Young women across China are wearing white bedazzled gowns for one of the biggest days of their life—not their wedding, but their graduation ceremony. According to a recent Wall Street Journal report describing the trend, college graduates have taken up renting white, Western-style wedding gowns for around US$7 and then posing for photo shoots to mark the special occation. According to the report: "The wedding dress makes things feel more meaningful," said Ms. Liu. She and her classmates rented their gowns, which came with full skirts and beaded or pleated bodices, for about $7 a day. Hundreds of other graduates have done the same, taking photos they upload to share with friends online. Some students pose with tiaras or bejeweled diadems, while others choose veils or lacy trains. In addition to wedding gowns, some students opt for costumed photo shoots in Qing dynasty attire or pirate outfits. Western-style wedding gowns are popular among women in China not only for nuptials, but also for special photo shoots with friends for guimi, or “best-friend” shots. In traditional Chinese culture, wedding dresses have typically been red, but more Chinese women have recently chosen a white dress for their wedding and a traditional dress for the tea ceremony. Watch the video embedded above for more information on the trend.
