Re: [h-cost] Academic robes and hoods links
Greetings! This blog covers the adventures of a seamstress making her own academic robe! http://sewingtodistraction.blogspot.com/search/label/academic%20regalia While I was fishing around the internet looking for the aforementioned blog, I found this link which appears to have more information about academic regalia than I had imagined existed. http://www.burgon.org.uk/design/makers/index.php FWIW, my experience with wearing a wool academic gown in June in humid New York, was that it was actually ok and definitely better than any synthetic. Joan ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods
For Ph.D. hoods, at least in the U.S., the width of the velvet tells the degree. The color of the velvet tells the discipline. The lining of the hood tells the institution. Some institutions, such as Rutgers, Columbia, Harvard, Yale, and the University of Rochester, also have official robe colors, although the individual can always choose black. Master's hoods have narrower bands the color of which, I believe, tells only the type of Master's (M.A., M.S., etc.), and a lining in the institution's colors. Bachelor's hoods, which contrary to common practice should not be worn TO the ceremony but should be awarded AT the ceremony, have the narrowest velvet, again coded only to type of Bachelor's (B.A. white, B.S. gold), and a lining in the institution's colors. Where I used to teach the graduates wore their Bachelor's hoods to the ceremony, and that's why students in the program I used to teach in looked distinctive: we always gave a champagne breakfast for our graduates before the ceremony, and I was in charge of turning their hoods right-side-up before they left for the ceremony, and they were often the only ones there who had it right! The things ARE rather counter-intuitive to put on, but if someone would explain to the kids that the little loops are meant to go around a shirt button I think they'd figur out how to get it on right-side-up eventually. On the robe: the Ph.D. robe has full sleeves with three horizontal velvet stripes and is worn closed; the M.A. robe has bat-wing sleeves, traditionally sewn closed across the bottom and with a horizontal slit at about the elbow for the arm to come through (but cheap robes may have open sleeves that come down to the elbow in front and are angled longer in back--yes, no place for tissues, car keys, or the Times crossword) and is worn open, held in place by long crossing ties attached to the inside of the robe (although cheap robes just have zippers and therefore can't attractively be worn open). Bachelor's gowns have full sleeves longer in back than in front, like typical angel costumes in school pageants, and are worn closed. I believe outside the U.S. there is a wider variety of robe styles. Theoretically here only Ph.D.s are entitled to the soft square cap instead of the mortarboard (and only they get the gold tassel), but many M.A.s who own their regalia wear the soft cap too, but with a black tassel. All due appreciation for tradition, but why BUY something that makes one look like an idiot? Yes, my colleague from New Zealand had a floppy cap of which I continue to be very jealous. Now that I'm a Roads Scholar (one of the many nicknames for people who teach part-time at several institutions at once) I don't get invited to participate in graduation, so things may have changed over the last decade or so. --Ruth Anne Baumgartner scholar gypsy and amateur costumer On Apr 16, 2009, at 8:23 PM, Susan Farmer wrote: Quoting R Lloyd Mitchell rmitch...@staff.washjeff.edu: Yes, the hat I described is the floppy one...and now seems to be the major style of Phds at WJ, Pa. After reading some of the other replies, it would appear that the color scheme is not totally understood. Math and all of the other disciplines have a traditional color so that if you are watching a 'parade', you can identify what department the wearer represents. The other color identifies what Institution the degree was gained. The style of the hood itself identifies the Degree of higher learning. Thus, ubless every one went to the same university the colors will make their own honorific statement. It's my understanding that the Color Scheme only applies to hoods. The velvet is the color of the discipline -- the color(s) of the satin are the colors of the institution. The velvet bands on the front of the gown and the sleeves c either be the discipline colors, trimmed in the discipline colors, or Your Basic Black. Susan - Susan Farmer sfar...@goldsword.com Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Division of Science and Math http://www.goldsword.com/sfarmer/Trillium/ ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods
In a message dated 4/17/2009 7:20:20 AM Eastern Daylight Time, ruthan...@mindspring.com writes: I don't get invited to participate in graduation, so things may have changed over the last decade or so. Maybe you wouldn't want to, but couldn't you go anyway? I was just a part-time instructor at Morgan State University, but when I heard that President Clinton was going to speak, I got dressed up and went--had to borrow a hood, as I hadn't bought one. No one seemed to care one way or the other that I went--I just had to go through the metal detector with everyone else. Ann Wass **Join ChristianMingle.com® FREE! Meet Christian Singles in your area. Start now! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221246370x1201421635/aol?redir=http://www.christianmingle.com/campaign.html?cat=adbuysrc=pl atformaadid=aolfooternewurl=reg_path.html) ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods
