How should one dress for the high school graduation exam?

If there's one topic that gets everyone talking, whether it's outside a bar, over a good meal, or on the couch, it's definitely the high school final exam. Everyone has a story about that moment—the difficulties, what the internal and external professors said, some injustice suffered, the sense of freedom afterward, and the summer that followed. It’s no wonder. It's an important milestone, tied to a period of choices and decisions, marking the end of the age of innocence and the beginning of adulthood. Leaving the high school bubble and starting a life dedicated to study or work, or perhaps both. Today, we'll talk about its most frivolous aspect: what to wear for the final exam?

How did you dress for the final high school exam?

Do you remember? I do, vividly. I was going through a somewhat confused phase in my aesthetic identity. For the oral exam, I chose a pair of khaki men's trousers with a straight, classic cut, a slim-fit blue shirt with elbow patches, and a pair of brown Timberland boat shoes. I don't remember if I went to get my hair done, but considering I straightened it every morning, it's possible. It was the most serious, adult, and professional outfit I could think of. There are no photos of that moment, and maybe that's a good thing.

How do today's students dress for the exam?

A while ago, a photo on Twitter sparked a huge debate about the school dress code. Older generations were outraged, declaring that today's youth no longer respect the school, and that showing your midriff in class is rude and should be avoided. To see if this is true, we sent Kevin Santeramo on a mission to ask young graduates in Milan how they plan to dress for the oral exam. They mentioned light-colored shirts, linen suits, t-shirts, and Sambas. So, nothing new or extreme. The keyword? Comfort, to stay calm and feel like themselves. There's no lack of a creative touch, like a slightly eccentric belt, to bring a bit of personality even into the exam room.

Graduation outfits are another story

When it comes to graduation, though, everything changes. Adults, proud, and ready (more or less) to enter the workforce, we've studied what we love (more or less) and can't wait to put it into practice. As if that wasn't enough, we want to give our photos to our grandmothers and spam them furiously on social media. So, we have to look our best: elegant, stylish, authoritative, formal. Many people whom our Kevin Santeramo asked about their graduation look chose not to reveal it, to keep the surprise. It's that serious!