Depending on how specific a look you have for grad, you’ll have to give yourself a wider timeline of when to get your outfit by. For example, if you want a specific dress/outfit from a brand overseas or if you’re okay with shopping somewhere more local, your timeline will look very different.
If you’re going to shop overseas (like I did), I recommend ordering it about 4-6 months ahead of time to give leeway for it to arrive, and then you’ll also have enough time to get it dry cleaned or altered (if necessary). I’ve heard that some schools have a more detailed dress code, so be sure to check that before you look and order.
My school only asks that we get something a little more formal-ish, and wear comfortable shoes since we may be standing for long periods of time. I planned to get a dress that was a bit formal but not too colourful, so that I could reuse it in the future. I ended up ordering this dress online from a brand called 09 Women in South Korea back in October, and it’s currently being altered and dry cleaned.
If you are planning to get something locally, I recommend looking 1-2 months in advance, especially if your graduation is in June. It more or less coincides with prom season, and choices may be limited depending on where you go. If you’d like a recommendation, I do recommend Boutique 1861. They’re a brand based in Quebec and have a lot of different styles to choose from, however, they are a little limited on sizes. From what I remember, if you don’t want to wear a dress, you can probably go for a suit or office wear. They have a couple of stores in Montreal, so if you’re up for a bit of a road trip or weekend trip, I recommend seeing if you can check out their stores.
After you get your outfit sorted, you should start looking into shoes to pair with it. I recommend taking a look at what you already have and aiming for something comfortable since you may have to stand for a while. All of my formal-looking shoes are pretty old or uncomfortable, so I set out to look for a new pair and bought them last year. If you want something timeless, the style “Jayla” from Naturalizer is a style that’s been around for a while and has gotten popular again.
I’ve noticed that round-toe heels aren’t too common right now, but pointed/almond-toe and square-toe heels are abundant. Square-toe heels won’t flatter every look, so be careful when choosing to buy them, and while it will take a while to get used to, pointed and almond-toe heels might be a better choice in comparison. However, they might not be great if you usually aim for shoes with a wide toe area.
I chose to go with square-toe heels because they, fortunately, worked with the outfit that I planned. I got the style “Hope” from Wishbone (through Browns). I was waiting for this to go on sale, but then they sold out when I was buying them last year, and luckily they came back in stock in January (still on sale), and I bought them right away in black. I’m not too keen on the shiny shoebox look, but it also works, so I don’t mind too much.
Get your shoes about 1-2 months ahead of time so you have time to break them in if need be.
Once you’ve got your outfit and shoes set, you can relax or look into getting a haircut before you walk across the stage.
