What I Wore on Graduation Day

I’m sharing this outfit about 3 weeks after I wore it to our local high school graduation. Although my kids are still a few years away from this milestone event, they have friends who graduated this year. And Jeff and I have friends with children who also graduated this year. Living in a small community, you get to know kids of all ages and you want to support them in their successes as they transition from childhood into adulthood.

Depending on the weather forecast for graduation day, the ceremony is held either outdoors on the football field or indoors in the high school auditorium. If it’s indoors, I believe each graduate gets a certain number of tickets for their guests due to the auditorium’s limited occupancy regulations. There was rain in the forecast for graduation day, but it was isolated to the morning hours allowing for an outdoor ceremony this year. Since it was outside, attendance was open to anyone who wanted to celebrate our city’s high school graduates.

While we wanted to show support for all the graduates that we know, we specifically attended to see our dear Marra graduate. Marra is the girl next door and over the last 9 years she has become a beloved member of our own family. I felt a kindred spirit type of connection with her since the time she was 9 years old and over the years she has become my children’s best friend. She is such a special human to us that we even have a rule in our house that’s called “The Marra Rule.” The Marra Rule is simply this…if Marra comes over to hang out, all punishments, groundings, and other obligations are paused until she has to go back home! Of course, the kids all love this rule and it definitely gets invoked when there are active punishments or groundings in place or current responsibilities that need tending to. If it can be paused, it gets paused, but only for Marra!

The afternoon and evening weather on graduation day turned out to be as beautiful as it could be. It was sunny and mild with enough cloud coverage to keep us cool while still experiencing a lovely blue sky between the scattered clouds. I knew it would get much cooler as the sun was setting near the end of the graduation ceremony so I wanted to make sure I would be warm enough. I also knew that we would be sitting either in football bleachers or on the ground (we ended up sitting on the ground), so I took that into consideration as well when choosing what to wear.

With the school colors being purple and white, I generally wear that color combination to most school events. But with all the graduates donning their vibrant purple gowns, I didn’t want to match them. I wanted them to stand out among the crowd in all their regal graduation glory.

Instead, I went with this black, white, and lime green combination. I started with my new black crepe harem pants (I recently shared the brown ones here) and an old lime green tank top. I added a newly thrifted kimono robe in a black, white, and gray floral print, my black Saltwater Sandals, and my very old white straw cowgirl hat. I added a pile of necklaces in black, white, and silver…some old, some new, some thrifted, some not…a pair of big silver earrings, and my pearl studded belt bag so I could be hands free. I was comfortable and temperature appropriate and that’s really all that mattered because the day was not about me at all!

The ceremony was lovely and was conducted as quickly and efficiently as ceremonies of this type can be conducted. With about 250 graduates and numerous special awards and speeches, the whole thing lasted about 90 minutes, which seems to be the maximum attention span of most people. We got to see our girl after the ceremony ended and we are so, so proud of her!

I hope Marra doesn’t mind, but I am going to share what I wrote in her graduation card because I think the message is appropriate for all the young people moving forward into the next stages of their adult lives.

You did it! We are so proud of you. Here are a few words of advice as you focus forward on your very bright future. 

1. Enjoy all of your experiences but find the lesson in each one. Those lessons will come in handy later.
2. Once you've found the lesson, focus forward without dwelling on the past. 
3. Be patient with yourself as you learn and grow...it is a lifelong process with no end! 
4. Nobody expects perfection. 
5. It's okay to ask for help. We were never meant to survive this life alone. 
6. Believe in something and have faith in the process.
7. Be the most authentic version of yourself because that version is so special! 
8. Never compromise your morals and values for anything or anyone.
9. But always reserve the right to change your mind! 
10. And finally, have fun, enjoy the ride, it's the only one we get!  

Happy graduation to all!

Have you celebrated any graduates this year?

Keeping it on the edge,

Shelbee