Gown and tam for graduation

[AJ_Katz]

I'll be attending a hooding for the first time.  I have my hood from my Ph.D., but I don't have a gown or tam.  The university charges an outrageous amount for these.  I found equivalent hoods with tam online for less than $150.  But are these going to look crummy?  What are the best sources for purchasing a cost effective but normal looking gown and tam?  I could borrow a gown and tam, but prefer to buy my own so that I don't have to hassle with borrowing and returning.

[aside]

My university has a loan program for such situations.  Retiring professors have donating their regalia to a commencement closet, and current faculty can borrow it.  You might check, if you have not, to see if something similar has been established at your place.

[Cheerful]

Some universities pay for faculty to rent the regalia.

[eigen]

I would first see if you can borrow a gown from a colleague. There's almost always some person on my campus that isn't going and is happy to loan a gown.

[Juvenal]

Purchase of regalia was one of my better decisions.  If you anticipate being at gown-tam-hood ceremonies on a regular schedule (annual graduation?) and are early in your academic career, it is better to own than rent.  But suggestions as to whom to buy from?  Well the company that rented the regalia I started with also let you order to buy.  Should not be hard to check if you can find out who supplies your place with rentable regalia.  Oh, and probably a professional expense tax deduction if you itemize.

Trying to find a colleague not-needing this year, is one answer, but there is that "fit" problem.  It's not a fashion parade, of course, but I have some some very wrinkle-rich folk in the procession.

Once I retired, the regalia sulks in my closet, but I got several decades of use out of it.  Still looks fine.  As should something worn once a year manage...  Dry clean every decade, of course.

[mythbuster]

eBay is a great source for these that have only been worn once.

[AJ_Katz]

Thanks everyone for the feedback.  I dug out my hood last night that I bought when I graduated.  It hasn't seen the light of day for many years, so it's going to hang in the closet a while.

I discovered that I had already purchased the cap and gown from the Ph.D.!  Yay me...  except that the gown is all black.  I was told recently that the gown should be in colors from the university where you got your degree.  Is that correct?  Or is that only the "deluxe" gowns? 

Great suggestion to check out eBay for used regalia!  I will do that today.

[wareagle]

My PhD gown is black, with royal blue velvet trim.

[mamselle]

Some  universities have different colors, some do black with a little lapel frog sewn on, etc.

The school you received your highest degree from is the school whose regalia you are usually expected to wear, although in a pinch black is better than none, or the wrong color (I used to have to help dress an international/diverse school faculty in a high-visibility setting.)

Check your last alma mater for their regulations for their own grads in your former department. Their intranet, and the local papers' classifieds, may have folks with pieces for sale, too.

M.

[Puget]

..  except that the gown is all black.  I was told recently that the gown should be in colors from the university where you got your degree.  Is that correct?  Or is that only the "deluxe" gowns? 

Most are all black, with just the hood colors signifying the university and discipline, though a few universities have other colors for the trim or lining as well (I've even seen some particularly ornate ones with fake fur trim!). I wouldn't worry about that, no one else is likely to know what yours should look like.

I'm pretty surprised your employer doesn't provide them for faculty. Ours rents ours (free to us),  in the proper colors for our PhD institution, for anyone participating in graduation. If its a work obligation they ought to provide the uniform!

[fast_and_bulbous]

I just started graduating grad students and recently participating in a hooding ceremony. I rented at the last minute, but I am seriously considering buying to save money in the long run (cost is around $500 during the off season, about 1/7 of that to rent).

Plus I never participated in my PhD graduation, and working for my alma mater now, it would be cool to have in the closet (it's pretty spiffy looking really; they recently updated the design).

[pink_]

I bought mine before met own hooding more than a decade ago and have since worn it at least 45 times (we wear ours 4x a year). It's definitely been worth the price.

[ciao_yall]

I still have the freebie that I never returned when I graduated from my doctoral program. Thinking about buying one except I'm concerned that I'll pay $200 and it will still look like a cheap freebie.

[Liquidambar]

I'm pretty surprised your employer doesn't provide them for faculty. Ours rents ours (free to us),  in the proper colors for our PhD institution, for anyone participating in graduation. If its a work obligation they ought to provide the uniform!

Ahahaha.  Not only does my institution not provide them; they recently ruled that institutional funds (startup and other awards that are generally flexible in what they can be spent on) CANNOT be used to buy regalia.  I was tempted to show up at graduation in the grungiest possible street clothes in protest, but I decided not to do that to the students/parents.

[lostinthesauce]

I bought mine on amazon for about a quarter of the price of the official one, although Ebay may be an even better option. It is probably not as nice looking as some of the very fancy ones I've seen, but I would say the majority look about the same quality as mine. I have used it quite a bit over the past few years.