The sweet memories of graduating always holds a special place in the hearts of students as they embark on the next phase of their life journey. Wearing graduation regalia, which tends to consist of a mortarboard, gown and coloured hood, makes the day all the more special.
Depending on the level of achievement, degree and institution, the graduationattire will vary accordingly.While, caps and gowns are generally the same for all graduands of a particular level, the style of hood is dependent on the level of study attained and degree being awarded. Some universities may therefore have upward of 300 different hood styles, while others have decided to simplify and only have one or two styles.
In Australia, universities holding a graduation ceremony generally rent out graduation gowns for a fee to their students. Students do however have the option of purchasing or hiring their attire from a third-party supplier. In the UK the robing of graduands is generally performed by an external company.
As, different institutions specify different gowns and hoods, it is important to know which gown and hood you will need to wear during the ceremony. For example, a bachelor degree will require a bachelor gown, which has large open sleeves, while a masters degree will require a masters gown, which has long closed sleeves. It is therefore important to purchase or hire your attire from a supplier who has experience in supplying gowns to your institution to avoid potential embarrassment. One such provider, who supplies to students both in the UK and Australia is Churchill Gowns(https://churchillgowns.com/).
University students are no longer the only ones to wear graduation gowns. In recent years, driven by trends in America, high school students and even kindergarten students are now wearing graduation gowns and caps. This attire tends to be brighter coloured, in contrast to the plain black gowns worn to a university graduation and they do not wear the coloured hoods. Their purpose however, remains the same; to celebrate students achievements and to encourage them in their next life stage.