Matric dance style do’s and don’ts
A MATRIC dance is probably one of the most exciting events of the year for most pupils and parents alike.
The excitement of stepping out of school uniform and being a red carpet star for the night is often too much for matriculants to contain. Many parents and pupils spend months planning what to wear, hiring limousines or vintage cars, and deciding on hairdos.
However, matric dance couture has definitely evolved over the years. So what exactly is appropriate to wear nowadays and what is considered passé?
Stylist and fashion blogger Akhona Mongameli says there are certain facts to keep in mind.
“The first golden rule is to not break the bank.
“It is not a wedding. It is not the Oscars. It is a matric dance, and the outfit you end up buying will probably spend years hanging in the closet because not everyone can retain the same physique they had in high school, meaning it won’t fit in a couple of years time, and, because style evolves constantly, one won’t really wear that same style.
“Secondly, it is imperative not to go over the top. Too much of a good thing makes an outfit bad, so too many sequins, feathers and embellishments in the name of glamour achieves the exact opposite effect and makes one look tacky. So there must be a balance.”
On what not to wear to a matric dance, he says, it’s important to remember the two basics. Do not go too sexy, and do not be frumpy.
“Too sexy means copying the most revealing, most sheer and most exposed outfit you have seen some celebrities wearing to the Grammy’s and Samas, and deciding to emulate it at the matric dance. It is just plain inappropriate. At the end of the day, the person is a student, some not yet of the legal age, and dressing like that can border on being vulgar. Secondly, a matric dance may be a night of fun, but it is a school function at the end of the day, and some level of respect needs to be maintained.”
Mongameli advises to avoid too sexy cut-outs, see-through fabric, too short dresses, too daring slits and showing your stomach.
Being “too grandma” and frumpy “just means that your choice of outfit, make-up and hair is too mature for a bubbly young person on the precipice of going to varsity. It is an outfit that ages you and adds years to your look.”
He says one should avoid elaborate ball gowns, pearls, stockings and flat shoes. “Pumps are not for an elegant ball like a matric farewell. This is not to say you should go and find the highest heels possible. Don’t go too high, but don’t go too low either.”