Academic dress of the University of Warwick
Open-knowledge reference entry
The academic and official dress of the University of Warwick dates originally from the mid-1960s, shortly after the university's foundation. Despite persistent offers from Charles Franklyn (and a single, more moderate letter from George Shaw) the theatrical costume designer Anthony Powell was commissioned to design robes for officials and graduates of the university. Due to pressure of other work, and some apparent differences of opinion, Powell withdrew from the project, and the robes for graduates subsequently designed in consultation with J. Wippell and Company of Exeter, with Ede and Ravenscroft designing and making the robes for officials.
The official academic dress for officers and members of the University of Warwick is as follows.
Chancellor
Robe
Red satin damask, trimmed with three-inch (76 mm) gold plate lace on fronts, cape, hem and bottom of hanging sleeves
Hat
Black velvet mortar-board with gold bullion and gold lace
Pro-Chancellors
Robe
Green satin damask, trimmed with two-and-a-half-inch gold oak-leaf lace on fronts, cape and bottom of hanging sleeves with half-inch gold oak-leaf lace on the wings and arm slits and the top part of sleeve trimmed with gold ornaments
Hat
Black velvet mortar-board with gold bullion tassel only
Vice-Chancellor
Robe
Red satin damask, trimmed with two-and-a-half-inch gold oak-leaf lace, with embroidered wings
Hat
Black velvet mortar-board with gold lace and black tassel
Provost
Robe
Red satin damask, trimmed with 2-inch (51 mm) oak-leaf lace on fronts with 1-inch (25 mm) gold oak-leaf lace on top of sleeve and arm slits
Hat
Black velvet mortar-board with black tassel
Treasurer
Robe
Green silk damask, trimmed with two-and-a-half-inch gold oak-leaf lace
Hat
Black velvet mortar-board with gold netted button and black tassel
Pro-Vice-Chancellors
Robe
Green silk damask, trimmed with one-inch gold oak-leaf lace on fronts, cape and bottom of hanging sleeves with one-and-a-half-inch gold oak-leaf lace on wings and sleeve cuts
Hat
Black velvet mortar-board with black tassel
Registrar
Robe
Green silk damask
Hat
Black velvet mortar-board with black tassel
Mace-Bearer
Robe
Black Panama cloth, two-and-a-half-inch facing and sleeve panel bordered with red silk
Hat
Doctor's cloth bonnet with red cord and tassel
Graduates of the University
The gowns, hoods and hats for graduates of the university are based around a reasonably logical faculty colour system. The colours are as you see below:
No dress is specified for holders of undergraduate or postgraduate diplomas or certificates (including the Postgraduate Certificate in Education), or for undergraduates (although see the remark on ushers below).
Gowns
Five types of gowns are worn by graduates of the university:
Bachelors, as well as holders of foundation degrees and advanced first degrees (MMath, etc.) wear a black stuff gown with long, pointed, open sleeves. This is the standard bachelor's gown, denoted [b1] in the Groves classification system.
Masters wear a black stuff or silk gown with long closed sleeves and inverted-T armholes, and small cut-out portions at the front and back of the bottom end. This is denoted [m15] in the Groves classification system.
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