Graduation Dress Trends

As graduation approaches, senior year gets seriously stressful: turning in your senior thesis, stepping up the job search, looking for an apartment. One stress release: dress shopping! Here’s our quick guide to the coolest choices for graduation dresses— pick a dress will keep you cool in the heat, photograph well, and most importantly, make you look like the sophisticated woman you’re about to become.

Black and White and Gorgeous All Over: The classiest— and most fool-proof— choice is a simple sheath in black and white. We love a fun print in these chic colors, such as the uber-feminine Nostalgic Floral Print Full Skirt Dress ($158) or the Timeless Floral Print Sheath for a more streamlined look ($138), both from Ann Taylor (yup, time to shop like a grown-up!)

Graduation Brings May Flowers: Nothing says “hello, summer!” like a floral sundress. Channel bold elegance in a slim hip-hugging dress, like the Cleonie Floral Print Dress by Lauren by Ralph Lauren ($129)… or go flirty with small flowers and slip on Forever 21’s Feminine Floral Dress ($19.80). Either way, the bold flowers will only enhance that giant smile you can’t wipe off your face…

Always a Little Girl at Heart: You may technically be a grown-up, but why not indulge the little girl in you who loves lace, pink, and ruffles? To feel young at heart, we love the classic white lace of the Pins and Needles ¾ Sleeve Lace Dress from Urban Outfitters ($79), or the delicate watercolor ruffle of the Silk Celestial Floral Sheath by Ann Taylor ($198). 

You can’t really go wrong with so many pretty dresses to parade down that aisle. But whatever you pick, you better love it— your grad outfit will live on forever in your mom's photos... all one thousand of them.