Graduate in style: How to wear your academic dress.

The mail has arrived, you’ve got a parcel. Wahoo, it’s your academic dress, but wait, how do you put this thing on…

Here are a few handy to help make your Graduation Day seamless!

Step 1: Know your gown!

Diploma, Grad Diploma/Bachelor Degree – These gowns are black and they have long slits in the sleeves.  Make sure that your arm goes straight along the sleeve, not through the slits.

Masters Degree – These gowns are black too, the difference with a Masters Gown is the sleeves.  They have a slit on either side of the sleeve.  Slide your arms through the slits.

Doctoral Degree – These gowns are red and are a similar shape to the Bachelor gowns.

Top tip: All gowns should fall below the knee but be above your ankle.  To put your gown on, just think of it like a dressing gown, one sleeve at a time.

Step 2: The fancy stuff

• An academic hood is like a present-day ‘hoodie’. It is worn over your shoulders and drapes down your back.  The “V” section will sit on your chest with the opening of your hood resting on your shoulders.  Do not put your arms through the “V” just your head and chest area should be covered.
• Turn the satin part of the hood outward at the neck. A thin line of colour should be visible around your neck, you should also turn the hood outwards at your back, so the coloured satin line is visible at the back.
• If your hood starts to slip, pins can be used to keep it in place. Or if you are wearing a button-up shirt, the loop on the hood can be looped around a button to hold it in place.

The Stole (Diploma/Grad Diploma) – Falls from the back of the neck, down the chest with equal lengths on both sides.  Stoles generally don’t need to be pinned.  The stoles are gold in colour with a differing coloured stripe.  The different colours will be associated with your degree.

One stripe represents a Diploma and two stripes represent a Graduate Diploma.

Bachelor Hood – These hoods have a black fabric shell and satin edged lining.  The colour of the lining will be associated with your degree.

Masters Hood – These hoods are black fabric shell and full inner satin colour lining.  The colour of the lining will be associated with your degree.

Doctoral Hood – These hoods are red in colour and have a satin edged lining.

Step 3: Top it off

Warning: Hat hair is a danger – Plan a style that can survive the trencher 😉

Diploma, Bachelor/Master’s Degree –   The trencher should sit flat on your head, not tilted or pushed backward.  The shorter peak should be at the front, and the tassel should hang on the left-hand side.

Doctoral Degree – Put the bonnet on your head so it sits nice, snug and evenly, the tassel should hang to the left.

Step 4: We’ve got your back

If you’ve had a few tries, but just can’t seem to get it right, don’t stress!

Simply keep your eyes peeled for the team from The Shop – they’ll have a pinning tent on the UNE lawns and a station outside The Shop, so you can go to them to help with any alignment issues.

And, before you go on stage, someone will also check that you’re picture perfect for the big moment!

Step 5: Celebrate

Well done! All of your hard work has paid off, we can’t wait to see and hear about the next part of your journey!

If you haven’t ordered your gown, locked in your photography sitting or lunch for
Graduation day, it’s time to get organised!

Book everything through the Graduation Portal here