The biggest events in our lives often mark the passage of time or the reaching of a goal. When we celebrate these events, one of the greatest pleasures is dressing up for the occasion. For many people, though, it can be hard to know what to wear. At special events, it’s important to balance dressing in a way that is appropriate while being comfortable and true to your style.
If your child is graduating from high school or college soon, you might be wondering what you should wear to celebrate them. This will largely depend on a few different factors.
Different Kinds of Graduation Dresses for Moms
We love any opportunity to dress up a little, especially when it’s celebrating a huge milestone. Some of our favorite graduation dresses from Sherri Hill could also be an option for mothers to wear to their child’s graduation. But since this event is all about the graduates, most parents will go for a more toned-down look.
You’ll also want to consider the kind of graduation you’re attending.
Daytime Graduations
Most high school and college graduations are held during the day. They also often take place in outdoor spaces or gymnasiums. Comfort is key for this kind of setting. Seating will likely be folding chairs or bleachers, so avoid tight clothes and shoes that are difficult to walk in.
If the graduation is outdoors, you’ll want to pay attention to the weather and dress for the temperature. Instead of stilettos, choose flats or wedge heels so that your shoes don’t get stuck in the grass on the way to your seat.
By nature of the time of day and the setting for the graduation, dressing too formally isn’t recommended. A smart casual look featuring trousers and a blouse or a simple sheath or a-line dress topped with a blazer or cardigan will look polished in pictures and be comfortable to wear.
Evening Graduations
Sometimes graduations, especially for smaller classes, will be held in the evening. Evening graduations will be held indoors for the most part, which gives you more freedom to dress up and not worry about the weather.
An evening look can be a little more formal, but you still want to make sure you aren’t upstaging your grad. Stick with a sleek cocktail dress or jumpsuit in a neutral or jewel-toned color and some neutral flats or heels. Since you’ll be in the audience, don’t worry about adding too much bling.
Instead, make sure to bring a blazer or cardigan in case they are blasting the air conditioning in the auditorium during the ceremony.
Graduation Festivities
While you need to consider your outfit for the graduation ceremony, there are often other activities around graduation that you can dress up a little more for. If your grad is receiving special awards or honors, there may be a ceremony or special dinner that your graduate and their family are invited to attend.
If you are invited to attend an event or dinner, it may have a cocktail or semi-formal theme, allowing you to dress up a bit more than you might for the actual graduation. You can wear something a bit more fun and colorful that suits the dress code.
You also might hold a graduation party for your child to celebrate the end of this chapter in their educational journey. Then, you and your grad can choose a theme that excites you. You can have a relaxed backyard barbecue or a high-brow cocktail party, depending on your preferences.
Celebrate With the Right Graduation Dresses for Moms
While graduations are a huge milestone event, less is usually more when it comes to outfits for the mothers of graduates. After all, your graduate is the main character of the day and your role is to support them from the audience. The space where the graduation is held can also limit your style options.
A comfortable business casual look will be appropriate for most graduations, but the parties and award ceremonies of graduation season may give you more opportunities to have fun with fashion.
