Shorts? You can't be serious!?

I would not let them wear dress SHORTS. You can get them khakis at Old Navy for like $15. Those with a polo or short-sleeve button down would be fine with me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with above posters to have the boys wear long pants. Polo or dress shirt is fine. Children’s Place, Walmart, Costco all have reasonably priced long pants - sometimes $9.99 if you catch a sale. Also check thrift stores. Many have kids clothes in good condition.

Thank you. They’re actually in men’s sizes but it seems we definitely have a consensus that pants are the way to go. Really appreciate it!

I get my sons' (both are teens) chinos at Old Navy. I can often get them (men's sizes) for less than $20.

Actually I think polo shirt and dress shorts would look acceptable on younger teens. The standard of dress isn't so much type, as how clean and neat and "wealthy" it looks. A dress short that's in like new condition and neatly pressed will look better than wrinkled dress pants or ones that are a little worn at the ankle. So whatever your outfit, please make sure it's in presentable condition on the day.

Anonymous wrote:Agree with above posters to have the boys wear long pants. Polo or dress shirt is fine. Children’s Place, Walmart, Costco all have reasonably priced long pants - sometimes $9.99 if you catch a sale. Also check thrift stores. Many have kids clothes in good condition.

Thank you. They’re actually in men’s sizes but it seems we definitely have a consensus that pants are the way to go. Really appreciate it!

Agree with above posters to have the boys wear long pants. Polo or dress shirt is fine. Children’s Place, Walmart, Costco all have reasonably priced long pants - sometimes $9.99 if you catch a sale. Also check thrift stores. Many have kids clothes in good condition.

Definitely not shorts. You can get inexpensive dress pants at Target or Amazon. Worth it to always have them in the closet. I’d do a button down and not a polo.

Anonymous wrote:I think blazers are overkill. I suggest pants and a polo shirt or nice long-sleeved button-up with shorts (this is what the older teens I know might wear). Shorts and polo would be ok for a little boy, but maybe a little casual for teens. But even if you did long sleeves and pants you wouldn’t need to buy blazers. Do they have nice shoes?

What are the grads wearing?

Thanks. This is helpful. They have long-sleeved button down shirts, and one has nice shoes. I think the other just outgrew his nice shoes so we have to get those too, thanks for the reminder! I don’t know what the guy grads are wearing, but that’s a good question. The girls are wearing white dresses. There’s not usually a dress code/uniform at the school.

I went to a boarding school in MA where the girls all wore white dresses and the boys wore blue blazer + khaki combo at graduation. If that's the look for the grads, I agree with PP about "pants and a polo shirt or nice long-sleeved button-up with shorts" for guests.

Anonymous wrote:I think blazers are overkill. I suggest pants and a polo shirt or nice long-sleeved button-up with shorts (this is what the older teens I know might wear). Shorts and polo would be ok for a little boy, but maybe a little casual for teens. But even if you did long sleeves and pants you wouldn’t need to buy blazers. Do they have nice shoes?

What are the grads wearing?

+1

I think blazers are overkill. I suggest pants and a polo shirt or nice long-sleeved button-up with shorts (this is what the older teens I know might wear). Shorts and polo would be ok for a little boy, but maybe a little casual for teens. But even if you did long sleeves and pants you wouldn’t need to buy blazers. Do they have nice shoes?

What are the grads wearing?

Anonymous wrote:Ask your relatives. They will know what is usual at their school. No one here knows what their school will expect. Different schools will have different requirements.

I did start there. SIL has 3 daughters and is divorced so she has been more focused on all the dresses and wasn’t tuned into boy attire, but her gut was that people are more on the dressier end.

Shorts seems a little casual to me and I’d suggest polos and long pants if you can swing it, but agree with pp above to check with the family that is at the school. Some schools may have a more casual vibe and they’d be fine as you describe.

Ask your relatives. They will know what is usual at their school. No one here knows what their school will expect. Different schools will have different requirements.

Our family will be attending my niece’s graduation in another East Coast city. She attends a co-ed TT independent school, and graduation will be outside under a tent.
My sons are younger teens, and both are in the middle of their big growth spurt. Would a polo shirt and nice dress shorts be too casual at your school? They don’t have blue blazers and khaki pants that fit right now. It’s a lot to spend on something they’ll probably outgrow before they need it again, but I’ll do it if that’s really the vibe in most places.