral basics. You can never go wrong with a classic LBD- little black dress! We are obsessed with black blazer-style dress from Abercrombie. We have seen blazers and workwear trending in fashion this year, and it is the perfect style to consider for your graduation look! The blazer style makes the dress feel mature, while the side-tie allows the dress to keep its youth. When wearing a neutral dress, we suggest wearing a fun pair of shoes- either a color, sparkle, or pattern. These heels from Betsey Johnson offer the perfect amount of shine for when you’re walking to get your diploma. The ankle strap and wide base of the heel will also offer stability and make them easy and comfortable to wear all day.

Best for a Cold Weather Graduation: Club L London Dress & Revolve Heels

If you’re a December graduate or just live in an area where spring tends to be on the colder side, we found the perfect option for you. This dress from Club L London is the best option for colder weather graduates. It’s a longer length, bodycon style dress so it will keep you warm while also providing a super flattering look. The best part of this dress is the top- it has a very elegant and open, draping sleeve. Not only will it keep you warm, but it will also provide a classy and intelligent look which is fitting for the big day. This dress is so stunning that we think it should be the center of attention, which is why we recommend pairing it with these white heels from Revolve. These strappy heels have a wide base, as well as a tie around the ankle.

Best Budget Outfit for Graduation: Lulus Dress & Steve Madden Sandals

Shopping for a graduation dress on a budget can be super stressful (trust me, we know)! Instead of adding another headache on top of your schoolwork, we’ve got you covered. This dress from Lulu’s is under $80 and is perfect for any graduation ceremony. Instead of white, it is a light champagne color. The fabric offers a textured floral design, as well as a metallic shimmer. It’s classy, elegant, and most importantly, it’s super affordable. We paired it with a pair of Steve Madden heels that retail for $40. They’re gold to match the shimmer of the dress, and they are guaranteed to match any cap and gown!

Graduation Outfit FAQs

What are the best shoes to wear to graduation?

The best shoes to wear as a graduate are any shoes that you feel comfortable and confident in! On your big day, the last thing that you want to have to worry about is tripping when you’re walking across the stage. Most girls opt for heels, but if you’re nervous that you’ll trip, flat sandals can look just as stunning. If you decide to wear heels, you may want to opt for shoes with a wider, chunkier heel since they will offer more stability. Luckily for graduates, kitten heels have been trending this year so you could even wear a low heel!

If you’re attending a graduation ceremony as a guest, any shoes from heels, sandals, or flats will work perfectly for you!

Are short dresses OK to wear?

Yes! Short dresses are definitely fitting for a graduation. In fact, most graduates opt for a shorter style of dress so that it does not stick out from under their gown.  When picking a short dress, make sure that you’re still comfortable and that your dress isn’t too short that it will be revealing when walking across to accept your diploma. If you want to opt for a more-professional and mature look for your graduation day, there are many companies that make dresses that are short, trendy, but still give off a professional look.

If you’re a guest wondering if a short dress is acceptable, the answer is yes for you as well! If you plan on being in photos with the graduate, just be sure that your dress isn’t too short and that you will be comfortable in photos.

What if I’m attending as a friend of a graduate?

We are sure that any graduate will love to have their friend in attendance for their graduation. If you’re not sure what to wear, we would recommend a dress that is more on the casual side. Any kind of dress- long or short, would fit the ceremony perfectly. Long skirts have been really trending this year, so that would be another great option! If you’re nervous of looking too dressy, pair a skirt or dress with a cute spring sneaker.

What’s the best color to wear to a graduation?

Traditionally, most graduates tend to gravitate towards wearing white on graduation day. When shopping for an outfit you will most likely find many options in white, since companies know it’s the most popular amongst young graduates. If white isn’t for you, there are no wrong options! People love to see a pop-of-color among tons of white dresses, and there is less of a chance that someone else will be wearing the same dress as you! When shopping for a colored dress, keep in mind your school’s colors or the color of the cap and gown that you will be wearing, and just be intentional about the colors not clashing. During the spring and summer seasons, there will be many colorful options and patterns available for graduates who want to stray from the traditional white options.

Are jeans OK for graduation?

As a graduate, jeans are probably not the most favorable option to wear. Typically, graduates will dress up for the occasion. If you’re attending a graduation ceremony as a guest, jeans can be an acceptable option, as long as they are styled correctly. If you’re going to wear jeans, we would recommend that you should definitely wear a heel to dress-up the outfit, and then pair the jeans with a dressy top. If you opt for jeans, also be careful that the cut is mature and looks high fashion. We would recommend wearing a fitted, wide leg jean over skinny jeans or a very baggy jean.

What should I not wear to a graduation?

At the end of the day, you truly have to wear what makes you comfortable on your graduation day. Traditionally, most girls will wear dresses or a jumpsuit. If these options aren’t for you, you could opt for a pair of trousers with a nice top or even for a dressy skirt.

To be safe, we wouldn’t recommend that any graduates wear any jeans or leggings. We also would not recommend wearing anything too short or cropped, anything with rips, or anything too revealing.

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