Unlike the last 3 years, I have my costume down pat this year. But it looks like it's lost somewhere in the post... investigation pending. For those who've spent ages mulling over what to wear, especially couples here are some gems I stumbled across whilst Googling like a woman possessed.
Gotye & Kimbra in Somebody I Used to Know MV
This idea is GENIUS, I wanted to do it but my boyfriend refused to be painted all over. It might take a bit of patience and artistic talent, but it's is a tongue-in-cheek idea that everyone will recognise, and it's so incredibly 2012. Imagine the chaos if they do play the song in the club.
This is actually what me and my boyfriend are going for this year. Well, we're both going as lifeguards, but we bought this big inflatable shark which we're going to carry everywhere, and probably throw in some fake blood for some Jaws effect.
And I just found on Facebook this amazing summary of favourite Halloween costumes over the years. So if you can't think of anything new, these are goods one to fall back on.
Yours truly just graduated on Thursday with First Class Honours from the LSE, so yes, I do consider myself a veteran in graduation day dressing. Before I begin, there are a few things to bear in mind when you plan for the big day.
1. It will be one of the most heavily photographed days of your life, with the exception of your wedding.
2. You will be going on stage in front of hundreds of other people, albeit for a few short seconds. Your trek across the stage will possibly be broadcast onto a big silver screen as well.
3. It will most likely be an all-day event... and all-night too, if you celebrate after.
I know these pointers seem obvious, but it's a good place to start. So, from here we proceed to...
The Dress
Before you decide what to wear, do some research on what your academic dress is like (the LSE one for example). Most commonly, the gowns are shapeless, black and fall all the way down to your ankles, and there is a hood thing you wear over your shoulders.
Note that these hoods are meant to be hooked onto a button so that they stay in place. The last thing you want is your hood sliding all the way down your shoulders as you stride confidently across the stage to shake your university director's hand. Hence shirts are recommended, but who would want to wear a shirt and a pencil skirt to their graduation? Shirt dresses are an alternative, and that was what I went with in the end, and after much trial and error, I settled for one with a lovely draped tulip skirt. Another choice is to use safety pins to clip the hood onto your dress, but remember your gown is borrowed before you pierce holes all over it.
Another thing to remember is that these gowns are HEAVY and can be extremely warm. It wasn't much of a problem for me because it still feels more like autumn in London right now, but if you're graduating in warmer parts of the world, make sure you go with something light.
Colour is obviously mandatory. I saw a brilliant range of colours at graduation, and you'd want to wear something other than black if you don't want to look like a shapeless sack, and you'd end up wearing your robe open most of the time. But a white and orange horizontal striped knit dress? No, no, no (true story). Keep it classic, keep it clean.
The Shoes
Just remember you'll be walking around the entire day and hopefully you'll arrive at a sensible conclusion as to what footwear to choose. There were some insane choices that day, including this monster and some stripper-worthy heels, but most kept to classy mid-heels, including myself. These LK Bennetts are the best investment I've made in a while.
The Hair
The mortar board! The annoying piece of hatwear that I just couldn't put on right. Sadly the hat precludes the possibility of doing anything overly fancy with your hair, but you can't go wrong with a good bouncy blowdry or pretty sidebraids.
I absolutely love these ladies for hair inspiration. If I had the talent (or more hands) I'd have worn this to graduation.
The Makeup
Trust me, you won't have time to go running for the powder room in between the ceremony and all the photo-taking. So wear something that you're comfortable with, and something that will stay on for pretty much the whole day. Again, keep it classy, it's not a night out after all.
