To wear this to my graduation?

[levernopor]

I'm nearly 25, my university graduation is coming up (midwifery).

I really like this dress, but three separate people (friends and family) have said the plunge and cut-out bits are too much for a graduation.

Is there much skin?

Nice go for it

Thats a lovely dress. I've been to a few graduations in the last couple of years and the only things that didn't work were jeans and T-shirt (looked try too hard, which wasn't the effect they expected I think) and a full length ball gown which she just kept tripping on. Colourful worked well if it didn't clash with the hood.

Go for it! Wear what you feel good in!
I wore a brightly coloured dress with butterflies on and bright red sparkly heeled shoes 🤷‍♀️.
As another pp said, it's the hat you need to worry about, take hair grips with you!

No, no need to look ‘frumpy’, but that dress will look appalling under most academic gowns, and with nowhere to attach a hood for a garment designed to hook to a male shirt button, the OP is likely to look disorganised and not well put together in her graduation photos, if that’s something she thinks it’s important.

Personally I’m in favour of the Oxford sub fusc approach, and keeping fabulous dresses for the party afterwards, when they can be properly seen.

Lovely dress- where is it from?

I think you can wear what you like, so I would wear the dress.

Personally, I don't think it's appropriate for graduation. Most universities stipulate business dress. But - having attended dozens of graduation ceremonies - I can tell you that if you do wear it, you'll be far from the only one dressed inappropriately.

Agreed on both counts.

It isnt suitable, no. At all of my graduations peiple wore conservtive dresses or suits. If someone turned up in a dress like that eyebrows would ascend to heaven. You need to dress to be taken seriously unless perhaps its an art or similarly creative degree in which case it would be fine.

Could you wear it to after party? I like it but agree bit much for actually ceremony

OP I’m in the same predicament, my graduation won’t be till next year as I’m OU and my final results were after the last ceremony for the year but I have no idea what to wear

I'm of the business dress under the gown view. I am aware that at some universities people go more colourful (you can check old graduation photos from your university but generally the older universities are more formal). Remember this is a dress your parents will display a photo of in a prominent place in their house for the next 30-40 years so think about if middle-aged you will be happy that you wore a fashionable sundress to your graduation rather than a more appropriate formal day dress.

Think practically. At many universities you have to attach the gown to your clothes so make sure whatever you wear is strong enough. Does the dress compliment the coloùr of your hood? Can you wear shoes you will be comfortable in, there's a lot of standing about and possible walking on grass? Will the pattern appear dated in a few years, I suspect a block colour will date more slowly. A dress with sleeves will mean the gown is less likely to scratch when you are wearing it.

It’s a nice dress, but on a purely practical level as others have said up thread you’d be better off with something that the hood can be secured to at the front. They are quite heavy and tend to slip backwards so you’ll be adjusting it all the time at the neck/chest. Also in the photos you’ll look a bit bare at the top, which may look a little odd. When my children graduated there were far more wacky and ‘out there’ outfits (arty courses) on display, but style aside it’s not a very practical choice.

I think it's a summer dress and not formal enough.

This

With the holes around the waist and plunge, straps , I think it's a beach dress or high summer casual dress. If that's what you feel ok with then go for it, but it wouldn't be my choice for a more formal situation. At the end of the day you need to feel confident and if you are unsure you won't feel your best on the day. Congratulations though on your degree.

What info has the uni given about graduation wear policies? You would not have been permitted to take part in the ceremony dressed like that at any of the graduations I've attended as it would have violated the dress code in multiple ways.
Some unis have fewer requirements, so it's possible such a dress would be tolerated, but if multiple people are advising against it maybe take the hint and pick something that is more obviously appropriate.

I wore a boring plain shirt so I had a button to attach the front of the rob to, regretted it ever since. I wish I had worn whatever made me feel happy, confident and successful. I hate looking back at the pictures too. Wear this dress. The robe will stay on without a button. Or take a safety pin.

Graduation gowns are heavy. It will pull that dress up awkwardly and you'll spend your day fighting with it.

You are also likely to be left with a safety pin hole.

A more substantial fabric is best. I've done hundreds of graduations and however nice the dress, it isn't a good look to be fighting with it all day.

I wore a plunging dress for graduation specifically so I could pin gown to my bra, that way it stayed firm and looked smart...

I have worked MANY graduations. This is positively covering compared to some of the dresses.

They aren't all smart business dress now (unless at an elite university who will have issues guidance by now)

@AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii Something that looks nice with blue and yellow!

Summer style dresses are fine but you don't want floaty unless you want to spend the day being strangled. I'd be checking the feel of the fabric before deciding on style. Stronger is best.

I'd avoid too deep a V shape because as a PP said, it looks a bit odd on photos as you look like you aren't wearing anything under it.

Your photos will never be the best if you can't let go of the front.

Not sure when the last time was you went to a graduation but that’s not really true any more. People wear all sorts. And tbh That dress shows a lot less skin than most of the people I saw this summer. And what even is “smart business” nowadays?

I think it’s a lovely dress op but not sure it would work with a gown - it’s a bit busy pattern wise.

congrats on your graduation. Have a lovely day.

You don't
Lots of robes now have velcro shoulders to attach the hood
And others just won't attach the hood (you will have to keep pulling it forward)

Wear what you like. Nothing wrong with it at all. My daughter wore a pink dress with cup cakes on it. It doesn't matter. If it's your style why would you wear something that wasn't you.

I wore quite a smart business dress because I thought that was "expected"
Felt very underdressed compared to everyone else. I certainly didn't graduate as myself

So for my brother's graduation later I wore the dress I wish I had decided to wear for mine.