What to wear for sons Uni graduation

MiaowMiaow99 · 2021-07-10T08:12:40+00:00

In my mind, years ago, it was a very dressed up affair, almost wedding guest standard. I'm guessing it's a more relaxed affair these days. Any suggestions of what would hit the spot? I'm size 14 with a tum.

dreamingofsun · 10/07/2021 09:47

I've been to 3 and there was a wide range of outfits at each. Some parents looked like they had come from an all nighter in a a club, others had the type of clothes i garden in. Some like they were wedding guests including hats

I would wear a nice dress and maybe a cardi or jacket. What you would wear for a nice meal. Try and choose something comfy for y our feet as there is a lot of standing up and walking

lovescats3 · 10/07/2021 09:51

Is this for the current year ? My son graduated last year but there were no ceremonies so just wondering if they are doing them now

HuntingoftheSnark · 10/07/2021 10:02

DD graduated two years ago and it was a fairly dressed up affair - I wore a Hobbs dress and jacket, pale blue - nearly wore it to a wedding this week.

Mintjulia · 10/07/2021 10:08

Dressed up I think. People haven't been able to attend any kind of event for a while so probably will make an effort.

I'd choose a dress and jacket or cardigan. Since it's your ds's day, you could get his input on what he thinks you look best in too. Always interesting

Eve · 10/07/2021 10:33

I have the same issue - graduation is going ahead but in a marquee, I’m thinking smart jacket & trousers.

LizzieSiddal · 10/07/2021 10:35

I’d go with smart but not too dressy, and most importantly what you feel comfortable in. There’s a lot of wiring and standing about so comfort is very important.

Jumpingintosummer · 10/07/2021 10:59

Oh would go dressy but not Ascot dressy.

Dress and a blazer
Wide leg trousers, silk camisole and short jacket

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 10/07/2021 12:33

I’m a lecturer and our graduations tend to be fairly smart - definitely not hats but otherwise similar to wedding guest type outfits. Or the type of thing you would wear to a fancy afternoon tea. Men tend to be in suits, women in dresses or nice trousers/top. There is a lot of sitting about so make sure you are in something comfy, and if you are doing photos outside think about how your shoes will work eg stiletto heels on wet grass.

Ours are online this year again.

Ninkanink · 10/07/2021 12:51

My DD graduated a couple of years ago now. I wore jeans & a jumper, a tweed jacket, Chelsea boots, plus a Mulberry bag to dress it up a little. A lot of people were more casually dressed than me, a few were dressed up.

Bluntness100 · 10/07/2021 12:55

I think it depends on the uni. My daughter went to a Russel group and it was a fairly dressy affair. No one was in jeans etc. And the students were very dressy indeed. I’d agree with the pp, it’s dressy but not ascot dressy.

Everyone at my daughters were in dresses, smart trousers, suits etc.

Ninkanink · 10/07/2021 13:03

My DD went to a Russell Group university as well.

Amongst the students there were more dressy affairs than amongst the parents.

Floisme · 10/07/2021 13:28

Graduation ceremonies used to happen near my workplace so I witnessed quite a few. Families were for the most part formally dressed - think weddings minus hats - and most of the students were in either smart formal or club wear. All pre-covid so I've no idea if it will have changed.

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 10/07/2021 14:03

They are generally pretty smart although I guess it may be somewhat uni/course specific.

Most fathers will be in business attire, so a two piece lounge suit with shirt and tie. Some may wear a suit without a tie. There will be a decent percentage in a blazer/sports jacket with trousers/chinos/corduroys/moleskins.

Women will be more varied. Office wear or something you might wear to a nice restaurant or to a slightly less fancy wedding. No hats or matchy matchy mother of the bride stuff, but a dress and jacket a suit, trousers and a silk blouse that kind of thing. No denim, trainers or flip flops.

shallIswim · 10/07/2021 17:54

DS graduated 3 years ago (Cambridge) and it was far less smart than I expected. Certainly no hats or suits for women. I wore a nice summer dress and block heels and felt about right. Got v hot in the actual ceremony so I was glad of an old fashioned fan in my handbag!
In fact some parents looked down right scruffy, thinking about it!

DelphiniumBlue · 10/07/2021 18:09

I under-estimated how dressy for DS2's graduation- I wore a nice Boden dress with little cardi, but felt quite under-dressed compared to some. I didn't wear heels, but with hindsight probably should have.
DS was way under-dressed - he refused to wear anything other than jeans and shirt, and he was the only one not in a formal suit, even on an art course and non-Russell group.

dreamingofsun · 10/07/2021 19:01

all my sons wore suits and all their friends did. But this thread just re-iterates what a broad range of things mothers in particular wear. So I would stick with something you feel good in and that you are happy to have LT photos of. Boden, Phase 8 type stuff for me.

Floisme · 11/07/2021 08:20

I wouldn't assume Russell Group means a smarter dress code. The graduation events I used to see (upthread) were for a non RG uni where quite a lot of students are the first in their family to go into higher education. The parents dressed up for the graduation because they were frigging proud and excited. It was partly why I used to enjoy watching. Big generalisation coming up but I can imagine at a Russell Group uni there will be more families for whom university graduation won't be such a big deal and maybe this is reflected in how they dress.

VanCleefArpels · 11/07/2021 08:28

Echoing others, a nice day dress with an extra layer in case of weather (jacket or cardigan), low heels (likely to be grass involved so stilettos prob not ideal). Men in suits, perhaps no tie, or at a push chinos and blazer.

shallIswim · 11/07/2021 09:02

@Floisme

I wouldn't assume Russell Group means a smarter dress code. The graduation events I used to see (upthread) were for a non RG uni where quite a lot of students are the first in their family to go into higher education. The parents dressed up for the graduation because they were frigging proud and excited. It was partly why I used to enjoy watching. Big generalisation coming up but I can imagine at a Russell Group uni there will be more families for whom university graduation won't be such a big deal and maybe this is reflected in how they dress.

This is what happened at Cambridge. I think for many of the parents (not us!) It was not such a big deal, and the slightly scruffy dress of some demonstrated this. Yet I've seen outfits at our local uni and they were waaaaayyy fancier!

AnnaMagnani · 11/07/2021 09:06

Walking around Cambridge on a graduation day you see people who are dressed up wedding fancy - I'm guessing these are the super proud people who are now going out to lunch with their offspring, not the scruffy lets get home as the parking is extortionate ones.

QueenZoopla · 11/07/2021 09:10

Can I ask where you are / what uni it is? DD finished uni in 2020, large Uni in north of England. No graduation and AFAIK no ceremony dates planned.
I had bought a dress (nice but not over fancy) that's still in my wardrobe. I keep another dress over it because seeing it makes me sad 😕

BestIsWest · 11/07/2021 09:14

Just watching too as DS finished uni in 2020 too and I’m still hoping to see a graduation ceremony even though the university ‘graduated’ him.

MrsMaizel · 11/07/2021 11:17

These affairs have been much less fancy that I anticipated. One for us was planned this year but now has been cancelled by the Uni.

Divineswirls · 12/07/2021 11:03

Dress up

Divineswirls · 12/07/2021 11:05

Dress up like you would for any other special event