It would have never dawned on me to dress in school colors. Is that really a thing???
I’ve had 2 graduate and maybe I just didn’t notice, but don’t think the color thing was going on.
" My question was more about protocol for attire than anything else, but I’m realizing that as long as I’m not naked or in rags, it’s okay."
I was also worried about protocol, but it wasn’t necessary. It was truly anything goes. To use men as an example the range was tee shirts and shorts, golf attire (looked like they walked off the course and came straight to graduation), polos with khakis, slacks with dress shirts, and sport coats with a variety of shirts and pants. I didn’t see any suits and only a rare tie, but there were quite a few wearing jeans. Women had a similar range minus the golf attire. These were graduations on the west coast and at large schools, so that might make a difference. I’ve always assumed there is more formality in the south (where they dress up for college football games) and in the northeast.
I think some of the best advice I’ve heard is to think about what you want the family photos to look like.
At D1’s very hot April graduation, she had nothing on under her graduation gown. (You couldn’t tell by looking at her; she told me afterward.) I’d expect nothing less (more?) from my fiery-spirited firstborn.
I’ve had two graduate from two different universities in PA. The first, naively, I wore a sleeveless dress with a cotton sweater and heels and it was in a football stadium. What was I thinking? We had to walk far and the wind whipped through the stadium and I was freezing. Most people were dressed casually and some were in jeans. The second graduation was at a much smaller school but still outdoors and I did wear a dress but paired it with flats. I had a sweater and a raincoat with a hood as rain threatened. DH wore a sports coat as did many of the other men. My lessons: definitely wear flats and be prepared for different weather possibilities. At this graduation, others were dressed similarly in terms of how ‘dressed’ people were.
Both had smaller department ceremonies and receptions and people generally ‘looked nice’ with the women wearing either dresses or slacks. These were all indoors and it was much easier in terms of the weather but flats were still key as there was lots of walking involved.
If it’s raining, you might want to see if it’s possible to take family photos before the ceremony.
Congratulations and have fun!
Yikes! I have one graduating from Case Western this year- I will not even entertain the notion of hail and snow! I demand that this will not happen! [-(
Both our kids graduated from USoCal and had ceremonies that were outdoors for part and D also had part of her ceremony indoors. I wore slacks and walking shoes and a nice top. I brought layers, “just in case.” I see no reason to freeze or have heatstroke for fashion.
@Sdgal2, I think the weather really was a fluke. My son at Oberlin had been wearing shorts the previous week. Surely, snow can’t happen again the same time the next year, right??
@abasket, no, wearing the class color is definitely not a thing. My daughter just thought it would be interesting if I wore green, which happens to be my favorite color and her class color.
Okay, my takeaway is: be presentable and comfortable (I only own flats, anyway) and think of the family pictures. A quick prayer for decent weather can’t hurt, either. At my Mount Holyoke graduation decades ago, which was the same weekend, we sweltered. I wore gym shorts and a tank top under my gown, but I wish I’d gone naked like @rosered55’s daughter. My daughter and some of her friends are considering this, but only if the weather warrants it and it isn’t too windy!
“It would have never dawned on me to dress in school colors. Is that really a thing???”"
LOL—It would never dawn on me to NOT dress in school colors!!