This Clever 5-Year-Old Designed Her Own Graduation Dress

Caps, gowns, and mortarboards? Yawn. Even those glitzy, glitter-festooned graduation caps are getting a little played out, right? Pomp and circumstance is one thing, but those robes look like they haven't gotten an update in centuries.

One way to stand out is to go the DIY route, which is what Ash Leon’s younger cousin did. Teen Vogue reports that the stylish tot, who is graduating from preschool and heading to kindergarten, designed her own graduation gown — and won her ceremony in the process.

While the little girl's outfit may not have met some more stringent dress codes, it's certainly exuberant and a lot more exciting than the standard-issue graduation robe. Eschewing boring polyester, she designed a gown that incorporates feathers, sequins, and plenty of pink tulle. Everyone knows that those straight up and down gowns aren't just drab, they're ill-fitting. That's exactly why this little grad opted for a mermaid silhouette. Beneath that sparkling pink bodice, there's a full-on fit-and-flare skirt. She topped off her look with a white headband and the finishing touch was a pair of opera-length white gloves. She's elegant. Sophisticated. Ready for any challenge kindergarten has to offer.

"My 5 year old cousin insisted on designing her own dress for her pre-k graduation. I'm so proud of her levels of EXTRA," Leon wrote on Twitter.

Hats off to this budding designer and all-around queen. There's no doubt that she'll be slaying all the way to her high school graduation and beyond. After all, post-preschool, there's prom, winter formal, and more — and this stylish little one is prepared to take them all on.