Sometimes a girl needs a little help and direction when choosing the perfect graduation dress, and who better to provide it than Mom? Your daughter may have in mind what she wants to wear to her graduation celebration, but this is a special occasion like no other.
Graduation is a celebration of great achievement, a coming-of-age moment, and the event where your daughter makes a step into the adult world. Whether she is moving on to further her education or entering the world of commerce and industry, she is no longer a little girl playing dress-up!
So, how do you help your daughter with what dress to wear to graduation in a way that makes her feel grown up and heard? We have a few tips for you that will help you bond while searching for the perfect graduation outfit, so let’s get started.
Take Some Time Out for a Day Trip
There’s nothing like some good old window shopping to get graduation outfit ideas. You may have your favorite stores and your daughter will have hers, so make sure you pay a visit to both.
This is a fun shopping trip, so take in lunch or a drink together, especially if that’s something you don’t often do. Lunch is a great time to get to know what ideas she has for a graduation outfit–she may want to be vibrant in hot pink, or she may want to go with a classic like black or white. Asking her will help you brainstorm ideas and narrow your search.
Remember this is research, so you are not compelled to buy anything! You may find a dress that shouts her name, you may not, and if not, then the next step should help.
Visit Small Boutiques
One tip that we find useful is to seek out small, independent boutiques that you might otherwise miss. In town, these will often be off the beaten track so you might need to ask friends, family, and colleagues for recommendations.
Small boutiques can carry everything from formal jumpsuits to ball gowns, so they’re great for eye-catching graduation outfits! These are places where you may find up and coming designers at prices that are affordable for quality items. If your daughter likes to stand out in a crowd, small boutiques are a great option to seek out dresses for graduation.
Show Her Your Fashion Tastes
Now is a time to share your fashion tastes and ideas with your daughter. You may be old-fashioned to her, but sometimes old fashions can be chic and trendy.
Get some of your favorite dresses out and try them on, show her what you like, and you never know, she may be impressed with what she sees. If it fits, you might find the winning graduation outfit among your collection!
Listen to Her
Your daughter has her ideas, and you have yours, and while they may not seem a million miles apart, to her they may be.
You want her to be able to mix in with her friends, to look stylish and trendy, and to look beautiful too. Most importantly, you want her to be happy with what she wears, so if she falls for a graduation dress that she loves and you don’t, let it be. You’ve helped her find it, and that was your mission.
Make Sure She’s Comfortable
Finally, ensure that she is comfortable with the graduation outfit that you both have decided upon. Check that the length won’t make her trip and if there’s any details like a skirt slit, see that it doesn’t go up too high. Make sure she feels comfortable sitting in her dress, as graduation ceremonies can involve a lot of time on folding chairs!
Most importantly, check that your daughter is happy with all the details of the dress and how she looks. If she’s happy with her graduation dress, you’ll both be happy.
Shopping For the Perfect Graduation Dress
Shopping for a graduation dress with your daughter is a great opportunity to get to know the young woman she has become, and to enjoy some quality time together. We hope these tips have helped you both with what to wear to graduation.
