Caps and Gowns

Saint Louis University's caps and gowns are keepsakes and made of a high-quality material. All undergraduate gowns are purchased, not rented, eliminating the need for separate measuring and pick-up dates and the inconvenience of returns after the commencement ceremony.

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See Cap and Gown FAQ

The colorful attire worn by graduates, faculty, trustees and officers of the University has historic roots in the distant medieval past. Dressed in cap and gown, the graduates and their professors are part of a long tradition that dates back to Paris and Bologna, Italy, to Oxford and Cambridge, England, in the days of their Catholic glory.

Academic attire began to appear on U.S. campuses in the late 1890s. Since that time, its use has become universal for solemn university functions, and its pattern is highly uniform.

Gowns

Look closely and you'll notice the style of gown varies:

• Candidates for bachelor's degrees or those who have already received it that degree wear a yoked, closed-front garment with long pointed sleeves.
• Master's degree candidates or those who have already received that degree wear gowns with long and closed sleeves that are slit just above the elbow to allow the forearms to protrude
• Doctoral candidates or those who have already received that degree wear full, bell-shaped sleeves. Only the doctor’s gown is trimmed — with velvet panels down the front and three velvet bars on each sleeve.

Hoods

The hood may at once have been worn over the head and attached to the gown. Later the hood was detached but retained and worn much as it is today. Each degree (bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral) has its special hood, which varies in length and, for the doctor, also in pattern.

The color or colors lining the hood are those of the college or university that granted the wearer’s degree. For example, Saint Louis University is known by blue chevron on a field of white. The colored velvet binding or edging of the hood, in different widths for bachelor, master and doctor, is determined by the field of study.

Caps

The cap, or mortarboard, has become the universally accepted style for colleges and universities in the United States. Many European institutions still retain distinctive forms of academic headdress.

Tassels

The tassel is perhaps the most iconic souvenir of academic attire. The doctor, following graduation, has the right to wear a gold tassel on the mortarboard; black, however, is perfectly proper and perhaps more common.

A practice of varying the color of the tassel on the other mortarboards has gained acceptance:

Celebrate Your Graduation 

Graduation Announcements

Custom personalized announcements may be purchased any time online at herff.ly/slucampus.

Saint Louis University Class Rings

Class rings are a timeless symbol of your achievements at Saint Louis University. Balfour rings are available in the bookstore at all times, online at Balfour or during the Graduation Fair. You can also order by phone at 800-225-3687 (1-800-BALFOUR) or email CollegeRings@Balfour.com.

Diploma Frames

Diploma frames are available in the bookstore year-round.

Honors Cords, Tassels and More

Honors recognition items (cords, tassels, stoles, etc.) are given out by some academic programs, honor societies and student organizations. Contact your academic department or student organizations for more information and to see if you qualify.

Commencement Adornment Policy

In recognition of the degree or certificate being granted, as well as the service component of a graduate's Jesuit education that supports it, the following adornments are allowed during a commencement ceremony:

• Medals, pins, honor cords and stoles conferred by SLU (the institution as a whole).
• Medals, pins, honor cords and stoles conferred by a recognized SLU organization, or by a SLU school, college or center.
• A stole or cord issued or supported by the University's Office of International Services.
• A red, white and blue cord worn by active military and veterans.
• Adornments to the top of the mortarboard; however, these are limited to appropriate adornments that celebrate the occasion.
• All graduates, irrespective of program or degree, are required to wear the traditional cap and gown appropriate to the degree being conferred. The wearing of the hood, when appropriate, is optional but highly recommended.