Getting Your Grad Outfit Right – Why and How to
Saturday, March 19th, 2011Why in the world do schools, colleges and universities require their graduating students to wear formal graduation regalia? The reason lies in the spirit of the graduation ceremony itself.
The Significance of the Rite
The graduation ceremony, regardless of academic level, is a way to honor the graduating students’ achievements. It is a way to recognize the hardships they endured, the rigors that they went through and the obstacles that they overcame. The formalities of the event presuppose that each individual has gained throughout his or her stay in the educational institution a significant level of intellectual prowess, moral integrity and social maturity. Hence, the graduation rite is a joyful yet solemn occasion, and is appropriately formal.
The History of the Rite
In order to understand why the graduation outfit is so specific, however, one must peak into the long history and tradition that underlies today’s academic institutions. You see, the college graduation gown, cap and stole are somewhat of a throwback to the medieval ages, when the first universities began to emerge. These earliest of formal educational institutions were administered to by clerics, and it requires no stretch of the imagination to see that modern graduation dress bears a striking resemblance to the monkish garb of centuries past. Thus, the graduation outfit is a way of recognizing the centuries-long traditions and history that make schools and colleges what they are today.
Finding an Outfit at the Right Price
Graduation clothes should look clean and sharp. However, this doesn’t mean that one shouldn’t seriously think about ways to cut back on unnecessary expenses. If this idea appeals to you, then here are some tips to help you get started finding a set of academic robes and hoods:
- Begin your search well in advance of the big day. Most students will wait until last minute before they even think about putting their outfit together. If you want to avoid the throngs of graduates competing for limited supplies of graduation outfit pieces, then start looking a couple of months early. You’ll also be able to save money, because stores will take advantage of the peak season by raising the prices of their goods.
- Make sure you’re following college guidelines. You don’t want to buy something that you won’t be able to use, come graduation day.
- Be creative while staying within the prescribed boundaries. If you know what you must and must not wear, then you can also figure out what you can (but need not) wear. Try to find ways to work around your college’s graduation dress code so that you can come up with an outfit that is formal, but still expresses your personality and tastes.
- If you can, REUSE. Being able to borrow a set of graduation clothes that still look fresh and are just the kind you need is the best way to cut back on expenses.