And, unbeknownst to them, it would become one of the most well-known graduation traditions in the world. Although not enforced by all institutions, various academic establishments have required students to have the tassel of their graduation cap on the right side before the degree is awarded and then moved to the left side as they receive their award. You can only properly wear your Graduation Cap if the size is correct. Trust us, there is nothing less comfortable than squeezing into a tight graduation cap or having it lose and baggy throughout the commencement ceremony. Topping the entire ensemble off, the graduation hat is one of the most distinctive parts of the traditional graduation outfit.

The graduation cap is an essential and iconic component that completes the full graduation dress. It’s a piece that you might be required to wear when you collect your degree at your graduation ceremonies. If it's your first graduation or last, it won’t feel complete without your mortarboard. The moment of achievement is going to last a lifetime with you so why not look the part with a mortarboard hat, once you put the hat on in that hall surrounded by your fellow classmates it will then feel real that you’re graduating from university, all that hard work and effort will never go unnoticed. Our UK Mortarboards are made from a high-quality combination of durable woven polyester which gives it rigidness for the all-important traditional hat throwing photograph but is also great for comfort throughout the long day ahead. Doctors often wear a rounded, soft headpiece called the Tudor bonnet, or a tam, instead of the trencher. Other varieties of hats appear, especially throughout the UK. Examples include the John Knox cap, primarily with Scottish universities; the Bishop Andrewes Cap, a redesign of an ancient mortarboard now donned on Cambridge DDs; or the pileus, worn at Sussex. Women may don the Oxford ladies’ cap, one such example being at Oxford. Due to this influence, both teachers and students ended up wearing clerical clothing. This clothing choice helped teachers and students stay warm. The majority of lectures took part in large, cold stone buildings where the only source of heat was one of the many fires. Wearing robes allowed them to “layer up” underneath without looking out of place. This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sourcesin this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( January 2010) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)We say wear it however you like, you want to express your personality and feel your fabulous best on your graduation day. The cap, together with the gown and sometimes a hood, now form the customary uniform of a university graduate in many parts of the world, following a British model. Trencher cap". Webster's Dictionary . Retrieved 15 August 2022. the cap worn by studens at Oxford and Cambridge Universities, having a stiff, flat, square appendage at top. A similar cap used in the United States is called Oxford cap, mortar board, etc. Andrea Mantegna: Ludovico III Gonzaga (detail from the frescoes of the Camera degli Sposi, 1465–74). Origins [ edit ] In the early days of universities, graduation caps were only worn by those who earned Doctor or Master degrees. But, as the years have gone by they have become part of the graduation attire for all graduating students, from Bachelors level upwards.

The cap should be the final finishing touch to your graduation regalia. If you are struggling to figure out what to wear to your Graduation ceremony, our guides to what to wear under your graduation gown and what to wear to a winter graduation can help give you some ideas on how to look your best while feeling comfortable and confident on your day of celebration. The academic cap is also sometimes called the “square” or, more commonly, “mortarboard.” It has become a symbol of higher education and academia, and in some universities it is worn by undergraduates as well as graduates in lieu of the traditional hood. Photographic evidence exists proving that the modern style of mortarboard has been in existence since the 1800s. The style and shape changed not only for aesthetic purposes but to keep up with societal progression as well. When women were allowed into university in the United Kingdom, changes had to be made in uniform to compensate for the differences in clothing and bodily shape. Despite these changes, the first mortarboard cap patent was only approved in 1930. Modern Times Indeed, some universities such as Open University have a policy that states that academic headgear is not to be worn at graduation ceremonies at all, and some other universities have abandoned head wear for political reasons, or because the designer of the graduation robes intended them to be worn without hats.So, now you know a bit more about the history of the graduation cap, let’s take a look at how to wear one. How to Wear a Graduation Cap Goff, Philip (1999). University of London Academic Dress. London: University of London Press. ISBN 0718716086.

The mortarboard cap is also sometimes called a “trencher,” which is short for “trencher cap.” The tassel is made of a cluster of threads, which are traditionally made from silk. These threads are attached together and fastened to a button in the middle of the cap, and are allowed to fall freely over the side of the cap. They may also be plaited together to form a single cord, though the end of the threads are usually left untied. While uncommon in Commonwealth countries, in America, the tassel is traditionally moved from the left side to the right side upon graduation and the conference of a degree.

About your Mortarboard Hat

It sounds simple, but we all have different sized and shaped heads so, naturally, it’s not always a one size fits all answer. You want to position the tape or string one inch, or 25mm, above your eyebrows, then angle it down to the top of your ears to accurately measure where the cap will sit (see diagram below).