An Overview of Academic Regalia History

Ever wondered why we should wear a type of robe and a kind of cap during Graduation? Sometimes, we don’t really take note of it because it has already been like that since time immemorial. Wearing the usual Graduation cap and gown is like a traditional belief that we never question, we just comply with it because it was always the practice since then. Gradshop.com, your leading producer and manufacturer of Graduation clothing and accessories will give you a short overview of Academic Regalia History to provide a better understanding on how and why the traditional garments for Graduation came about. It surely was not like some people in History suddenly decided that this and that should be used for Graduation, of course it was not like that. The garbs we wear today during Graduation have its own story to tell.

And why should we bother knowing its history? Well, history can tell us a lot of stuff. Learning one’s history provides us a better understanding of the present. Knowing one’s history can fill us with pride, and our aim is to make you twice as proud during your Graduation day by giving you a little background of Academic Regalia History.

To start with, let us define the middle ages. The middle ages in Europe practically began in the 5th century and lasted around the 15th century. When Rome decided to abandon Paganism completely, a new unified church came to rise known as the Roman Catholic Church. This church controlled almost all aspects of society, most especially the education during the time. The Roman Catholic Church relies on the bible and other theological writings as a source of knowledge and information. During this time, there was no freedom of expression; what the Church says is Dogma and therefore, anyone who defied it is silenced or punished. 

Moreover, knowledge can only be accessed by clerics or people from the church, the common people only rely on them for interpretation. This era also ushered a whole new societal system that is governed by Kings and Nobles, a system we call Feudalism. Feudal Lords and their kingdoms require a lot of people to maintain its glory, so there is also a rise of the peasant population. This period of time is also scarred by many plagues, wars and famine which is why the Middle Ages is also sometimes referred as the Dark Ages. But it is during this miserable era that our Academic Regalia History begins.

As said earlier, the church practically owns and controls all fields of study. During this time, technology was not that advanced, so people during this time have to withstand any climate with only their simple garments. To withstand the cold, medieval scholars, mostly priests and monks, have to wear long sleeved robes with hoods to keep themselves warm. Later, they developed a color code that represents which degree and order they are from.

From then on, slight changes had been done with the traditional Graduation garments. Although today, the colors assigned for each degree and level of study differs, the Graduation gown is still very evident of its holy beginnings. 

Basically, that is our overview of Academic Regalia History brought to you by the GradShop. And remember, Gradshop.com is your one-stop shop for your Graduation  accessories and  apparel needs. Happy Graduation!