Convocation gowns are an important part of any graduation ceremony. We’ve talked before about the history of convocation regalia, and why graduates wear the convocation pieces that they do. But did you also know that convocation regalia differs depending on which type of degree you are receiving?
If you need a convocation gown rental, it is important to be aware of what you’ll need and to make sure you know how to put it all on correctly. While it may seem simple enough, you don’t want to be left fussing with your graduation hood minutes before your ceremony is supposed to start.
Understanding Your Convocation Regalia
Most people are already aware of the three pieces that make up convocation regalia. Each graduate will wear a convocation gown, which is worn like a coat, an academic hood or stole worn over your shoulders, and a mortar board (graduation cap) worn on your head.
Convocation Gown
Depending on the degree level you have achieved, you will wear either a bachelor style gown, or a master style gown. A bachelor gown has arm’s length bell-shaped sleeves. A master graduation gown has full length sleeves that extend the length of the robe. These sleeves are closed at the end, but have an opening midway for your arms.
Academic Hoods And Stoles
The design and colour of academic hoods and stoles is specific to your school, as well as your level of award and area of study. The academic hood or stole signifies where you studied and what you have achieved, which is why there are so many variations when it comes to colour and design.
An academic hood is worn over your shoulders and drapes down your back. In comparison, a graduation stole is worn over your shoulders also, but the lengths of colour drape down your front and the stole sits on either side of your chest.
For an academic hood, you slip it over your head, making sure that the v-shape is in the front and pointing downward towards the floor. The back side of the hood will have some colour showing and the hood should naturally drape down your back. A stole is very easy to put on, you just drape it around your shoulders like a scarf, leaving the sides hanging freely in front.
Graduation Cap
The longer end of the mortar board goes to the back of your head, and the short part goes to the front of your head. Pull the cap down to secure it, with the square part on top being flat across your head.
Find The Right Convocation Gown Rental With Harcourts
It can be overwhelming to make sure you’ve got all the right pieces for your graduation ceremony. When you work with Harcourts for your convocation gown rental, you can rely on our expertise and years of industry excellence to ensure you’ll look your best on graduation day. In addition to convocation gowns, we have a large selection of academic hoods to rent or purchase. View our academic rental form for more details, or contact us at 416.977.4408.