On Apr 17, 2009, at 7:21 AM, Ruth Anne Baumgartner wrote: Master's hoods have narrower bands the color of which, I believe, tells only the type of Master's (M.A., M.S., etc.), and a lining in the institution's colors. The velvet bands on Master's hoods are color-coded by discipline. The things ARE rather counter-intuitive to put on, but if someone would explain to the kids that the little loops are meant to go around a shirt button I think they'd figur out how to get it on right-side-up eventually. Every time I walk at commencement I see full-professor PhDs who have no idea how to wear their hoods. As a professional costumer, my strong urge is to go around fixing their costumes, but since I don't know most of them, I restrain myself! the M.A. robe has bat-wing sleeves, traditionally sewn closed across the bottom and with a horizontal slit at about the elbow for the arm to come through (but cheap robes may have open sleeves that come down to the elbow in front and are angled longer in back--yes, no place for tissues, car keys, or the Times crossword) When I made mine, I made the sleeves the same shape as the modern ones, but open from the shoulder to the wrist in front like the hanging sleeve from which they are derived. It means I have to wear black sleeves underneath it, but it looks much less silly than the ones with wrist-level slits. I also did the pleats in the body of the gown like the 16th-century VA loose gown in Arnold's Patterns of Fashion. I decided that since I'm a 16th-century scholar, I should dress like a 16th-century scholar! Theoretically here only Ph.D.s are entitled to the soft square cap instead of the mortarboard (and only they get the gold tassel), but many M.A.s who own their regalia wear the soft cap too, but with a black tassel. Some British institutions use the Tudor round cap in velvet for PhDs, so I made mine in plain black wool with no tassel (since I'm a mere MFA). Melanie Schuessler Eastern Michigan University ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods
Wow, this has been fun!? A lot more people than I would have thought who have made their own garb.? As I said, I got out of academia, so finally gave away the cording and other stuff I had bought when I was fired up with the ambition to make my own snazzy outfit. Ann Wass -Original Message- From: Melanie Schuessler mela...@faucet.net To: Historical Costume h-cost...@indra.com Sent: Fri, 17 Apr 2009 8:45 am Subject: Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods On Apr 17, 2009, at 7:21 AM, Ruth Anne Baumgartner wrote:? ? Master's hoods have narrower bands the color of which, I believe, tells only the type of Master's (M.A., M.S., etc.), and a lining in the institution's colors.? ? The velvet bands on Master's hoods are color-coded by discipline.? ? The things ARE rather counter-intuitive to put on, but if someone would explain to the kids that the little loops are meant to go around a shirt button I think they'd figur out how to get it on right-side-up eventually.? ? Every time I walk at commencement I see full-professor PhDs who have no idea how to wear their hoods. As a professional costumer, my strong urge is to go around fixing their costumes, but since I don't know most of them, I restrain myself!? ? the M.A. robe has bat-wing sleeves, traditionally sewn closed across the bottom and with a horizontal slit at about the elbow for the arm to come through (but cheap robes may have open sleeves that come down to the elbow in front and are angled longer in back--yes, no place for tissues, car keys, or the Times crossword)? ? When I made mine, I made the sleeves the same shape as the modern ones, but open from the shoulder to the wrist in front like the hanging sleeve from which they are derived. It means I have to wear black sleeves underneath it, but it looks much less silly than the ones with wrist-level slits. I also did the pleats in the body of the gown like the 16th-century VA loose gown in Arnold's Patterns of Fashion. I decided that since I'm a 16th-century scholar, I should dress like a 16th-century scholar!? ? Theoretically here only Ph.D.s are entitled to the soft square cap instead of the mortarboard (and only they get the gold tassel), but many M.A.s who own their regalia wear the soft cap too, but with a black tassel.? ? Some British institutions use the Tudor round cap in velvet for PhDs, so I made mine in plain black wool with no tassel (since I'm a mere MFA).? ? Melanie Schuessler? Eastern Michigan University? ___? h-costume mailing list? h-cost...@mail.indra.com? http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume? ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods
