Commencements: what to wear?

cunnins4

I believe the gents have to wear tuxes for graduation, but what about guests? Are there any guidelines on what my parents should wear?

SligoBrewer

Depends..

cunnins4

SligoBrewer wrote: »

Depends..

Jesus the tension is killing me. Anything more to add to that?

ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI

I think your parents are allowed wear whatever they want (though I am not completely certain). I think an ordinary suit is the most popular choice for male guests?

What I am uncertain about is why we are required to wear Black Tie in the first place, I have consulted multiple style guide and they all indicate that Black Tie should only ever be worn from 6 o'clock onwards. Commencement times start from between 11 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon I believe. Perhaps someone could shed some light on this, and why Trinity aren't committing some dreadful sartorial faux pas?

Jev/N

Well plenty of people have black tie weddings so that whole 6pm thing doesn't really hold up?

AlanSparrowhawk

I think it's fairly widely accepted that only aristocratic homosexuals actually pay very close attention to the etiquette of day and evening formal wear. I don't trust a man who knows more than one way to tie a neck tie.

Your parents can wear something similar to what they'd wear to a big wedding, suit for your dad, dress and hat for your mother. However, doesn't by any means have to be ostentatious.

Mark200

ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI wrote: »

I think your parents are allowed wear whatever they want (though I am not completely certain). I think an ordinary suit is the most popular choice for male guests?

What I am uncertain about is why we are required to wear Black Tie in the first place, I have consulted multiple style guide and they all indicate that Black Tie should only ever be worn from 6 o'clock onwards. Commencement times start from between 11 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon I believe. Perhaps someone could shed some light on this, and why Trinity aren't committing some dreadful sartorial faux pas?

The fashion world must have been backwards back when these traditions were made

ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI

Jev/N wrote: »

Well plenty of people have black tie weddings so that whole 6pm thing doesn't really hold up?

The correct attire for a daytime wedding is morning dress.

e.g.

dabh

ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI wrote: »

What I am uncertain about is why we are required to wear Black Tie in the first place, I have consulted multiple style guide and they all indicate that Black Tie should only ever be worn from 6 o'clock onwards. Commencement times start from between 11 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon I believe. Perhaps someone could shed some light on this, and why Trinity aren't committing some dreadful sartorial faux pas?

The University of Dublin considers herself to be a sister university of Oxford and Cambridge, to the extent that degrees, up to the level of M.A., earned by study at one of those universities can qualify one for the award of a degree 'ad eundem gradum' at another.

Graduands at Cambridge wear dark suits, white ties and Geneva bands, gowns, and B.A. hoods edged with white fur. The Geneva bands may reflect the fact that an undergraduate education used to be viewed as a stepping stone to a vocation as a protestant clergyman. Clergymen used to wear bands in the eighteenth century, as did judges and barristers, apparently.

Oxford dispenses with the Geneva bands, but graduands are required to wear a white tie with all the other accoutrements.

So it would seem that the University of Dublin is a stage further advanced in the direction of informality: black bow tie in place of white.

Tailcoats are not required for graduation at Cambridge. Presumably they are not required at Oxford either. So if the University of Dublin is perpetrating a 'sartorial faux pas', then the other two universities would be even worse offenders. (Never wear a white tie with a tux, if sartorial correctness matters to you.)

Jev/N

ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI wrote: »

The correct attire for a daytime wedding is morning dress.

e.g.

Well done... but it is generally only the wedding party that wear the above attire, not the entirety of the guests

/pedantic

ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI

dabh wrote: »

The University of Dublin considers herself to be a sister university of Oxford and Cambridge, to the extent that degrees, up to the level of M.A., earned by study at one of those universities can qualify one for the award of a degree 'ad eundem gradum' at another.

Graduands at Cambridge wear dark suits, white ties and Geneva bands, gowns, and B.A. hoods edged with white fur. The Geneva bands may reflect the fact that an undergraduate education used to be viewed as a stepping stone to a vocation as a protestant clergyman. Clergymen used to wear bands in the eighteenth century, as did judges and barristers, apparently.

