An award ceremony is a great opportunity to celebrate one’s accomplishments. For students, the question of how to dress for an award ceremony can be tricky. Factors such as the type of awards being given and the location of the ceremony must be considered. In general, recipients of special awards should probably go out of their way to look at least a little nicer than they would every day, if only to acknowledge the award itself. You definitely don’t want your student to be the sloppy, wrinkled, dirty kid everyone whispers about after the event. Here are a few tips to help you decide what your student should wear if they happen to win an award sometime soon.
Did your student receive instructions?
If your student is being given an award at a formal function like a sports ball or a band banquet, they should have received some instructions as to what would be considered appropriate dress. Some award ceremonies are quite proper, and would require boys to wear jackets and ties and girls to wear dresses, perhaps even formal dresses. Trendy, revealing prom-style dresses would not be appropriate for this sort of event, nor would baggy or torn trousers.
If your student did not receive instructions, the best thing you can do is take your cue from the event. The location and time of the award ceremony should provide some clues about what attire would be appropriate.
What do you know about the ceremony?
My twins will be attending an award ceremony this weekend, where they will both be receiving ribbons for winning entries in a writing contest. This ceremony will be held in a church-like facility on a Sunday afternoon. Although no dress code was mentioned, it may be assumed that clothes appropriate for church are warranted for this ceremony.
Children receiving awards during the day at school may not need to dress up more than they would for a normal school day. However, students who receive awards at a ceremony held at a university or place of business would most likely want to dress nicely in a skirt or slacks. Daytime events are usually more casual than evening ceremonies.
The failsafe option
If you still don’t know what your student should wear as a recipient of an award, you may rely on the failsafe option. A dressy outfit on the conservative side – a pretty dress for girls or a pair of nice pants and a button down shirt for boys – will work for virtually any occasion. Clean hair, bright smiles and a nicely pressed outfit will pay respect to the honor being bestowed on your student and give you another reason to be proud on the big day.
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