Best Guide to Choosing the Perfect Grad Dress

The big day is coming soon—the day that marks the start of a new journey in life. As graduation day approaches, you’re likely facing an array of decisions, such as which grad dress to wear to your graduation ceremony.

In this post, we’ll quickly go over a few tips to help you choose the perfect dress to walk across the stage in.

Stay tuned.

Dress for the Occasion

When it comes to choosing the ideal dress for your graduation, think about other things you might be doing on your special day. For example, maybe your family is throwing a huge party afterward, or maybe your loved ones are taking you to a nice, formal dinner.

If this is the case, you should put a lot more thought into your dress choice. For example, you might consider looking for a more versatile dress that looks good in both formal and informal settings. That way, you can switch out accessories accordingly, without much effort.

But if you can’t seem to find a dress that fits different occasions, why not go with two? You could wear one dress for the actual graduation and a more casual dress after commencement.

Pick a Dress That Suits Your Shape

Graduations are formal, business casual events, so you don’t have to go overboard in accentuating your curves. However, you don’t want to look frumpy either—like you didn’t put much effort into your graduation look.

So, selecting the best graduation dress is all about striking that perfect balance between effortless and put together. And one of the best ways to do that is to choose a dress that properly fits your body type.

Every girl comes in different shapes and sizes, so finding a dress that complements—and doesn’t take away from—certain features is important. For example, if you have a curvy body type, you might opt for a dress with a fitted, well-defined waist to highlight your natural body shape. Cinched waistlines, fitted tops, and open necklines can really emphasize your figure.

On the other hand, if your body shape is more rectangular—your shoulders, torso, and hips are about the same width—you’ll need a dress that’ll define your waistline and create volume around your hips and torso. A fit-and-flare dress with a fitted waist can define your midsection and create an hourglass silhouette.

Find Your Style

Style is a crucial aspect of choosing a graduation dress, and can really play a big role in your overall look. Graduation dresses come in many styles, so finding the ideal one can be overwhelming at first. But when you narrow down what you really like and what will look good, the process can go a whole lot smoother.

For example, like with most graduations, you’ll probably be wearing the traditional robe. So take the length of your dress into consideration. Anything that’s too long will look funny under the robe. And a dress that’s too short might seem too casual for the somewhat formal event. So, look for a dress that gets slightly below the knee, but doesn’t reach the ankle.

Material is another thing you should consider. So, dress according to the season. After all, you’ll likely be wearing your dress under a robe, which means extra layers. If you’re graduating in the summer, a lighter, breathable fabric like cotton will do. But if you’re in a colder climate, or the ceremony is indoors, go for a warmer fabric like silk or fleece.

Color plays a part as well. One of the most popular colors to wear for graduation is white. Modest colors like ivory, blue, gray, lilac, pink, peach, black, and silver also work well. Graduations are usually semi-formal events, so you should probably avoid loud prints or bold shades.

There’s really no hard and fast rule to styling your graduation look. It’s really all about finding what you like and what you think will look good on you. However, whatever dress style you choose, make sure it’s appropriate for the occasion.

What Are the Best Places to Shop for Graduation Dresses?

So, what’s the best place to find the perfect graduation dress? That depends on your individual needs and preferences. Do you hate going from store to store, and prefer to order your clothes? Finding an online shop or boutique might be best for you.

But if you rather try on your dress to make sure it’s the perfect fit, a local retailer will be your best bet.

Looking for a graduation dress that perfectly suits the occasion and your unique style? Check out Amarra. We have a great selection of graduation dresses we think you’ll love. Find a retailer near you.