This is it, senior collegiettes: May has arrived. With finals lurking ominously right around the corner, it’s a little too easy to slide into permanently pajama-chic attire. If the past four years have taught us anything, it’s that nothing says “end of the semester” quite like a wardrobe exclusively made up of yoga pants, baggy t-shirts, and ponytails. Don’t get too comfy in your sweats though! Graduation festivities are right around the corner, and it’s time to start thinking about the springy, polished look you want to channel as you walk across that Radio City stage. Is a mani/pedi worth the splurge? V-neck or no v-neck? Towering heels or cute flats? These are the questions, collegiettes. Read on for the key dos and don’t of styling up your cap and gown to ensure that your look is pretty, polished, and diploma-ready come graduation day!
DO accessorize with cute bangles or a classic gold or silver bracelet since your wrists are one of the only areas that show from under a gown.
DON’T wear a dress that will awkwardly peek out from under the gown in random places, like a high-low or something with full-length sleeves.
DO wear cute, springy wedges to add some leggy height under the otherwise boxy gowns and to keep that baby blue hem off the ground.
DON’T wear stilettos to graduation. Period. Whether you’re sinking into the grass on the Columbia Lawns or tripping up the stairs at Radio City, towering heels just aren’t worth the hot mess moment.
DO wear a pretty, tasteful sundress so you’re photo-ready when you finally get to unzip that billowing gown for some family pictures post-ceremony.
DON’T use the gown to hide a super revealing dress during the ceremony. If it could slip down and horrify your Nana with overexposed cleavage, save it for a night out during Senior Week instead. Think bridal shower. Think bar mitzvah luncheon. Don’t think LIV Miami.
DO get a fresh manicure in a springy shade of coral or pink that will really pop against the sea of baby blue fabric in all of those inevitable skinny-arm, hand-revealing photos.
DON’T forget to get a pedicure if you’re wearing open toed shoes! Even the most fabulous, fresh-off-the-shelf wedges look a little sloppy with chipped, months old polish atop your toes.
DO practice styling your hair in a way that accommodates the cap before 6am on graduation morning. Try straightening your hair to tame any potentially unfortunate poof effect and then curl the ends with a large barrel curling iron to create effortlessly polished yet relaxed waves.
DON’T cover the surface of your cap in any images or less than classy sayings that you’ll inevitably regret later. Cute, glittery foam cutouts forming your initials or your sorority letters to help your family identify you in the sea of grads? Go for it. But illegible fabric marker scrawl, a cutout of Miley, or “Turn down for what?!” on your head? Just say no. Graduation is a time to celebrate the accomplishments of your college career in the company of family and friends, and your cap and gown look should be kept sophisticated and classy to match!