Liverpool students do graduation glamour

As the hours of sunlight get longer, and so do the hours spent in the library, third year JMU students are gearing up for what could potentially be one of the most memorable nights of their lives.

And while the most important thing in the near future might be the scroll with that all-important degree classification written on it, for now, thoughts of graduation caps and gowns are a mere speck on the distant horizon. Right now, it’s all about the dress.

With such an influx of trends paraded down this year’s spring/summer catwalks, it’s difficult to know where to begin in the search for the perfect outfit. The mix-up of florals and safari prints, of belted silhouette shapes and flowing chiffon, and of neons and ice cream parlour pastels springing up in shows has made achieving that dream look somewhat tricky to negotiate. While Carrie Bradshaw might be able to pull off a jumble of looks all thrown together, let’s face it, most of us haven’t got access to the most renowned stylists in the world.

The graduation ball is your time to get it right fashion-wise; to draw a line underneath all the fashion disasters you may have played a part in during the last three years of ‘finding yourself’, usually courtesy of Primark, and all the nights you ended up looking as though you’d sweated it out in the middle of a jam packed Medication... which is likely.

Accessories, handbag and shoes come later – it’s all about finding the staple ingredient of the look that’s essentially going to cement the end of some of the best times of our lives. As clichéd as it sounds, the most crucial thing is to choose something that suits you, your style and your shape, and fortunately for the poor students among us, the high street stores have excelled themselves in that department this season.

Bodycon dresses, a favourite across the catwalks and red carpets this year, flatter every figure and have been beautifully adopted by high street favourites Rare and River Island, while tulip shapes nod to the architectural silhouette trend by creating sumptuous shapes and irresistible curves. Pixelated florals were a hit at London Fashion Week, with summery blooms popping up in Topshop, H&M and New Look this season. The asymmetrical look is still popular, this season in the form of one-shouldered numbers, and for classic cocktail hour glamour, chiffon and prom dresses are still timeless.

The options are undoubtedly endless, sometimes frighteningly so. But there’s no need to be unnerved by the trends flooding the world of fashion this summer. It’s the end of our university journey... so celebrate that! Choosing your graduation dress should be fun and exciting.

Most important of all, it should definitely be on a student budget.