Yeah, I know it’s about the kid graduating, but let’s be honest, you know you are going to have your photo taken and then you are going to examine it. What makes a good graduation guest dress? Here’s my top 5 criteria…

1. Needs to be comfortable – you will be sitting through a very long ceremony so no one wants to squish themselves into any type of fussy undergarment shaper situation. And watch anything too low cut or too short as you don’t want anything hanging out as you congratulate your grad. Even if you look like Stacy’s mom you don’t want to act like Stifler’s mom.

2. Needs to be able to be layered if needed – always bring a jacket or wrap because some places are freezing inside and some early summer days are still freezing outside. So I’m looking for something that won’t look weird if I throw a blazer, denim jacket or a pashmina or topper over it if I need to.

3. Easy care fabric – after sitting you don’t want to worry about wrinkles (sorry linen) or sweat spots under your arms or if you are in menopause it could show up anywhere (sorry silk). And nothing too clingy or pulling in any weird areas since you will be probably be doing lots of sitting, standing, eating and hugging.

4. Photographs well – We our are own worst critic. So think about colors and styles that you know you like on yourself on a photograph. Not sure? Look back on photos you have – what did you like? Was it showing your legs? A v-neck cut top? Semi-tailored looks and solids always do well – but the right scale and type of print can also be flattering. Stripes are a classic but sometimes look blurry in photos. Simple solids or a textured solids are usually good for photographs.

5.Re-wear ability – a one and done dress just isn’t worth it. I’m looking for outfits and dresses that can dressed up or down or remixed with different accessories for multiple occasions. Something that can be worn again for work or other similar occasions usually checks that box.

Outfit Ideas

Here’s 10 outfits I put together for inspiration. If you see anything you like here and want to shop any of the items, just click HERE and it’ll open up my catalogue of graduation outfit ideas. Need more ideas? There are 15 additional complete outfits you shop or use for ideas right here.

F.A.Q. for Graduation Attire

CAN I WEAR WHITE BEFORE LABOR DAY?

Listen, you do you. If Ms. Judy-no-fun-pants has something to say about you wearing white pants before this made-up gateway date then just remind her that you are grown-up and have earned the right to do whatever you want to do.

CAN I WEAR BLACK?

Some of us are celebrating graduation and some of us are in mourning. I’ve been clinging to my kid like I’m his personal ankle monitor and I’m driving him crazy. I burst into tears randomly. I simply am not ready to have a completely empty house yet. Or you may be in mourning because it’s a high school graduation and you are about ready to add on a very large tuition. Black is always appropriate because most of us feel good in black. Black is easy to accessorize, it’s user friendly, and it looks really great if you have a tan.

DO I HAVE TO WEAR A DRESS?

See the answer above. Again, you are a grown adult, even if you don’t always feel like it. Wearing a dress doesn’t always make you look dressier. If you never wear dresses you will be uncomfortable and feel awkward wearing one. Pants are amazing. There is no forceful breeze that can create and awkward moment where everyone gets to see your Skimms or Spanx. Dress for the occasion and dress like yourself.

CAN I WEAR JEANS?

You get to do what you want to do. My advice is always to dress out of respect for an event. Denim is great, I just would probably stay away from double ripped knees. Graduation is a big deal and an event you want to honor. Your clothes reflect that. That being said there are so many great styles of denim – wide leg, flared, trouser – that work and look like a pant. If you need extra insurance that you are dressed up enough than up your shoe and accessory game and go with something a little dressier on top.

IS IT WEIRD TO WEAR THE COLORS OF THE SCHOOL?

Absolutely not. I actually love the idea of dressing in the school colors – whether it is the school they are graduating from or the school they are heading onto. That being said some schools have weird colors. Point being, if you like the colors then let your spirit flag fly and wear ’em.

Insider Tip – This is a pale persons secret weapon.

In a perfect world I’d get a perfect spray tan but things are crazy right now so I need the next best thing. Yes, there are great self tanners at home but I’ve been known to really mess that up. My absolute favorite product ever is…

This stuff covers like a dream foundation – totally flawless and I swear it didn’t even come off at an outdoor wedding that felt like we were characters in Dante’s inferno. The best part is that there are different shades to choose from and none of them feel or look orange. I recommend spraying on yourself when you are totally dry, maybe inside of a dry shower. You can also spray it onto your hands and rub it on – just remember to wash your palms! It dries very quickly and has a nice matte finish. It absolutely covers bruises, veins, spots, basically anything you don’t like on your legs. And it does come off easily with soap in the shower.

Thank you so much for reading, and congratulations to you and your family if you have a graduate.

Suzie Gaffney