When it comes to graduation ceremonies in a lot of universities, all you have to do is rent a gown, collect it and get dressed on the day and then return it after the ceremony. The company you hire from will take care of your gown for you, leaving you with less to worry about on your momentous day.
Sometimes though, you may need to take care of your graduation gown personally, particularly if you’re renting from a different company to the one hired by the university. If you’re looking after your own graduation attire before and after the ceremony, we’ve put together a few tips below to help make sure your gown stays in the best condition possible.
1. Preventing Wrinkles on Your Graduation Gown
One of the best ways to keep your graduation gown looking fresh for your graduation is to make sure it’s wrinkle-free.
Upon receiving your gown, hanging it in its garment bag in a bathroom or in a closet will stop the material from creasing by being folded. This will help it to remain looking its best so you can make a great impression during your graduation ceremony.
Before or after your graduation, you may also prefer to steam it to get rid of any wrinkles. This can be good preparation for your ceremony and can also help to ensure your gown is still in optimum condition when it is returned to the company you rented it from.
Hanging gowns for 1-2 days can loosen up any wrinkles but if you need a quicker fix you can steam it lightly on a low heat. Remember to cover the steamer head to avoid any water dripping onto the material and ensure your gown gets a light and even steaming.
2. Washing Your Graduation Attire
Your graduation attire will always come to you washed from the company you’re hiring from so it isn’t necessary to wash it. Machine washing your graduation gown isn’t recommended but if you do want to or need to wash your gown, you can clean it lightly.
You can freshen up your gown or remove any stains or dust by handwashing a shiny gown and leaving it to dry or you can dry clean matte gowns and shiny gowns.
If it’s possible to avoid having the entire gown cleaned, you can spot clean any parts of the fabric on your gown or cap that need it. If you are cleaning or washing your cap, be sure not to wet the mortarboard as water damage to this part of the cap can be permanent.
3. Keep Your Graduation Outfit in the Bag
Keeping your graduation attire in the garment bag they’re delivered in is a great and easy way to ensure that your graduation gown and cap stay in as clean a condition as possible, making sure the garments are fully protected so they’re fresh and ready for your big day.
Put them back in the bag as soon as possible after your ceremony, making time to steam clean if you want to. This will allow you to preserve the state of the gown as much as possible when you return it.
Keeping the gown in the bag will help to make sure that no stains or dust affect the fabric between receiving the gown and wearing it for your ceremony. This will help you to show up to your graduation in style and not have to worry about the state of your gown, freeing yourself up to enjoy graduation to its fullest potential.
4. Using Clothes Deodorants on Your Graduation Attire
If you’re worried about maintaining the freshness of your graduation gown between delivery and attending your ceremony, using clothes deodorants can help to keep your gown smelling fresh.
If you do opt for this, try to use deodorants that don’t leave a residue or any discoloration so that you don’t stain the gown and affect the fabric.
Putting clothes deodorants in your garment bag or other case with the attire can also help to protect against a moisture build-up. This will help to prevent mould or mildew from building up and damaging the gown while it is in storage.
Overall, graduation attire is fairly easy to take care of. When you buy gowns from us, they will already be clean and well-maintained, leaving you very little to stress about. Just make sure to hang it up and keep it sealed in a protective bag or container and on graduation day you will be good to go.