Every time I walk at commencement I see full-professor PhDs who have no idea how to wear their hoods. As a professional costumer, my strong urge is to go around fixing their costumes, but since I don't know most of them, I restrain myself! That's probably because very few people know, and when you get set up for graduation, no one tells you any of this stuff. I wish I had known some of this stuff when I got my Master's degree. All they tell you is to go to the bookstore and pick up a robe. Then, you might find (as I did) that the example robes hanging out to try on are mis-labeled and the packaged robe you bought doesn't fit! No one mentioned anything about hoods or other items for master's degrees and I don't recall anyone wearing any from any dept. or college within the university. Denise B ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Academic robes and hoods links
Quoting Joan Mielke joan.mielke.y...@comcast.net: Greetings! This blog covers the adventures of a seamstress making her own academic robe! http://sewingtodistraction.blogspot.com/search/label/academic%20regalia I love that blog! While I was fishing around the internet looking for the aforementioned blog, I found this link which appears to have more information about academic regalia than I had imagined existed. http://www.burgon.org.uk/design/makers/index.php FWIW, my experience with wearing a wool academic gown in June in humid New York, was that it was actually ok and definitely better than any synthetic. Thanks! I hadn't seen the second site before. Susan - Susan Farmer sfar...@goldsword.com Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Division of Science and Math http://www.goldsword.com/sfarmer/Trillium/ ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods
If some of the full-time members of the department of the school nearest to me weren't vindictive snobs I could! Actually our new Writing Program Director is encouraging those of us who teach in that program to go, and I do own my regalia so it's no problem, but I'm still thinking about the v.s. factor... --Ruth Anne -Original Message- From: annbw...@aol.com Sent: Apr 17, 2009 8:28 AM To: h-cost...@indra.com Subject: Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods In a message dated 4/17/2009 7:20:20 AM Eastern Daylight Time, ruthan...@mindspring.com writes: I don't get invited to participate in graduation, so things may have changed over the last decade or so. Maybe you wouldn't want to, but couldn't you go anyway? I was just a part-time instructor at Morgan State University, but when I heard that President Clinton was going to speak, I got dressed up and went--had to borrow a hood, as I hadn't bought one. No one seemed to care one way or the other that I went--I just had to go through the metal detector with everyone else. Ann Wass **Join ChristianMingle.com® FREE! Meet Christian Singles in your area. Start now! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221246370x1201421635/aol?redir=http://www.christianmingle.com/campaign.html?cat=adbuysrc=pl atformaadid=aolfooternewurl=reg_path.html) ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods
You also have to know, as Harriet Vane comments in Dorothy L. Sayers' GAUDY NIGHT, how to turn the velvet border so the silk lining shows. Yes, the least they could do as part of the approving of a degree is to instruct the recipient on how to put on the duds! --Ruth Anne Baumgartner -Original Message- From: Land of Oz lando...@netins.net Sent: Apr 17, 2009 10:28 AM To: 'Historical Costume' h-cost...@indra.com Subject: Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods Every time I walk at commencement I see full-professor PhDs who have no idea how to wear their hoods. As a professional costumer, my strong urge is to go around fixing their costumes, but since I don't know most of them, I restrain myself! That's probably because very few people know, and when you get set up for graduation, no one tells you any of this stuff. I wish I had known some of this stuff when I got my Master's degree. All they tell you is to go to the bookstore and pick up a robe. Then, you might find (as I did) that the example robes hanging out to try on are mis-labeled and the packaged robe you bought doesn't fit! No one mentioned anything about hoods or other items for master's degrees and I don't recall anyone wearing any from any dept. or college within the university. Denise B ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods
You also have to know, as Harriet Vane comments in Dorothy L. Sayers' GAUDY NIGHT, how to turn the velvet border so the silk lining shows. Yes, the least they could do as part of the approving of a degree is to instruct the recipient on how to put on the duds! I KNOW we got instruction when I got my BA.? Don't remember if there was just a detailed how-to sheet included, or what, but we definitely all found out how to do it.? It is, though, one of those things that, if you don't do it for a while, it takes a little bit to remember how.? But if one did it once or twice a year, it should become second nature. Ann Wass -Original Message- From: ruthan...@mindspring.com To: Historical Costume h-cost...