Oxford dispenses with the Geneva bands, but graduands are required to wear a white tie with all the other accoutrements.

So it would seem that the University of Dublin is a stage further advanced in the direction of informality: black bow tie in place of white.

Tailcoats are not required for graduation at Cambridge. Presumably they are not required at Oxford either. So if the University of Dublin is perpetrating a 'sartorial faux pas', then the other two universities would be even worse offenders. (Never wear a white tie with a tux, if sartorial correctness matters to you.)

Well that was interesting, plus some food for thought :-)

Thanks!

Kwekubo

Official advice from the Proctors' Office:

6. DRESS AT COMMENCEMENTS
All candidates must rigorously adhere to the following dress code:

-Men must wear dinner jackets or full evening wear (tuxedo), white shirt, black or white bow tie (clergy or military excepted), hood and gown, cap (optional).
-Women must wear black or white (clergy or military excepted), or a combination of both (black and/or white), hood, and gown, cap (optional).

Please note that candidates who do not comply with the above dress code will be normally denied permission to proceed with conferral on the day.

If candidates are to receive more than one degree, the hood and gown of the senior degree will be worn. Advice on seniority of degrees may be obtained from the Proctors’ Office.

The men's section of this is very poorly worded. "Dinner jacket" and "tuxedo" mean the same thing (the "black tie" dress code), but "full evening wear" means something entirely different (the "white tie" dress code - ie black tailcoat, white bow tie, white low-cut waistcoat). So take your pick.

White tie is more traditional, it used to be compulsory for men at commencements until recent decades. If I were you I'd go for white tie (it could well be the only occasion in your life where you'll get the chance to wear it). Failing that, wear a black suit with a white bow tie.

godtabh

I might push the boat out and wear a normal suit. I've seen a few people get away with this in the past

Podge_irl

dabh wrote: »

Tailcoats are not required for graduation at Cambridge. Presumably they are not required at Oxford either.

They're not. Though students in Oxford have to wear that get up while doing their exams as well, which doesn't strike me as much fun.

I might push the boat out and wear a normal suit. I've seen a few people get away with this in the past

Just lash a bow tie onto a normal suit and you'll be grand.

ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI

Kwekubo wrote: »

Official advice from the Proctors' Office:


The men's section of this is very poorly worded. "Dinner jacket" and "tuxedo" mean the same thing (the "black tie" dress code), but "full evening wear" means something entirely different (the "white tie" dress code - ie black tailcoat, white bow tie, white low-cut waistcoat). So take your pick.

White tie is more traditional, it used to be compulsory for men at commencements until recent decades. If I were you I'd go for white tie (it could well be the only occasion in your life where you'll get the chance to wear it). Failing that, wear a black suit with a white bow tie.

Thanks Kwekubo, I'll take your advice on board, although unfortunately, this time around I don't really think white tie is feasible. However if I end up doing a Masters I will seriously consider it, and try to persuade others!

Podge_irl wrote: »

They're not. Though students in Oxford have to wear that get up while doing their exams as well, which doesn't strike me as much fun.
Just lash a bow tie onto a normal suit and you'll be grand.

And look like a clown.

Señor Juárez

Ah, so men are permitted to wear caps.

Deadly.

oppenheimer1

kearnsr wrote: »

I might push the boat out and wear a normal suit. I've seen a few people get away with this in the past

Do wear the bow tie though. The group photo looks great with everyone dressed the same.

ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Do wear the bow tie though. The group photo looks great with everyone dressed the same.

Yep, a good reason against wearing white tie too, for better or for worse.

My graduating class (CS) consists entirely of men, so we'll look particularly uniform.

godtabh

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Do wear the bow tie though. The group photo looks great with everyone dressed the same.

Suit bought no bow tie in sight