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Nancy Wang

As university graduation season comes around again, more students in mainland China and Hong Kong are tossing away traditional mortarboards and gowns for alternatives that are more colourful and fashionable.
On the social media platform RedNote – also known as Xiaohongshu – white graduation dresses are a much-discussed topic, with views of related posts reaching over 2 million. Meanwhile, more than 174,000 posts on Instagram have the tag #graduationdress.
Chinese-American freestyle skiing world champion Eileen Gu inspired many when she wore a white fitted dress beneath her graduation gown in 2020.
Jessica Luo, a student who had her graduation ceremony at Hong Kong Baptist University in early June, opted for a similar look.
“If I pick a dress with lots of sequins or very bright colours, it would be too much like an evening gown and wouldn’t match the elegant effect I want to present at the ceremony,” she says. “So I opted for a classic white fitted knee-length dress. It’s simple yet sophisticated.”

Adding in lighter colours like ivory or champagne is becoming more popular as such tones balance the dark academic robes while keeping things understated.
“No matter how aesthetics change, classic styles remain popular, and a white dress [underneath robes] is a good choice,” says Xiaoliangchitang, a fashion influencer with millions of followers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
Some young women have posted requests for “graduation outfit help” on their social media accounts, sharing images of multiple dress options and inviting others to vote for the most suitable look.
Zheng Keqian, a student from China’s Zhejiang province, recently turned to RedNote for fashion advice regarding her graduation photo shoot.
After buying 10 dresses to try on for the occasion, she narrowed her choices to three: a slouch dress, a thick-strap slit dress, and a thin-strap puffy dress, all in solid colours. However, the different styles and materials left her unable to make up her mind.
“I prefer a design that emphasises my waist and takes the focus away from my trapezius muscles,” she says. “But also, if the fabric is too transparent and there are too few pleats on the belly, it will make me look [larger].”


When it comes to accessories, many young graduates are choosing customised items to enhance their looks.
One trend that has emerged as a favourite among Chinese graduates is the combination of a yunjian – a Chinese shoulder adornment that features patterns of flowers, birds or auspicious symbols – and floral headwear.
For Stella Qin, a Chinese language and literature major from Chongqing, she matched a mamianqun, a traditional skirt featuring a high, flat front and pleated sides, with a graduation cap crowned with floral ornaments.
“It combined traditional beauty with the aesthetics of contemporary graduation photography, winning praise from my classmates and teacher,” she says.
Floral ornament crowns known as zanhua are traditionally worn by women in China’s Fujian province. The flowers, which can be fresh or artificial, are twisted and arranged into fan-like shapes. There is an old saying among locals that “if you put flowers on your head in this life, you will be pretty as well in the next one”.

DIY floral ornament crowns give students more room for creativity when it comes to their graduation caps, and the tradition has gained popularity in China in recent years. Many people even incorporate them into their daily wear.
“It took me about an hour to make one floral ornament crown graduation cap,” says Qin, who enjoys handicrafts. “The materials I used included various artificial flowers, pearl tassel lace, holographic silver 3D butterfly stickers, decorative stickers with blessings like ‘Happy Graduation’, as well as fishtail chiffon ribbons.”
Zhouyumei, a fashion influencer with more than 450,000 followers on Douyin, has styled a number of graduation outfits based on subject studied. In her one for agricultural majors, she decorated a graduation cap with emerald green flowers and pearl pins to match a green collar.
Such is the popularity of the trend that Qin created three more floral crowns for her best friends. Close attention was paid to which flowers to use.
“I drew inspiration from a RedNote blogger’s creation and chose moth orchids with larger petals as the main decoration for my cap, supplemented by [my friend’s] favourite purple hydrangeas between the petals,” Qin says.

She also carefully selected materials for her friends’ caps that would reflect both the wearer’s personality and her personal expressions of goodwill for that friend.
“These aren’t just decorations to make our graduation photos stand out,” she says. “Each flower represents my best wishes for me and my friends, hoping our future can bloom as pretty as these flowers.”


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Chinese students spice up graduation dresses, gowns and caps with more fashionable looks

Chinese-American freestyle skiing world champion Eileen Gu wears a white fitted dress beneath her graduation gown for her high school graduation in 2020. Photo: Instagram/eileengu

Hong Kong Baptist University student Jessica Luo wore a classic white fitted knee-length dress under her graduation robes. Photo: Jessica Luo

A graduate from Renmin University in Beijing wears a red cheongsam underneath her gown, while a red flower and pearl necklace adorn her collar. Photo: RedNote/2003gao2003

A RedNote user with 10,000 followers wears a rented traditional hanfu dress inside her graduation gown and a graduation cap decorated with flowers. Photo: RedNote/baolimiao

Qin made this graduation cap for one of her friends. Photo: RedNote/897982682

Harvard student Yurong “Luanna” Jiang delivers a graduation speech while wearing a red modernised version of a yunjian graduation gown in May. Photo: AP

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While keychains, badges and buttons remain popular choices for decorating an ita bag, there is now also an array of more elaborate items for discerning fans. Photo: RedNote/543231600

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Emilia ties T-shirts ready for dyeing. Photo: Shek O Beach Club.

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Fashion & Beauty

Inspired by people like Eileen Gu and RedNote influencers, young Chinese women are putting their own spin on traditional graduation attire


Inspired by people like Eileen Gu and RedNote influencers, young Chinese women are putting their own spin on traditional graduation attire.


Trending in China

Chinese culture

Eileen Gu

Hong Kong Baptist University

Chinese students spice up graduation dresses, gowns and caps with more fashionable looks

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Inspired by people like Eileen Gu and RedNote influencers, young Chinese women are putting their own spin on traditional graduation attire

Inspired by people like Eileen Gu and RedNote influencers, young Chinese women are putting their own spin on traditional graduation attire