@indra.com Sent: Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:03 pm Subject: Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods You also have to know, as Harriet Vane comments in Dorothy L. Sayers' GAUDY NIGHT, how to turn the velvet border so the silk lining shows. Yes, the least they could do as part of the approving of a degree is to instruct the recipient on how to put on the duds! --Ruth Anne Baumgartner -Original Message- From: Land of Oz lando...@netins.net Sent: Apr 17, 2009 10:28 AM To: 'Historical Costume' h-cost...@indra.com Subject: Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods Every time I walk at commencement I see full-professor PhDs who have no idea how to wear their hoods. As a professional costumer, my strong urge is to go around fixing their costumes, but since I don't know most of them, I restrain myself! That's probably because very few people know, and when you get set up for graduation, no one tells you any of this stuff. I wish I had known some of this stuff when I got my Master's degree. All they tell you is to go to the bookstore and pick up a robe. Then, you might find (as I did) that the example robes hanging out to try on are mis-labeled and the packaged robe you bought doesn't fit! No one mentioned anything about hoods or other items for master's degrees and I don't recall anyone wearing any from any dept. or college within the university. Denise B ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods
But if one did it once or twice a year, it should become second nature. I knew someone with a PhD in Math from MIT. He wanted me to sew him a robe, but I had no idea what it should really officially look like so I turned down the job. He ended up buying one. It was sleazy shiny polyester with cheap velvet, in all the right colors and all the official shape, and it cost him a lot. Neither one of us was especially impressed, but he said that's what everyone else would be wearing. The garment claimed it was officially correct or he wouldn't have bought it. -- Carolyn Kayta Barrows -- Blank paper is God's way of saying it ain't so easy being God. -- ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods
Wow, how organised! In the UK, every institution makes up its own colour scheme. First degree robes are generally black, but there is no correlation between the hood colours for the same discipline from one university to another, and PhD robes are all different. I think there is some central registry that prevents clashes - obviously the oldest universities had the first choices and the newer ones have to make do - which may be why my husband's PhD gown, from a 1960s institution, was cerise pink. Finding an outfit for me to go with that was a bit of a challenge! There is one company, Ede and Ravenscroft, which has a practical monopoly on hire and sale of academic gowns. They also do judicial and ecclesiastical outfits. Hats are also very individual. At Edinburgh you don't wear a hat, you are tapped on the head with what is supposed to be John Knox's hat. At St Andrews you carry your hood into the ceremony and the person presenting the degrees puts it over your head. Everywhere has their own traditions. Jean Ruth Anne Baumgartner wrote: For Ph.D. hoods, at least in the U.S., the width of the velvet tells the degree. The color of the velvet tells the discipline. The lining of the hood tells the institution. Some institutions, such as Rutgers, Columbia, Harvard, Yale, and the University of Rochester, also have official robe colors, although the individual can always choose black. Master's hoods have narrower bands the color of which, I believe, tells only the type of Master's (M.A., M.S., etc.), and a lining in the institution's colors. Bachelor's hoods, which contrary to common practice should not be worn TO the ceremony but should be awarded AT the ceremony, have the narrowest velvet, again coded only to type of Bachelor's (B.A. white, B.S. gold), and a lining in the institution's colors. Where I used to teach the graduates wore their Bachelor's hoods to the ceremony, and that's why students in the program I used to teach in looked distinctive: we always gave a champagne breakfast for our graduates before the ceremony, and I was in charge of turning their hoods right-side-up before they left for the ceremony, and they were often the only ones there who had it right! The things ARE rather counter-intuitive to put on, but if someone would explain to the kids that the little loops are meant to go around a shirt button I think they'd figur out how to get it on right-side-up eventually. On the robe: the Ph.D. robe has full sleeves with three horizontal velvet stripes and is worn closed; the M.A. robe has bat-wing sleeves, traditionally sewn closed across the bottom and with a horizontal slit at about the elbow for the arm to come through (but cheap robes may have open sleeves that come down to the elbow in front and are angled longer in back--yes, no place for tissues, car keys, or the Times crossword) and is worn open, held in place by long crossing ties attached to the inside of the robe (although cheap robes just have zippers and therefore can't attractively be worn open). Bachelor's gowns have full sleeves longer in back than in front, like typical angel costumes in school pageants, and are worn closed. I believe outside the U.S. there is a wider variety of robe styles. Theoretically here only Ph.D.s are entitled to the soft square cap instead of the mortarboard (and only they get the gold tassel), but many M.A.s who own their regalia wear the soft cap too, but with a black tassel. All due appreciation for tradition, but why BUY something that makes one look like an idiot? Yes, my colleague from New Zealand had a floppy cap of which I continue to be very jealous. Now that I'm a Roads Scholar (one of the many nicknames for people who teach part-time at several institutions at once) I don't get invited to participate in graduation, so things may have changed over the last decade or so. --Ruth Anne Baumgartner scholar gypsy and amateur costumer On Apr 16, 2009, at 8:23 PM, Susan Farmer wrote: Quoting R Lloyd Mitchell rmitch...