University Academic mortarboard (Bachelor) - Graduation Cap

Product Information

This latter cap proved unpopular with the student body, whose preference for the traditional square shape led to a practical disuse of caps.

The distinctive square shape of a mortarboard is believed to signify a book, chosen in recognition of scholarly achievements. When you think about the square academic cap you probably think of a symbol of achievement and learning. The Italian biretta is a word derived from the Medieval Latin birretum from the Late Latin birrus "large hooded cloak", which is perhaps of Gaulish origin, or from Ancient Greek πυρρός pyrrhos "flame-coloured, yellow". This convention has now fallen into disuse; few people now wear headgear with academic dress at any time and undergraduates in particular have no need to wear the cap. Our UK Mortarboards are made from a high-quality combination of durable woven polyester which gives it rigidness for the all-important traditional hat throwing photograph but is also great for comfort throughout the long day ahead.

In the US, an 'elasticated skull' is mostly used, which eliminates the need to make many mortarboards in different hat sizes.

Rather than implementing a buttoned tassel, this variation implements two large ribbons drawn into an X-shape from corner to corner across the cap.These threads are attached together and fastened to a button in the middle of the cap, and are allowed to fall freely over the side of the cap. The ribbon for the wide ribbons is grosgrain ribbon whilst the rosette can be made of either the same grosgrain or satin.

They may also be plaited together to form a single cord, though the end of the threads are usually left untied. This has often been misinterpreted – urban legends at many universities like Trinity College, University of Bristol, and University of Cambridge state that men stopped wearing the cap to protest the admission of women into the university. Instead of a tassel and button on top of the board, there are two black ribbons that are attached from corner to corner of the board forming a cross. In Ireland, a common belief [12] holds that only women wear the mortarboard because a bachelor's degree was thought to be the maximum education they could attain and thus represented the 'capping' of their education, however there is little evidence for this. The University of East Anglia, for example, features two hat designs created by designer Cecil Beaton.

Our beautiful garments are lovingly made to our own patterns and designs to ensure you always look your absolute best without breaking the bank. Right: honorary graduates at the University of Bologna in Italy, still which still uses a biretta style cap for some graduates. Instead of a tassel and button, two wide ribbons are attached to the cap from corner-to-corner, forming an X.