Shoes for the Graduation, Part 1
Manolo says, many, many of the Manolos’ internet friends have sent him the questions about the shoes for the graduations. Here is the first in what will be the short series.
Dear Manolo,
I will be graduating from college in May. My class will be wearing traditional black caps and gowns. I was planning to wear teal sandals–as the only part of my outfit that I get to choose, I wanted my shoes to be colorful–but a friend has recently informed me that I am “supposed to wear black sandals at Commencement.” This is not an official rule of our school, nor have I ever heard it anywhere else. A Google search reveals nothing. So, I must ask you, wise Manolo: Have you ever heard of this? Is this one of those no-white-after-Labor-Day rules that can be ignored, or should I wear a more dignified color?
Rachel
P.S. I’ve included pictures of them.
The Manolo does not know what sort of dreary all-black graduation your friend would like to attend, but the Manolo has never heard of this arbitrary rule. Indeed, the Manolo has seen many super fantastic young graduates in appropriatly colorful and festive shoes.
These teal colored sandals are pretty, and they would also certainly enliven your feets and mood on this most happy of occasions. (Although the Manolo must worry, as he always does, about the quality of the shoes, even as he accounts for the fact that the poor college girl is by no means the rich girl.)
So, the Manolo’s final reply is wear these shoes with pride, and congratulations!
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Comments
Jeanie Dahl 17 years ago
I’m not sure teal is the correct color for Rachel’s skin tone.
Empress 17 years ago
Sass them up with a Super Fantastic pedicure!
Of Shoes, Sagacity, and Stuff 17 years ago
Go on, my pale sister. I wore crimson heels to my commencement ceremony.
After all, as The Manolo says, why not? You only cross that stage once, and lord knows that hat-cap monstrosity is ugly enough to merit some terrific shoes.
Todd 17 years ago
I remember at my college graduation one of the deans wore sneakers that matched her gown (black with light blue) – comfortable and actually looked pretty good.
Andy Shoes 17 years ago
I too agree that colour is necessary, but question the teal. On my screen, it looks almost robin’s egg blue.
What are the school colours? Or is there a particular colour of hood/trim that is used on the robes for the degree beign received? Maybe one of those colours would be better, while still adding some fun.
the professor 17 years ago
Please also consider whether the ceremony will be indoors or outdoors, as well as the weather forecast. I have sat through many commencement ceremonies, some with rain and wind, some with snow (yes, in May), some with a brutal 90 degrees and 100% humidity, and, thankfully, some that took place on lovely sunny days. Blue shoes are lovely, blue toes are less so. Sunburned toes are equally problematic. Not to mention the ruin of one’s lovely heels sinking into the soft, green grass.
I wish all of you graduates a sunny and not-too-hot day for your festivities!
La Petite Acadienne 17 years ago
For one brief moment, La Petite Acadienne did not realize that the Rachel had sent in two separate photographs, and was marvelling at the Rachel’s flexibility, not to mention her surplus of right feet!
And yes, if your shoes are to be the focal point of your outfit, you will definitely want to get an excellent pedicure.
me 17 years ago
Wear whatever you want. Some folks wear denim shorts with flip-flops or sneakers or go commando underneath their robes so wearing blue shoes is not a problem. What are they going to do – throw you out of graduation? Withhold your degree?
I would get a pedicure though – those toenails are NAS-TY!
Deniz 17 years ago
I liked the shoes. But feet need urgent pedicure! They look nasty!!
me 17 years ago
Wear them.
la petite chou chou 17 years ago
Wow, I’ve seen feet a LOT worse than hers….
One friend of mine actually had a toe nail fungus. Probably because she never wears the superfantastic shoes.
Mary 17 years ago
Rachel’s feet are elegant and her toes are just fine. The shoes will look dainty below that godawful gown.
Chris 17 years ago
Deniz goes too far, but Jeanie Dahl and Empress are both correct.
