In particular, women undergraduates who exercise the right to wear a soft Canterbury cap must wear it on their head, rather than carrying it. g. you land on the boundary), we would recommend going for the larger size, allowing a more comfortable fit. S. Naval Academy tossed their midshipmen hats after they were given new officer caps during the ceremony. Each cap is crafted in a high quality and durable polyester fibre with a beautiful finish that really catches the eye.

Please select your head size, if unsure please measure in cm’s around the head just above your ears. Around the 18 th century, hoods were added to capes and gowns worn by academics as a symbol of higher intelligence and superiority. The American Council on Education (ACE) code states that "The tassel should be black or the colour appropriate to the subject," and makes an exception only for the gold tassel.I measured myself as the max 54cm on the small cap but still very glad I went for the small option, as it fits well with a bit of room available.

The cap has been described as a ‘mortarboard’ in recent years owing to its flat shape, which resembles the flat ‘hawk board’ used by builders for holding their plaster or mortar. Additionally, all undergraduates appearing before the Proctors' Court are required to present themselves wearing their caps, before removing them as proceedings start. While the ways in which we observe graduation may change, the iconic four-cornered black hat will likely remain a sort of cultural shorthand for academic accomplishment—a symbol of celebration with roots going back to medieval Europe.Until the second half of the twentieth century, mortarboards were often worn by schoolteachers, and the hat remains an icon of the teaching profession. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.