We have grown accustomed to the attire we wear on graduation day. The gown, cap, tassel, hood, and stole are more or less considered the basics of academic regalia. They have so much become a part of the commencement day tradition that we hardly ask why or how they have come to be so.
While it may be true that the academic regalia we wear today are rooted in tradition, you may not actually know the exact story of how it came to be. Prepare to get your mind blown while we take you on a history tour with a timeline of how our modern academic regalia came to be.
12th-13th century
Medieval scholars (monks) wearing their regular long gown clothing which later became the basis of today's academic dress.In this era, the first universities were established. So it is not a surprise that today’s academic regalia also originated from this time.
- In these days, churches basically owned or controlled academic institutions. So every scholar (be it a student or teacher), wears a clerical dress.
- Long gowns were used for protection against the cold, unheated buildings of the time.
- Hoods were also used as a cap to protect the head from cold climate.
1321
Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the University of Coimbra was founded in 1209 and was the first academic institution to implement a certain academic dress code for doctors, bachelors and licentiates.A statute of the University of Coimbra requires Doctors, Licentiates and Bachelors to wear gowns.
14th Century (2nd Half)
England forbade the wearing of “excess apparel” and required the wearing of long gowns in the academe.
Early 16th Century (King Henry VIII’s Time)
Oxford and Cambridge strictly implemented an academic dress code down to its simplest detail.
19th Century
In McGill University, Scarlet Red symbolizes a PhD degree since the 19th century.The United States of America first standardized colors to signify certain faculties.
1887
The old copy of Cotrell & Leonard’s store which also specializes in academic caps and gowns.- Gardner Cotrell Leonard of Albany, New York, designed gowns for his class in Williams College.
- Later, his family established a firm in Albany called Cotrell and Leonard which specializes in making academic gowns and caps.
1893
A portrait of Mr. Leonard- the creator of a systematic cap and gown system in the USA.Mr. Leonard published a book on academic dress. After which, he was invited to work with an Intercollegiate Commission made up of representatives from leading institutions to establish a suitable system of academic apparel.
1895
The Intercollegiate Commission met at Columbia University and adopted a standard code for the academic dress—including, cut, style and the colors assigned to different fields of study.
1932
The American Council on Education authorized the appointment of a committee to determine if the academic costume code adopted in 1895 is still applicable at present.
1959
A committee on Academic Costumes and Ceremonies (appointed by the American Council on Education), reviewed the academic costume code and made several changes.
1986
The committee (again), reviewed the code and clarified the use of the color dark blue for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.
The Academic Regalia Today
Academic excellence is a long road to take, even the garments we wear on the day of graduation has come a long way to become what it is today. If you think we missed something on this timeline, feel free to comment below!