Mostly, though, I am shocked that Manolo, who rightly criticized the wearing of sandals to the White House, has backed off his endorsement of protocol and tradition in the ceremonies of gravitas. The only shoes appropriate for a university graduation ceremony are black leather covering the toes, whether for men or women.
Anyhow, it seems to that the superfantastic girl would have several pairs for the day of graduation: (1) comfortable and casual for breakfast/brunch with the parents; (2) black and formal for the ceremony; (3) colorful and festive for the after-ceremony reception/lunch/supper; and of course (4) disposable for the inevitable drinking party.
Chris 17 years ago
Deniz goes too far, but Jeanie Dahl and Empress are both correct.
Mostly, though, I am shocked that Manolo, who rightly criticized the wearing of sandals to the White House, has backed off his endorsement of protocol and tradition in the ceremonies of gravitas. The only shoes appropriate for a university graduation ceremony are black leather covering the toes, whether for men or women.
Anyhow, it seems to me that the superfantastic girl would have several pairs for the day of graduation: (1) comfortable and casual for breakfast/brunch with the parents; (2) black and formal for the ceremony; (3) colorful and festive for the after-ceremony reception/lunch/supper; and of course (4) disposable for the inevitable drinking party.
Professor CJ 17 years ago
I hate to cast sobriety on the Rachel’s day of acknowledgment, but there is in fact a written rule. Per the American Council on Education Costume Code:
“Shoes and other articles of visible apparel worn by graduates should be of dark colors that harmonize with the academic costume. Nothing else should be worn on the academic gown.”
But fear not – there is wiggle room in that “harmonize with;” if, for example, the Rachel attends the Tulane University, then the teal (one of that school’s colors) would harmonize nicely. Surely the Rachel’s school has some vibrant color she can wear.
The graduation exercises have their roots in centuries of tradition. In a very real sense the robe is a uniform. Everything is dictated: cuff style, sleeve length, hood lining, lapel width, and edging material. I love the sight of my colleagues in their academic finery, and can from across the campus easily recognize the engineer from RPI (ahh, the beefeater cap!) or the musician from the Hartt School (red and white lined hood with pink edging!). Understandably, the baccalaureates with the lowly status have the simplest of costumes and desire to be more colorful.
People will see your shoes. If you walk across a stage, your feet will be eye-level for many in the front rows. Wearing sneakers or flip-flops (which I see on both men and women) does not make you look festive, it makes you look cheap and immature.
I suggest either a nice, dark shoe or a muted school color. Given the time of year, a tasteful sandal would be lovely.
And get the pedicure, not because your feet aren’t pretty, but because a bit of pampering is a nice way to reward yourself on a special occasion.
good peasant stock 17 years ago
Yes, a little civility in the criticizing of someone’s tootsies, please. And, of course, color is rarely truly captured with a flash and fluorescent lighting, so shoe and skin color may be slightly different.
Mostly, I would like to know what the Manolo sees that concerns him about the quality of the shoe. I would love to be a better informed seeker of the super fantastic, and who better to explain that than our insightful shoeblogger.
Chris 17 years ago
Hurrah for the Professor CJ!
quakerchic 17 years ago
At my college graduation (very conservative Christian school) I wore rainbow striped tights and pilgrim style shoes. No one complained and when I walked across the stage many students applauded. Wear what you like and be happy.
the unfashionista 17 years ago
I will, with any luck, graduate from the University of Maryland in a little over two weeks. I understand that graduation is a somber occasion and a tasteful, somber shoe is called for – but I have worked like crazy for four years and I want to feel superfantastic at my graduation because dammit, I deserve it. The university’s colors are red and white, and black and yellow.
My ideal graduation shoe is something along the lines of black and white or red and white polka dots, and I doubt that thirty years from now, anyone will tell their children, “This girl wore polka-dotted shoes to graduation and ruined the somberness of the occasion.”
I however, will hopefully think, thirty years down the road, “I wore polka dotted shoes to graduation and man were they superfantastic!”