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Original poster

What did you wear to your kid’s graduation?

56 replies

Soupercat · 19/04/2022 08:23

Did you feel good? I don’t want to do MOTB or trussed up in some floral shit.

What are your top tips?

OP posts:
Ethelswith · 19/04/2022 15:27

Sunday Best - the new summer frock, good accessories. DH in a suit.

When mine was held (and families invited, several decades ago) my DMum wore a very bright trouser suit

aftonwater · 19/04/2022 16:39

@Ethelswith

Sunday Best - the new summer frock, good accessories. DH in a suit.

When mine was held (and families invited, several decades ago) my DMum wore a very bright trouser suit

'Sunday best' sums it up pretty well. I'm wearing a linen shirt dress to dd's graduation.
RampantIvy · 19/04/2022 16:47

@SlatsandFlaps

Ceremony? Is this an American thing? We never had ceremonies that you could invite family to, at Uni. Why on earth would you?! Sounds cringeworthy
Graduation ceremonies have been around in the UK for donkey's years.

DH had a graduation ceremony in 1970, my sister in 1981, DH had a PhD graduation ceremony in 1984 and an MBA graduation ceremony in 1992. They were all well attended.

Have you been hiding under a rock?

I have a few nice dresses to choose from so I won't be buying anything new for the graduation unless I see something I particularly want.

OchonAgusOchonOh · 19/04/2022 16:58

I wore a reasonably casual summer dress for ds's. However, I could equally have worn pjs as it was a virtual ceremony in 2020 and ds wasn't in the house with us as he was working in a different city so he and his housemates, who were also classmates, watched it in their sitting room. They put suits on and rented gowns for the occasion Grin

However, I do work in academia so see quite a lot of graduation outfits. It's fairly mixed, ranging from full-on wedding guest to a bit of a step-up from day-to-day wear.

Shortbreadselection · 19/04/2022 17:31

I just wore a black summer dress with a flowery bag and had a bit of a sparkly scarf on and off during the day.
There was a large mix of people there - some formal, some very casual and everything in between so I wouldn't worry too much.

Kite22 · 19/04/2022 17:40

They’re big things now. In my time most people didn’t go to theirs. Maybe because you pay for them?

When did you graduate? There has always been one or two people that don't go, but "most" people are proud to graduate and share that moment with their families.

OP - as everyone has said - a nice dress. Men in a suit and tie.

and @SlatsandFlaps - what are you talking about ? Degree ceremonies have been around for decades and decades. When did you graduate ? Confused

ginslinger · 19/04/2022 18:26

Just adding my voice for Sunday Best - and I can't quite get with the idea that someone has never heard of graduation ceremonies - I did go to mine because of parental guilt

bouncydog · 19/04/2022 19:10

Tailored jacket and trousers, smart top, heels and clutch bag. DH wore a suit and tie as did DD’s fiancé. We kept colours neutral apart from the men wore red ties to reflect DD’s robe colour. Photos were lovely. Parents that didn’t make an effort were in the minority.

KimikosNightmare · 19/04/2022 19:55

@SlatsandFlaps

Ceremony? Is this an American thing? We never had ceremonies that you could invite family to, at Uni. Why on earth would you?! Sounds cringeworthy
Yes we did. I graduated in 1980. Of course there was a ceremony and parents were in their "Sunday best".
KimikosNightmare · 19/04/2022 19:58

@Soupercat

They’re big things now. In my time most people didn’t go to theirs. Maybe because you pay for them?
When was "your time" ? I graduated in 1980 and almost everyone attended the ceremony.
Fizbosshoes · 19/04/2022 20:01

Dsis graduated in 2001 I think. My mum wore a skirt suit (possibly quite wedding-y) but she would dress up for the opening of an envelope so not sure that's the best gauge Blush

TheHumanSatsuma · 19/04/2022 20:05

I wore linen trousers a white top and a flowing cardigan

KimikosNightmare · 19/04/2022 20:07

@Soupercat

Did you feel good? I don’t want to do MOTB or trussed up in some floral shit.