@staff.washjeff.edu: Yes, the hat I described is the floppy one...and now seems to be the major style of Phds at WJ, Pa. After reading some of the other replies, it would appear that the color scheme is not totally understood. Math and all of the other disciplines have a traditional color so that if you are watching a 'parade', you can identify what department the wearer represents. The other color identifies what Institution the degree was gained. The style of the hood itself identifies the Degree of higher learning. Thus, ubless every one went to the same university the colors will make their own honorific statement. It's my understanding that the Color Scheme only applies to hoods. The velvet is the color of the discipline -- the color(s) of the satin are the colors of the institution. The velvet bands on the front of the gown and the sleeves c either be the discipline colors,
Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods
Land of Oz wrote: That's probably because very few people know, and when you get set up for graduation, no one tells you any of this stuff. I wish I had known some of this stuff when I got my Master's degree. All they tell you is to go to the bookstore and pick up a robe. Then, you might find (as I did) that the example robes hanging out to try on are mis-labeled and the packaged robe you bought doesn't fit! No one mentioned anything about hoods or other items for master's degrees and I don't recall anyone wearing any from any dept. or college within the university. One nice thing about graduating from the University of Toronto is that all our graduates are hooded--yep, even BAs (whose hoods have this silly fake fur on them). And the hoods are rented from an academic supply house, so you get the right one. (You can also buy them, but most people don't). The one thing I was a bit bummed about when I got my doctorate is that the rental gown was not the regulation PhD gown, which is quite snazzy in black with wide red facings along the closure trimmed in white. The entire hood is red wool with white silk linking. It was pretty cool, but it kinda sucked with the rental gown. And of course, I never actually bought any of the regalia since I didn't stay in academia. Susan ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic Hoods
My husband's favorite tale is one of showing up at the stated bookstore to sing up for the rental gown at xxxfee and the salesman took him aside and said I don't want to disuade you from getting a new one, but if you step over here, you might change your mind. (The old bate and switch) The 'others were trade'ins made of the Real Stuff! so he came home with a lovely wool garbadine with real velvet revers and bands.. and a morterboard with a real gilt tassel!. At that time Duquesne presented the hoods of Phds with the degree. Yeah! I eventually designed the old style hat and salvedged the gilt. Kathleen -Original Message- From: Susan Carroll-Clark scarrollcl...@gmail.com Sent 4/17/2009 8:41:22 PM To: Historical Costume h-cost...@indra.com Subject: Re: [h-cost] possibly OT -- Academic HoodsLand of Oz wrote: That's probably because very few people know, and when you get set up for graduation, no one tells you any of this stuff. I wish I had known some of this stuff when I got my Master's degree. All they tell you is to go to the bookstore and pick up a robe. Then, you might find (as I did) that the example robes hanging out to try on are mis-labeled and the packaged robe you bought doesn't fit! No one mentioned anything about hoods or other items for master's degrees and I don't recall anyone wearing any from any dept. or college within the university. One nice thing about graduating from the University of Toronto is that all our graduates are hooded--yep, even BAs (whose hoods have this silly fake fur on them). And the hoods are rented from an academic supply house, so you get the right one. (You can also buy them, but most people don't). The one thing I was a bit bummed about when I got my doctorate is that the rental gown was not the regulation PhD gown, which is quite snazzy in black with wide red facings along the closure trimmed in white. The entire hood is red wool with white silk linking. It was pretty cool, but it kinda sucked with the rental gown. And of course, I never actually bought any of the regalia since I didn't stay in academia. Susan ___ h-costume mailing list h-cost...@mail.indra.comhttp://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ??___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
