Is this dress suitable for a graduation?

[JulietSierra]

I bought this dress, intending to wear it to my son’s graduation in August.
I really like it and it does suit me, but I can’t help feeling that it’s not quite right for a graduation.
I’d love to know what people think, especially those who have attended a graduation more recently than I have (the only graduation I’ve attended was my own, 30 years ago!)
If this is totally unsuitable, does anyone have any suggestions ? I’m tall (5’11”) and size 12.
Thank you

It's fine. At my son's lady summer, there were people dressed as if they were going to a special event but also people in jeans. A very wide variety. I just wore a nice summer dress.

Wear what you want to wear with your family. No one will be looking at you so if you want to dress up that's fine but equally you can go in leggings and a t shirt.

I think a graduation is an event where people should dress respectfully of the effort put in by the students, and leggings and a t-shirt would be highly disrespectful.

That dress is lovely and appropriate. I hope you have a great time.

At my son's graduation I wore a dress and wished I hadn't bothered. I really, really wish I'd worn trainers. There was a lot of waiting around and walking from one bit to another, and it was raining.

I really really wouldn’t feel right in leggings or jeans. My husband will be wearing a suit and I’d just look odd next to him in leggings and t-shirt.

I know that no one will care what I’m wearing but I’d still like to look nice. I’m really proud of my son and just want to get it right.

That's why i said dress for your family. If you and your DH would feel odd being casual then wear something more formal. My dh's family felt really weird dressing up so they all came in jeans. It's fine. You're there to celebrate the achievement. No one is looking at anyone but their own graduate. I go to about six graduations a year and there is a wide range of outfits. What I'm saying is that there isn't really a dress code, you're there to witness and celebrate your own person and that's it.

That dress would have been spot on for my DD's graduation 2 summers ago and very much in line with what other mums were wearing. I agree with a previous poster who mentioned all the queueing and standing. You definitely need comfortable footwear!

It's a gorgeous dress and if it makes you feel great definitely wear it and enjoy the day.

It’s perfect.
Could be dressed down a little with flat beaded sandals.
Have a lovely time and don’t forget the waterproof mascara!

I definitely look at everyone and notice people. And OP id definitely be looking at you in that dress, it’s stunning and elegant and I’d be asking where you got it from!

I would also dress up for a graduation, it’s such a proud moment and I don’t think jeans and trainers etc reflect what an occasion it is.

Nice dress, but how are they calling it a midi dress?!!

Thank you so much for all of the replies. I’m really happy that most people feel it’s appropriate…it felt a bit too weddingy when I tried it on, which is why I posted here for opinions.
I think I’ll have to keep looking for a short sleeved plan B in case it’s red hot, but I’ll definitely keep this dress too.
And to the pp who questioned it being a midi… I couldn’t agree more. I’m 5’11” and it’s ankle length on me!

It would be too weddingy with the fascinator and heels as in the photo.
That was why I said it would be nice dressed down a little with nice flat sandals, especially as you have the lovely height to carry it off.

Yes it's fine. My DD's graduation ceremony last summer was very grand & formal but I was surprised by the casual, almost scruffy outfits some people wore.
Seems like anything goes now.

Your dress is lovely though & definitely appropriate.

That dress is gorgeous.

If it helps I'm going to DD's graduation this summer and this is the dress I've picked out although need to lose a few pounds to do it up currently 😳

I'm concerned by the fanciness of these dresses because i'm going to our ds graduation this summer and I was planning to wear some loose harem trousers and a t shirt!!!!
I am not a fancy dress sort of woman and avoided my 2 graduation balls because I hate the 'dress up'.
Please tell me not everyone dresses like this at dc graduation??? 😳

I rarely have an excuse to dress up and quite enjoy it hence the dress.

Away from this kind of thing I bloody love a harem pant and t-shirt combo and if I was the kind of person that looked effortlessly good in that I wouldn't rule it out, but sadly I would look like I'd just literally rolled off CBeebies!

They don't. I saw plenty of people in summer dresses at the last graduation I went to. Also people in more casual clothes.

It's a graduation, not a fashion show.

For my Masters graduation DP wore his DMs, jeans, checked shirt and his leather biker jacket. Posh university as well. It was fine.

Lovely dress. I was quite cold at my son's graduation last year in a summer dress as quite a lot of hanging around but it was nice (tho not compulsory) to dress up a bit.

I will disagree, I think it’s lovely but too much. You’d be over dressed. My daughter graduated from a typical Russel group, most parents made an effort, men is suits etc, women in dresses or trouser suits, but dresses were midi and more day dresses than wedding/evening attire.although that dress claims to be midi I suspect it is full length on unless you’re very tall, Midi should fall to lower calf.

I think it would be almost impossible to feel out of place at a graduation because there is such a huge variety in what people wear. I love to dress up so wore maxi dresses to all my DCs graduations but equally jeans would have been absolutely fine at any of them- three different universities with very different vibes. The main thing for me would be that inside the ceremony it tends to be really hot so cool clothes and flat shoes are the only essentials ime.

Mine was the opposite as it was in a huge stately room type hall, which are always notoriously cold. Even in summer.

There will be taking lots of photographs so where something that you’re happy in
I was definitely on the chunky side of being happy when one of mine graduated in the photos haunt me
She looked fabulous though

I agree with Firesidechatter. My son's graduation was in 2018. I wore a silk, flowered, mid calf tea dress, by Edina Ronay, not new and very much a day dress, and a tailored light, pale blue, tweed coat over it, also not new. Flat shoes. Husband wore suit and tie.

Whilst I can't imagine why anyone would turn up in jeans and leggings the dresses here look, to my eyes a bit OTT, unless dressed down and definitely no fascinators

I think it’s fine. The ‘leggings and a t-shirt comments’ are silly. Even if not really dressed up, people aren’t going like scruffy hobos.

I bought new dresses for both our kids’ graduations. I wore them with trainers, but I still looked relatively smart in the photos. Your child will be dressed up, you don’t want to be standing next to them in your comfies.