What are your top tips?

I wore what you would call "some floral shit" to my son's graduation. It was a made to measure piece of "floral shit" from Edina Ronay, not ordered specially, just something I had in my wardrobe, worn with this coat.

guinealondon.com/collections/coats-jackets/products/piccadilly-tweed-coat-lichen-green

tolerable · 19/04/2022 20:24

i wore a (jo browns) 50s ish tartan (bit like blackwatch but included thin line of pink)fit n flare,3\4 sleeve dress..cerise mary janes and a huge smile.

speakout · 19/04/2022 20:36

I wore a neutral/mocca coloured wrap dress with boots- it was november.
Comfy but no frills and was fine for a fancy lunch afterwards
I was surprised to see lots of parents in jeans & trainers.

ScarlettDarling · 19/04/2022 20:39

I’ve just been helping my friend choose an outfit for her son’s graduation. She’s ordered this dress from dancing leopard which she’s going to wear with these MandS sandais

Perfectlystill · 19/04/2022 20:43

Surprised at OP not having been to her graduation! I went to what is now a Russell Group uni and my graduation in 1996 was most definitely a thing. We all went and our parents took us out for a slap up lunch afterwards.

I would look at the Outnet for something understated but chic.

ArtVandalay · 19/04/2022 20:55

3 years ago, summer ceremony. I wore a nice dress I already had from Rixo that I wanted to get a bit more value out of. Wore it with white trainers. DH wore a linen shirt and shorts, which looking at the photos, was a tad underdressed. But a suit would've been a tad ott.

Some parents were definitely over-dressed and looked a bit daft - like they were at a wedding.

Snowiscold · 19/04/2022 21:02

I went to DD’s last month -postponed from last year. I wore trousers and a silk shirt with a jumper on top. Wedding smart is too smart, I think.

Icequeen01 · 19/04/2022 21:23

We had DS's graduation ceremony in November which had been delayed due to Covid. It was freezing cold so I bought some lovely thick Boden trousers and a nice jumper and co-ordinating scarf. What I didn't think about was both DH and I had black woollen coats and when the photos came back we looked like a couple of funeral directors!!

We have a small photo of us all together hidden away on a shelf and thank God we had some formal photos taken of DS which we are proud to display 😀 We can laugh about it now but I was so upset at the time.

KimikosNightmare · 20/04/2022 09:26

ArtVandalay · 19/04/2022 20:55

3 years ago, summer ceremony. I wore a nice dress I already had from Rixo that I wanted to get a bit more value out of. Wore it with white trainers. DH wore a linen shirt and shorts, which looking at the photos, was a tad underdressed. But a suit would've been a tad ott.

Some parents were definitely over-dressed and looked a bit daft - like they were at a wedding.

Which university was that? I'm gobsmacked at someone over the age of 6 turning up in shorts. They'd have looked seriously out of place at the ceremonies I've attended.

Tagliatellme · 20/04/2022 09:29

SlatsandFlaps · 19/04/2022 10:51

Ceremony? Is this an American thing? We never had ceremonies that you could invite family to, at Uni. Why on earth would you?! Sounds cringeworthy

They existed in the 80s.

BestIsWest · 20/04/2022 12:34

DS’s was the other day, I wore a navy midi dress and jacket from Monsoon. I ac did wear trainers as it happens but they were smart posh metallic ones. I did not look out of place and was not the only one and no one looked shocked.

People were generally well dressed but there was a mix.

RubiesandRose · 20/04/2022 15:47

It’s my sons graduation ceremony in a couple of weeks, delayed 2yrs by Covid and my daughters at the end of July.

I’m wearing the same dress in different prints to both. The black/leopard with a collarless leather jacket to the first and the ‘floral shit’😆with nude heels to the second.

What did you wear to your kid’s graduation?
What did you wear to your kid’s graduation?
Original poster
Soupercat · 20/04/2022 16:09

I like those rubies but they’re too much for me. I’d feel too weddding
oh for a simple dress

OP posts:
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