The Student Room Group

What to wear under graduation gown?

Hi,
so my graduation is basically next week and I have a dress I have bought for the day. However, I know I need to have a button or something for my gown to clip onto, would it be okay to sew a button onto my dress or should I get a different dress for the ceremony that has buttons?

I wouldn’t really want to wear a shirt and I’ve seen loads of people wearing dresses for grad before, I was just wondering how most people do it. Any other tips would be appreciated :smile:

Thank you!
Reply 1
Original post by cakechloe
Hi,
so my graduation is basically next week and I have a dress I have bought for the day. However, I know I need to have a button or something for my gown to clip onto, would it be okay to sew a button onto my dress or should I get a different dress for the ceremony that has buttons?

I wouldn’t really want to wear a shirt and I’ve seen loads of people wearing dresses for grad before, I was just wondering how most people do it. Any other tips would be appreciated :smile:

Thank you!


You can use a safety pin if a button would look odd - you won't be wearing the hood all day. Bear in mind that the weight of the hood might pull the dress up if it is a light fabric.
Original post by cakechloe
Hi,
so my graduation is basically next week and I have a dress I have bought for the day. However, I know I need to have a button or something for my gown to clip onto, would it be okay to sew a button onto my dress or should I get a different dress for the ceremony that has buttons?

I wouldn’t really want to wear a shirt and I’ve seen loads of people wearing dresses for grad before, I was just wondering how most people do it. Any other tips would be appreciated :smile:

Thank you!

As TLC says, the real issue with a light, summery dress is that gowns and hoods weigh a ton and pull backwards, often hitching light materials up in a very awkward way. Consider whether you can wear something firmer under the dress, like a closer fitting strappy vest that will take the weight of the safety pin and gown.
@cakechloe if you are getting your graduation gown from the people the university recommended, when you go to get dressed in your graduation gown on the day, they will either have a velcro strap or a button already attached to the gown, so you don't need to worry about this. They will also fit it on you so it's perfect. If you have bought your gown off Ebay etc then just use a safety pin :smile:

Wearing the dress you have chosen is fine, it doesn't need buttons, mine didn't.

- Rosie
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by cakechloe
Hi,
so my graduation is basically next week and I have a dress I have bought for the day. However, I know I need to have a button or something for my gown to clip onto, would it be okay to sew a button onto my dress or should I get a different dress for the ceremony that has buttons?

I wouldn’t really want to wear a shirt and I’ve seen loads of people wearing dresses for grad before, I was just wondering how most people do it. Any other tips would be appreciated :smile:

Thank you!

Hi @cakechloe

congratulations on getting your degree! It can depend most universities will have some safety pins if needed to secure your gown, they do this every year so they are trained and know what they are doing!

However, personally i didn't want safety pins prodding me and poking my lovely dress haha! I just bought a simple broach that was sentimental and went with my dress and wasn't too over whelming to go with the dress/gown combo! So you could look into getting some type of broach to take with you just in case you need it!

Carly :smile:
Original post by cakechloe
Hi,
so my graduation is basically next week and I have a dress I have bought for the day. However, I know I need to have a button or something for my gown to clip onto, would it be okay to sew a button onto my dress or should I get a different dress for the ceremony that has buttons?

I wouldn’t really want to wear a shirt and I’ve seen loads of people wearing dresses for grad before, I was just wondering how most people do it. Any other tips would be appreciated :smile:

Thank you!


Hi there,

I hope you're well - congratulations on graduating! I'm also graduating, so I've found this post really useful! A lot of my friends from the year above me have advised me to take a lot of bobby pins (hair clips) to pin my cap in place, as well as a lot of safety pins to ensure the gown doesn't move!

I hope you have the best day!
Ana - UoL Ambassador :smile:

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