Graduation Dress [Inspiration Phase]

Hey guys!  As some of you know, I graduate form high school 1 1/2 months.  Many of my friends have asked me what I'm going to wear.  As part of our co-op's ceremony I'll be wearing a black cap and gown but I can wear whatever I want underneath and I need a dress to wear at my grad party.

Musts:

-a twirly skirt :-)

-cool and breathable.  I'll be under a robe and then at the party it could be hot and I'll be dancing.

-sleeves; I don't want a strapless or sleeveless but I don't want the sleeves to be bulky in case I have to wear a shrug or cardigan

Picture inspirations from Pinterest. :-)

Dress elements:  I'm liking graduated tiers or layers...

or should I have gathers?

Knife pleats?

or aline/circle?

I have no idea how sleeves will actually look with this type of dress... Maybe something like this though?

Accessories

I absolutely LOVE these earrings. :-)

A brown belt would be really nice for graduation or general use afterwards, but I don't think I want to wear one at the party.

Color!

Blue/Navy/Gray/cream/perriwinkle/light teal/aqua

That spectrum. :-)

Thoughts?  What did you guys wear?  Did you make it?

Gabe [Class of 2012]

Gabe goes to our homeschool co-op.  Our families have been friends for a while, but we didn't really get to know them until we started a Youth Leadership Program through Toastmasters international.  They and another Hallstrom family joined us and eventually helped us start the Eloquentia Gavel Club.

Gabe is also a photographer.  So we talk about lenses, bodies, and flashes with my brother Nathanael over lunch at co-op.  He also like woodworking and tried to teach everyone in the Eloquentia Gavel Club to juggle.  Nice try Gabe. :-)

Nice shoes! ;-)

Congrats Gabe!

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Nathanael came as my assistant on this shoot and took some pictures of his own while carrying my stuff, which is great, but he was also distracting my client. :-)

Here are a couple he took of me.

Joanna {Class of 2012}

Meet Joanna!  Senior, friend, singer, actress, student, sister, over-achiever extraordinaire!  I was so excited when Joanna asked me to take her pictures.  We sort of grew up together at our homeschool co-op but I didn't start really getting to know her until this past year.  We shared a math class and were in Model UN together.

Yeah.  

When I said over-achiever I wasn't kidding.  She probably did more work preparing for conference than anyone else, and that is saying something.  Joanna is a go-getter.  She is smart, talented, and VERY outgoing.  She isn't afraid to do great things.  At the school where she is going (Eureka College)  Not only did she get the very prestigious Reagan Fellowship, but she is inventing the program theater ed and starting a College MUN team.  Go girl!

I believe she said this dress was from somewhere in Africa...

There were some gorgeous catchlights on this shoot.  I was surprised how well it went actually, considering the harsh 11am sunlight.

Haha!  Oh, this was fun. :-)

The scarf is from Australia, by the way.

My personal favorite from the day.  The fan is from Korea.

In honor of her Reagan Fellowship. 

And this my friends, is the way she feels about graduating. :-)

Enjoy!