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?

I've worked on graduation ceremonies for 15 years and counting and people wearing all sorts. Hardly any women wear business attire. Yea it's more practical to wear a sensible blouse that you can attach the gown to (if your gown has that kind of design, not all so), but it's boring. I wish I had worn something like this instead of borrowing a frumpy blouse off my auntie because I had no money.

I've seen one person in a tiny strapless Santa dress even.

I don't even think you'll be cold. We have winter graduations where I work and indoors it's boiling, I'm in summer gear under the gown I wear as staff.

At one university, the Dean makes a joke about the size of the heels every year (the same joke... we know it well)

There are African students who wear the most gorgeous scarves or other extras over their hoods

If your uni is an old one with strict guidelines on what to wear, you'd have been when booking and would know that was unsuitable (colour for a start) so if you haven't had anything then go for it

Formal business attire is very dated for a graduation, no one even works in pencil dresses and heels let alone wears it to graduate in.

If you’re slim and flat chested this dress is fine, although you’ve only posted the front perhaps if the back has a more more cut outs it’s probably too much:

You’re not supposed to ‘graduate as yourself’, otherwise you wouldn’t be wearing a hood, gown and cap, which are a uniform.

You’re 25….wear what the hell you want.
Please don’t buy some boring corporate shift dress….youll be old for long enough to wear that stuff in the future.
Hope you enjoy your chosen career….good luck!

My DD wore a white satin basically clubbing dress to hers, there were lots of people there who could easily walk straight into a nightclub (and did!). So wear it if you love it.
can you take a lightweight cardi to slip under the gown if it’s chilly?

Did you know in some countries you are encouraged to decorate your cap to reflect YOU?

Because it's YOUR achievement. The cap, hood and gown are the uniform. Underneath is you. Wearing what reflects YOU is a good thing. Because you aren't graduating as one of many exactly the same. You are graduating as a mark of your achievement

Nobody really wears business attire these days, I've worked many graduation ceremonies(last just two years ago). Men don't have much choice but women tend to wear all sorts.

Best outfits I've seen are the South African students who came in their national dress, so colourful and bright.

I mean, oh no 😂

Exactly this. My daughters graduation was full of beautiful colourful outfits where women were quite rightly strutting their best looks. Far far better this dress than a compromise or something you dont feel proud to wear. Your day , your choice. When your friends / relatives graduate then and only then do they get to have an opinion on suitable graduation wear

Seems more summer party than autumn graduation?

Nothing more depressing than seeing a ton of young ladies walking across the stage for their degree or masters and thinking -surely show tits or your hoha but not both!

So many self conscious people holding down inappropriate dresses as they crossed the stage. Quite a few did flash their pants.

Not one man looked inappropriate.

(I loved the colourful African or Indian national dresses but the nightclub attire just looked uncomfortable and wrong)

I wore boring trousers and smart blouse. I regret wearing a silky blouse as the fabric kept being dragged back by the weight of the robe. The garments are not designed for women.

@burnoutbabe Nothing more depressing than seeing a ton of young ladies walking across the stage for their degree or masters and thinking -surely show tits or your hoha but not both!

Nothing more depressing than a woman graduating from her highest academic achievement to date and another woman’s only thought being about what she looks like.

Normally a lot of standing about outside, queuing and photos for graduation. Can be windy, wet, cold etc.

If you want to weat that dress I'd look for a lightwight close fitting long-sleeved top to go underneath. Gowns aren't very warm either and you have to give them back soon after the ceremony.

If you're going to a party or restaurant afterwards, just remove the top then.

I work at a uni and honestly suits etc no longer seem to be a thing for graduation. Lots wear dresses and show skin. You'll be fine.

I go to graduation at work every year. I think a very classic look works best - a shift or simple dress in one colour (black works well, but whatever suits your skin tone and doesn't clash with the hood). That makes it look like an outfit with the gown, rather than the gown and the dress fighting each other if it makes any sense. Also, a button down front is great if you can find one, the hoods are designed to be worn with a suit, shirt and tie and they can look very messy on women when they're not fixed in place. A complete pain to have to keep fixing it too.

ETA - but there is a huge range of style every year, that's just my own view of what looks best as they walk across the stage.

It wouldnt have looked at out place at my daughter's recent graduation service, but maybe it depends on course or uni?
My daughters graduation ranged from party wear to summer wedding type attire and very few "business dresses".
It's your graduation - do you know what kind of outfit your classmates are wearing?
I would consider the colour of the gown and stripes on hood and try to coordinate, I would also avoid anything to revealing or plunging especially if you have bigger boobs and likely to spill out! double sided clothing tape which holds necklines in place against your skin is your friend.

Where I work, we hold lots of graduations. People come in all sorts, a bit like going to the theatre. Most do 'dress up' to some extent, either with fairly formal work-style clothes or the sort of thing you'd wear to a wedding, but many just rock up in their everyday home wear. It's honestly whatever you want it to be. Nobody requires 'evidence' of your graduation ceremony for anything, so it doesn't actually matter at all, it's the degree you got that matters. So wear whatever you want!

Personally, I'd just be checking how the dress looks/feels with bowing and climbing up and down steps situation in case any of that is required, but I think it is beautiful and special so if you like it, go for it!!

My own experience of what I wore to my graduations...
One was the open university, I wore a grey 'work dress' which I was happy with myself. People dressed in all sorts though, some suits etc, others jeans and trainers, some party dresses. The open uni embodies the philosophy that education is for everyone and background etc is totally irrelevant. Therefore nobody would be expected to 'dress up' etc unless they wanted to. The officiant told the audience to celebrate as they wished when their graduate walked across the stage - there were lots of whoops and cheers and some people on stage held their arms up in winning celebration poses etc. It was great!!!
My second one was Oxbridge. You wear a uniform so literally no choice, though if you're a rebel like me you don't do your ribbon in a bow but just knot it. Radical! It was pretty much the total opposite to the Open uni, you went up to be presented, someone spoke something in Latin for hours, you bowed twice to some overdressed officials and walked off. I don't even think there was clapping but I might be remembering wrong!
I think you can tell which I valued more!

Actually, they've changed hoods - I advised my daughter in this vein ( though buttons don't help a little with women's clothes so I explained how to use safety pins on the how. Itself) but turns out hoods now Velcro to gowns. May not be true everywhere I guess.

Wear whatever you like. It's gorgeous. You're covered with a big gown anyway so arms will be covered. Congratulations on your graduation!

Actually, where's it from? I want it 😂

Nothing more depressing than seeing a ton of young ladies walking across the stage for their degree or masters and thinking -surely show tits or your hoha but not both!

Good grief! These women are celebrating the biggest achievements of their lives, cumulation of years of hard work, and you're judging their appearance????!!!

I normally would’ve said no, however I attended a graduation last week and people were wearing all sorts and lots of plunging, figure hugging, sparkles, out there dresses. Wear it if you like and to be honest the gown covers it anyway so any festivities you for after your graduation you’ll be perfect for!

They were my fellow students. I am sure they judged me too.

If you see someone walking across the stage, frantically trying to keep their deep splitted dress from unwrapping and showing their pants, would you not think -that was a bad choice for this sort of event? And recommend to others not to wear items that may embarrass them when walking across a stage.

If you like it, wear it.

I was at my daughter’s graduation recently and there was a whole range of outfits from jeans and trainers to a full on ball gown. I certainly didn’t see anyone in a shift dress or business dress.

DD was more concerned with what she felt comfortable in, did it gape if she bent over and could you see her pants.

Her hood was velcroed to the front of her gown so she didn’t need to attach it to her dress at all

Congratulations!