Graduation dress recommendations for DD22

[magentacaramel]

Hi everyone

My daughter is graduation in a week and we still have not found a dress for her. So please could you help with suggestions:

here is the low down:

size 4 or 6 UK
height 5’1’. So petit dress required
no sequins
nothing that looks like office wear
no large patterns or flowers
tight fitted
sophisticated style
modest (no plugging neckline).
sleeveless or with sleeves (not strapless or straps)
her sash will be lilac
budget £100 max
i am grateful for all suggestions.

thank you

Even matriculation is dressier than it used to be, at the places that do it. My DD did wear black tailored trousers and a naice shirt for her matriculation, but she’s also a chronic underdresser who generally needs to be coaxed out of jeans and hoodies for all occasions. Most of her cohort wore nicer dresses, and none were in the office wear zone. None the GenZs want to look like an “unc.”

My DS graduated in June last year and every other woman getting her degree was in a white cocktail/ short ball gown type dress it was slightly weird. But I guess no weirder than all the men being in suits.

Yes, white is a very popular choice as it does stand out against a black gown. But there are a LOT of white dresses and on the occasions I have seen the same dress in the same ceremony, it's been a white one.

Self Portrait usually have good options in cream/ white or black boucle and jewelled buttons etc which elevates above ‘business wear’.

Or if too pricey and NA on Vinted/ebay try Sandro or Maje maybe. My daughter got a great black bubble hemmed above knee but decent dress at Zara last year.

At this point I would really step away and leave her to it. I would be really suprised if a 21/22 year old graduate with a budge of £100 couldn't work this out, and I'm not sure that Mumsnet Style section will have the answer for her regardless!

White high neck pleated midi dress

any good?

I can't help with dress suggestions (I know nothing about fashion), but I'd advise trying to avoid thin and/or silky/smooth fabrics. I sometimes work on graduations for a company that hires the gowns, and they are quite heavy, with a lot of gathered weight in the back of the shoulders, and on a silky fabric the gown tends to slide backwards and then the front part of the hood pulls right up under your chin. If you plan to pin the gown or hood to the dress to stop this, it can make holes in thin fabrics. If you're wearing a shirt with buttons, some (not all) of the hoods have a button loop, but if your shirt is worn loose rather than tucked in, it can pull everything up. (Can you tell academic dress was designed for men? )
The hats (mortar boards) fit some head shapes better than others, and will give you 'hat hair'. If your hair is fine or smooth, take hair grips.
Also, if the graduation is in a cathedral, assume it will be freezing!

Have you tried odd muse? Popular with that age group and they have lots of white dresses.
White Dresses – Odd Muse
Sorry, just noticed they are a bit above the max budget but thought i would post anyway just in case there is stretch.

I should add that odd muse do sizes 4 and 6, and the size guide also tells you the length of the dress so you should be able to work out how long they will be on her by comparison with existing dresses

is this too strappy? Dresses | Petite Square Neck Midi Dress | Coast
Dresses | Petite Pleat Skirt Midi Dress | Coast
Dresses | Petite Lace Top Pleated Skirt Fit & Flare Midi Dress | Coast
Dresses | Off White Petite Diamante Midaxi Dress | Quiz
Dresses | Petite Compact Stretch Essential Waist Tab Detail Tailored Mini Dress | KarenMillen
Dresses | Petite Compact Stretch Sweetheart Neckline Dress | KarenMillen

I've graduated about 4 times. You really need something with a button at the front to secure the hood.

Without it you end up with lots of pins trying to do the job.

The sleeves should not be an issue as the gown covers the arms.

A PP said a white shirt and black skirt, Oxford graduates have to wear that, well they can wear trousers instead of the skirt.

It looks smart, the photos won't date and it should be an easier outfit to buy. I'm not saying you have to, just making the suggestion.

Agree with a lot of what's been said here. I cringe when I see my graduating students in night-out dresses, especially if it's raining or cold and they're shivering even with the gown on.
I would definitely recommend a dress that's 'edgy officewear' - a nice modern cut of something fairly classic.
The shoes, as already said, are really important both in terms of appearance and comfort. You walk around much more than you think on a graduation day!

When ds graduated a couple of years ago, it struck me that the boys were sticking to a dress code but the girls weren’t. The girls were in all kinds of outfits. The boys as a whole looked far smarter than the girls. I don’t care if it sounds old fashioned.

At my DC1's graduation, most of the girls were in cocktail style dresses of varying lengths (mostly maxi or midi but some shorter ones). I think that is pretty common now and i thought they looked lovely. However, that was in summer.
There did not seem to be any problem with the gowns and hoods.

My DD’s graduation ceremony was in November, imo though she did look lovely her dress was too low cut, bit too much cleavage haha. But she’s 21 and many of the girls were dressed like that. I think these days pretty much anything goes. Though she did match the dress to the sash on her gown 🙂

Rixo do petite and you may find something on sale for that price although they are known for their patterns and not usually plain. For small sizes you could try outnet website again there is a sale on. French brands tend not to be ridiculously long / good for petites.

Lot of old-fashioned nonsense being spouted! Blouse and skirt, just no.

DD, similar size, wore a Nobody’s Child Felicity dress last summer. Full skirt, fitted top with spaghetti straps. No issues whatsoever with the gown and hood, the fitters know how to make the modern outfits work.

I work at a university and what you're describing is what a lot of the graduands wear, but it really doesn't work well under a gown as the dress just won't be visible.

Something with sleeves and/or to at least the knee, in a bright colour/pattern will look so much better under the black cape.

The cape is a very traditional garment and was designed to wear with a suit with loop on the end of the hood to go around a shirt button and under a tie. As others have already mentioned, without a button the hood just doesn't sit properly and keep slipping back.

https://www.marksandspencer.com/lace-jersey-midaxi-skater-dress/p/clp60771828?color=NEUTRAL&extid=ps_ps-pla-pmax_ggl_ww_ch__-UK-_-_bau&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=20011577753&cq_con=&cq_term=&cq_med=pla&cq_plac=&cq_net=x&cq_plt=gp&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20014443268&gclid=Cj0KCQiAyP3KBhD9ARIsAAJLnnbn_tXxgYLV5cEcUDHgbDSjTGGeBeDextTwu1DJ1f1gh7WZsGk7EL8aArGUEALw_wcB

This would be lovely...slightly edgy, demure but not boring

Thank you for the recommendations. I have enough to go on now. Thanks for going out of your ways to help.

https://oddmuse.co.uk/collections/dresses

With only one week to go I think it would be less stressful for her to get a dress altered!

Jeez OP, you are getting an oddly rough time. No there are absolutely not a 'million' petite dresses out there as you have described.

FWIW I have the Karen Millen pleated dress (I'm 5'2'') mentioned above in camel as part of my regular office wardrobe and it always gets positive comments: www.karenmillen.com/product/karen-millen-petite-tailored-structured-crepe-forever-pleat-midi-dress_bkk16961?colour=camel

Ditto. Or a black dress is suitable, plain. Blouse or dress with sleeves that will enhance the gown over it.
Not hard.