Graduation Wear

A couple of weekends ago, my daughter graduated from Syracuse University, a.k.a. The alma mater. One of the more interesting aspects of graduation was to see how people dressed. Let me set the stage.

Graduation took place on a dreary, misty, rainy, central NY day and the temperature hovered around 50 degrees. In order to get to the Carrier Dome where graduation was being held, most people had to negotiate their way across campus. This includes steps to get onto campus, more steps to get into the dome and even more steps to get to your seat. A day like this calls for comfy clothes, good walking shoes and a rain jacket or wind breaker of some sort, don’t you think?

WRONG!  It seems this was perfect weather for 6″ stilettos, thigh high mini skirts and sleeveless tops. I kid you not. Most of these tart-like outfits were worn by very young ladies who looked like they were either dressed for the prom or for porn. The look is so similar that sometimes I get them confused. Honestly, the real insanity was that these young ladies wore these outfits in full view of their parents. I understand you want your 12 or 13 daughter to look like a hooker but not when it’s raining and 50 degrees. A little common sense please.

When we first started walking to campus, it didn’t take very long for me to witness the first in what would be series of mishaps or near mishaps, a slip on the very wet marble steps near the student center. Perfectly understandable as I’m sure it’s a bitch to negotiate those steps when you are wearing those heels and the wind is blowing right up that skirt in an attempt to show off all your assets.

Upon our arrival at the dome, I witnessed one young lady attempt to negotiate the steps that led into the dome. Actually, I should “step” as she took the first one on her feet and the next 3 or 4 on her ass. At least she was smart enough to remove her shoes for the rest of her journey down.

Now it’s into the Carrier Dome, a 30 year concrete slab of a stadium with aluminum bench seats that have no backs (unless of course you are a privileged character and get seats in the press box and thank god we did). And did I mention the steps…no handrails. Not a fun place to walk or sit for 2+ hours when you are dressed like a Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver (the only teenage movie hooker I can think of right now).

In the end, graduation weekend was everything we had hoped it would be despite the lousy weather and our hotel (but that’s another story). We are now down to one active SU student and it’s 3 years until our next graduation…or so we hope.