Sammy Croteau

Herald Contributor

College Graduation day is a magical event where you are supposedly accepted into this thing called the ‘real world,’ which everyone has warned you about since you were a kid.

This day can be filled with a whirlwind of emotions, like that choked up feeling you get when you realize you were capable of making it through 16 years of schooling, or the strong desire to escape the campus setting and find out what adventures lie beyond. No matter what you may feel on this monumental day, a stand-out outfit that establishes who you’ve blossomed into over the last four years is a must.

When on the search for your ultimate graduation day look, skip the neutral colors and basic patterns. A fresh wave of fun and flirty dress trends has crashed this spring, bringing with it styles such as flowy dresses with bell sleeves to simple wrap dresses with a plunging neckline.

If you want to feel as free as your spirit the day you ditch your college days, seek out a loose and light dress with bell sleeves. Bell sleeves, which were referred to by Vogue Magazine as “statement princess sleeves,” made their mark on the runways for spring 2017, appearing in various ready-to-wear collections. The stylish sleeves are also comfortable and won’t leave you feeling restricted when reaching out for that well-earned diploma.

If you’re aiming for a more conservative look to express the professional you have become in college, a wrap dress is the perfect pick. For those of you who completely disconnected from the fashion world and are just joining the rest of us, a wrap dress is simply formed by wrapping one side across the other and knotting the ties that wrap around the back at the waist. Diane Von Furstenberg created this iconic dress back in the 70s, but today, the dress often comes in vibrant colors and detailed patterns with a deep v-neck, to add some excitement into the modest piece.

If bell sleeves, bright colors, and wrap dresses aren’t the trends that speak to you, turn to another major spring fashion fad: lace. Making its normal yearly appearance, lace is yet again another top spring trend. Lace is back in new ways than before, though. The intricate fabric is being turned into fitted pastel colored dresses with high neck lines. If a dress covered in lace from head to toe reminds you of those paper doilies you place out at Christmas time, the feminine fabric is also being subtly incorporated into dresses, showing up in the sleeves and straps or placed in the back for an element of elegance.

Graduating senior Sharilynn Brown, shares her fashion advice on the go-to graduation look.

“You can never go wrong with white! It’s timeless and classy,” she said.

RWU students still have another couple weeks until the big day, but it’s never too early to start searching for that dream outfit!