What do I wear for the ceremony?

Men must wear: degree bands, undergraduate gown with hood for the highest degree you are receiving. The gown must be worn 'in the official manner', ie, not with the arms through the shoulder slits. You may find some stitching is necessary to make this possible. A square may be carried but is not essential. You also need a dark suit (preferably black), plain black lace-up shoes without decorative stitching or punching, plain black socks, plain white shirt (a wing collar is traditional but not essential), white bow tie. No jewellery is allowed, except for a watch and personal ring.

Women must wear: undergraduate gown with hood for the highest degree you are receiving. The gown must be worn 'in the official manner', ie, not with the arms through the shoulder slits. You may find some stitching is necessary to make this possible. A square may be carried but is not essential. Degree bands are optional. You also need: a dark suit or dress (preferably black), or a black skirt and cardigan with a white blouse. The dress, jacket, blouse or cardigan must have long or three-quarter length sleeves. Trousers are permitted if black and of a formal design. Shoes must be plain black without bows, decorative stitching, or buckles/other ornaments that are for decoration only. No patent shoes, no sandals or boots are allowed. Remember that you'll be walking up the middle of the Senate House, kneeling and then standing up again, so avoid high stilettoes unless you are confident you can walk tall in them and not stumble or catch them in your gown when you get up from the kneeler. Tights or stockings are obligatory and must be black or neutral. No bling should be worn except a watch, personal ring and small, unobtrusive earrings (studs only - no dangly ones). No coloured nail varnish, bright lipstick or heavy eye make-up. Please note also that you cannot carry a handbag.

How do I get hold of a hood and bands?

You'll need to either hire or buy these from one of the academic outfitters around town. You're advised to make your order as early as you can as they do tend to run out of some items. Remember that you'll need this kit for the photo on the afternoon before graduation as well as on the day itself. Be sure also to tell the outfitter which degree you are receiving as MSci, MEng and LLM graduands have different hoods to the usual BA ones. See:

Ede & Ravenscroft, Ryder & Amies, AE Clothier

Must my suit/dress for the ceremony be black?

You are strongly advised to go for black, although a very dark grey, or very, very dark blue is just about acceptable. Brown, or pinstripe, is definitely out. A black dinner jacket is fine. The idea is that your suit must not look lighter than your gown. Any colour, however dark, looks very conspicuous among the black and white outfits worn by the vast majority of graduands, so it is much safer to opt for black.

Do I need a special gown?

No, you wear your usual gown, but the hood must be right for the degree you are getting. The assistants at the outfitters are very experienced and will know exactly what you need.

What about mortar boards?

Correctly called ‘squares’, these are optional. You cannot wear one in the Senate House. Instead you will have to carry it under your arm, put it down on the dais while you kneel to receive your degree, and then remember to pick it up again afterwards. If you have a burning desire to be photographed in a funny hat, then get one for the portrait photo (you can’t wear it for the group one), but you are strongly advised to leave it behind when you set off for the Senate House.

Can I opt to wear national dress or military uniform instead?

Please seek advice via the Tutorial Office in the first instance. However, the decision ultimately rests with the Praelector and you should give plenty of notice if you wish to seek his permission.

I’m not sure whether my shirt/shoes/dress will be OK or not………

Bring the item to the Tutorial Office well before Graduation Day for advice!

How can I make my hood stay in place – it slips back and chokes me?

You’ll probably need to use safety pins to keep everything in place. The Tutorial staff will show you what to do, at the dress checking before the photo on Wednesday. The thicker your shirt, the better chance you’ll have of not looking like a scarecrow. There is a loop on the band at the front of the hood, which goes over a button on either your jacket or your shirt, so avoid garments with no buttons at the front.

Are non-graduating third years in the photo?

No, only those graduating go in the photo, but non-graduands often stand around to watch, cheer, clap etc

The dress for the Graduation Dinner is ‘black tie’. Does this mean the black-and-while we wear for the photo, or normal black tie?

This is normal black tie, and people scurry off to change after the photo. Thus, girls can wear colours or black, as they wish.

Do we wear gowns and hoods for the dinner? What about people who are not graduating?

You all wear gowns, but not hoods, regardless of whether you are graduating or not.

If non-graduands go to the Senate House to watch the ceremony, do they wear gowns?

Yes, all members of the University are required to wear gowns in the Senate House.

What is the dress code for relatives and friends at the Master’s Garden Party and Graduation Ceremony?

The same smart gear will do for both. Mothers, in particular, tend to pull out all the stops! Anything that would do for a wedding will be fine – a few women will even wear hats, but this isn’t by any means essential. It’s a good chance to dress up, though, and the men should certainly go for a suit and tie.

Do graduands have to wear their black and white clothes for the Master’s Garden Party?

No - smart, ordinary clothes will be fine but there are usually quite a lot of people dressed ready for the ceremony. We like to be flexible about it, as the day is so hectic, especially for those with trillions of relatives arriving. This way, people can choose when it suits them best to change.

More questions? Please ask in the Tutorial Office!