Southern Graduation Dress Traditions

Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, I was surrounded by traditions. I was lucky enough to attend St. Mary’s Episcopal School— a private all-girl’s school known for rigorous academic expectations. St. Mary’s was also know for the plethora of traditions we held on to, including our graduation ceremony where we processed down the aisle of the church in white dresses, carrying bouquets, following flower girls to the chancel. I spent years looking forward to this and have since spent years wondering at its formality— and am currently researching how and why this tradition has been retained in many elite private girls’ schools. Parts of this work utilize autoethnographic and object-ethnographic approaches, while others require archival exploration and personal interviews.