Usually the saying goes, 'when all else fails, turn to the LBD.' I think graduation is the exception, because it would just be so...black! But if you must, I think these black dresses with some prints and patterns would be a great option to offset the blackness (left: Donna Ricco, right: Cynthia Steffe). I actually quite like the Cynthia Steffe. The cutting is simple and the pattern is subtle but interesting.
In the case for graduation, I think the saying should be, 'when all else fails, turn to the white dress.' Here we have a very classic white dress from Theory (left). Maybe you can add personality to it with some accessories? The other day, I saw graduation pictures of people with pearl necklaces and matching earrings, and it looked very elegant. For a bit more fun, this dress from Carmen Marc Valvo (right) is cute.
Of course, all else has not failed yet. You might want to go to the other extreme and go for bright florals. That would definitely brighten up the gown. The thing about graduation dresses, is that they should be daytime, but not too casual, maintaining a bit of modesty and decorum. That is a hard line to balance. You'd notice that I haven't picked anything too revealing nor too casual so far. The trick for floral dresses is to choose one with a clean cutting so it won't look too much.
You can also take a book from my page (I think I've decided on wearing my purple Marc by MJ dress from the last post) and go for a dress with a simple cutting but a bold color. I LOVE the simple yet elegant cutting of the blue Burberry dress (left), even though this blue is not my best color. My best color is of course, purple, like this purple on the Rory Beca dress (right).
I know I said nothing too low cut, but if you can carry it off, I LOVE this purple Nanette Lepore dress (left). The details are just so feminine and PRETTY. On the opposite end, there is this bolder block dress (right), from Theory. Whichever one suits your personality better.
Another great summer color (especially for SS08 as it is THE color) to think about is yellow. It is summery, refreshing, not too girly nor too dark and just super fun. There is this simple one from Vince (left). But personally I ADORE this yellow block dress from T Tahari (right). My friend got this (and I hope she keeps it!). The cutting is simple and elegant, and the block colors highlight the cutting of the dress, making it even more flattering for the wearer. Come to think of it, I want a yellow dress like this too!Image Source: Saks, Nordstrom, Shopbop and Bloomingdales
I am not saying that sporty tees are not cool. I'm just saying that I don't pull the style off. Actually, if I see someone in magazines wearing a sporty tee in a casual style and pulling it off, I automatically think she's either really pretty (thus manages to pull off all sort of style,) or that she's one of those cool, boyfriend-jeans-type-of girls. Although now that I think about it, those have usually been Adidas shirts.
In the past, I've always chosen white or light-coloured graphic tees by Nike. I've tried a Filas tee, but that didn't fit as well or look as pretty. Usually, the Nike tees are made of Nike's Dri-FIT material, which like the label above says, helps absorb sweat and helps cool you down. While I wouldn't say the shirts feel 100% 'breathable', they did feel air-ier than the tees by other brands. But for the past five years I've slowed down buying these tees until last month, I realised that my old ones either have holes in them or the colour has faded, so I visited sports shops and bought two. The strange thing is, after trying the two new tees for a month, I actually think the tees have improved a lot! 
The shirt is really what the description says it is -the fabric is seriously 'breathable'. It absorbs sweat and allows air to get through to cool your body down. And very importantly, for such a 'breathable' shirt, it is not see-though, which you should not take for granted when it comes to light-coloured, airy, sporty tees.
I'm not sure what has changed. The label on the shirt looks slightly different -it now says FIT DRY instead of Dri-FIT, and there's the little label (image above) printed on the tees, but aren't they the same thing? The new tees also feel smoother and more slippery, like satin, than the old tees. OK, this is not worth over-analysing -Nike has probably just improved its material technology. But seriously, I love the material.
Nike has also used the technology for its other products. I bought a pair of sporty pants last December on sale (like this pair except mine is longer,) and they are so comfortable. I was walking in them on the streets and I could actually feel the cool London wind. So if you're the athletic type of girl who enjoys running outdoors, a pair of these breezy Nike pants would be perfect, (or at least I imagine it would be, since I don't actually run outdoors.) 
