Green Grad Garb

Have you ever been in a situation where you weren't quite sure what was appropriate to wear to a semi-formal occasion? If you're a girl, there's probably a good chance that you have. I recently attended my better half's MBA graduation and deciding what to wear was a little tricky. I wanted to buy a sexy dress but obviously still wanted to look appropriate for the occasion. In the end, I went with a LGD (little green dress) topped with a structured black blazer.

(Photos by Yvonne Ho)

Dress and belt - BCBG; Pumps and clutch - NineWest; Blazer - Jacob; Ring and earrings - gifts; Necklace - Aldo Accessories

I knew I didn't want to wear all black so when I spotted this dress on sale at BCBG, I was immediately drawn to it. Another selling factor was the pockets! This dress was maybe a bit too risque for a business event on its own (you could wear it strapless or with thin spaghetti straps), hence the structured black blazer. I also opted for pumps instead of strappy sandals. I have always had a strong opinion that any kind of strappy sandal is not appropriate in a business setting and the same goes for a business graduation. Lastly, I added a bit of a glamour feel with a gold belt and small bit of girliness with the hot pink nails! So, in conclusion, if you're not too sure about the appropriateness of a certain outfit, its super easy to conservatise (i'm aware this is not a real word) it with a blazer and close toed pumps. If the event turns out to be more casual than expected, simply take off the blazer.