<p>I’m waiting to see what’s up with the weather. Might wear Chinese robes unless it is too hot.</p>
<p>We attended S’s graduation at Wesleyan last Sunday in CT. Very wide range of dress, as expected, even though we were told to dress casually and comfortably. Some people did and others were quite elegant. </p>
<p>It was 56-58 degrees and threatening to rain all day (though not a drop fell) but we all got badly sunburned! So wear your sunscreen even if you can’t imagine that there will be any sun. I was glad I had a sun hat, just in case (and wishful thinking).</p>
<p>We are East Coast parents who attended a Southern California graduation last Saturday, 6:15 p.m. outdoors. We knew nobody to ask, and felt a bit unsure deciding.</p>
<p>Since it went into evening, when temperatures drop a lot quickly, I wanted layers, so wore a summer-weight 3-piece pantsuit (rayon/linen) in a friendly sky blue; very relaxed unstructured jacket. Flat super-comfortable leather shoes, because nobody cares on the Mom.</p>
<p>H wore a sportjacket with good pants (not khakis); some kind of upscale polo shirt; no tie. Dress shoes. </p>
<p>Looking around, it was clear that all parents and grandparents had made “the effort” and nobody looked shabby or ready for jogging. We sat next to an elegantly-dressed family who’d flown in from Venice, Italy (not Venice, CA). I saw international dress from India and Southeast Asia that also looked “the best” - beautiful saris, impressive jackets. It was a feast for the eyes.</p>
<p>There was an outdoor faculty reception afterwards and we felt we represented our S appropriately when we shook hands briefly with various faculty, deans and other administrators. This is for a Film School department (undergraduate and graduate), so normally everyone studies and works in bluejeans. For graduation, though, even in casual California, everyone seemed to be 3 notches more dressed up than usual, to honor the occasion and mingle among adults. It was more than just “watching my kid walk.” (Loved it, too!)</p>
<p>Was at graduation today (first college graduation ceremony that I’ve attended). I wore a suit and tie that fit quite well and was very comfortable despite a little heat and humidity. Losing 45 pounds can make your old clothes feel nice.</p>
<p>I did a little sampling and my estimates are 25% of the men wore suit/tie, 25% wore dress shirt/tie and the rest were more casual. The women generally dressed a lot better than the men did. I guess that’s never a surprise.</p>
<p>Last weekend at PNW LAC, saw no men in suits. Outdoor ceremony, the day started sunny but then cold and threatening to rain. I wore a longish skirt and pulled on yoga pants underneath at the last minute. I look fatter in the pictures but was very glad for the warmth. DH wore a solid upscale polo shirt and charcoal colored dress pants. If there were any linen sheath dresses worn they were disguised under the fleece jackets.</p>
<p>Have suits gone out of style? Or is the PNW a bit more casual than the East Coast?</p>
<p>PNW is hugely more casual than the East Coast…but they only wear free-trade hand-knit multi-hued wool socks with their Birkenstocks.
But I’m being tongue in cheek, I only saw those on one or two people.</p>
<p>Yea, the graduation we attended in 2010 was in the morning, followed by receptions/smaller ceremonies in the individual schools/colleges. The dinner events tended to have folks somewhat dressier–some men wore sportscoats or suits & some women wore dresses or more. It still tended to be more casual, due to most of the events being outdoors.</p>
<p>Ah, yes, in the PNW, Goretex is always fashionable. Throw in a hand loomed vest purchased from a coop that supports micro businesses in far away lands and you are all set. </p>
<p>We are headed for the East Coast for a graduation, so instead of the co-op vest, I am taking a very stylish hat hand-felted by a local fiber artist (“Fiber Artist” is the correct term for alpaca rancher). I can hardly wait to wear the hat! (See “Longbranch Fiber Farm” for hat pics). </p>
<p>Of course, it may be that New England has that mystical orb in the sky called . . . “the sun” . . . which we hear rumors about but is surely no truer than dragons or unicorns. Will let you know. . .</p>
<p>We also have tents. I had a look at some tent technology today and was amazed at how these things are put up and supported.</p>
<p>Three years ago at oldest son’s graduation in Boston, they passed out rain ponchos, with the college logo. Even the graduates had them on over their regalia. A lot of attendees were in jeans and rain jackets with boots or tennis shoes. It rained or drizzled through the whole thing, with lots of mud and heat. I’m preparing for the same this year.</p>
<p>At my D1’s grad from UW, there was a poncho, a big baggie-type covering for the diploma cover and for the mortarboard under each graduates seat. They expect rain. All other weather conditions are considered a bonus.</p>
<p>You mean I’m going to the gym and suffering through those Core Workout DVD’s and I’m going to be wearing a PONCHO? Gads. Pass the twinkies!</p>
<p>Just attended D1’s graduation in NE. Most men were in suits, women wore sun dresses, everyone looked dressed.</p>
<p>Or maroon scrubs.</p>
<p>Dress nicely, but comfortably. REmember to balance the fact that you’ll be sitting wherever graduation is for a while with the fact that you are probably gonna be taking a lot of pictures.</p>
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<p>No white gloves, check. </p>
<p>Or if gloves, go fingerless. :)</p>
<p>S1 is graduating from college in May. Yay!
Outdoor event, on the lawn. Likely to be hot…but then again, this is Northern CA and fog/damp is not unheard of in May. Maybe I have to have two outfits ready to go, one for 55 degrees and one for 85 degrees. I’d like to dress up, but don’t want to aerate the lawn with my heels. Hats – don’t the people behind you complain that the hat blocks their view? The school is not providing shade/canopy for spectators.</p>
<p>^Surely that depends on the hat. I had a great boater I wore all over Jordan, unfortunately I left it on the plane. Dress is business casual at best.</p>
<p>Graduation on a lawn overlooking the bay, under a tent in Florida. Wore tan linen dress, turquoise and coral necklace, coral wedge sandals. Husband wore tan khaki’s, light blue tone on tone Tommy Bahama shirt.</p>