Academic dress of the University of Dublin

Gowns

Gowns are open-fronted, like those generally used throughout Ireland and the United Kingdom, but not the United States, and they are largely similar in shape to those of the University of Oxford. The main types seen are the bachelors' and masters' gowns. In addition, for certain formal occasions, Doctors wear special dress gowns, distinguished by the use of scarlet; the sleeves and facings of these are adorned in some cases with various patterns that indicate the exact degree or degrees that they possess, allowing this to be determined even when hoods are not being worn.

Masters

The master's gown design used at Dublin [m3], illustrating the deep crescentic cut in the sleeve end.

Masters wear a gown [m3] in black cloth, silk or poplin, similar to the Oxford MA shape [m1] but with a very high cresentic cut in the sleeves giving a deep blunt point to the bases, and with a cord and button on the yoke.

Hoods

The hood design used at Dublin [f2], illustrating the curved liripipe at the inner corner.

Hoods made of silk are worn on the back as an indicator of academic status. The design of hoods as set by University and College Statutes Chapter XXII is below.^[4] Their design is distinctive [f2], having a full shape with an inch-wide edging to the cape and cowl, and in some cases they have poplin or fur decoration.

For several years around the turn of the 21st century, the BA hood was erroneously cut in a modified (with a curved liripipe) Belfast simple-shape [s3] and lined with fur differently. Before 1909, the shape was the same as the Belfast shape but was then changed to the full-shape. However, in recent years, the hood had been made in the modified Belfast shape, for unknown reasons, by the university's authorised robemakers.^[5] Subsequently, the MB hood had also been cut in the simple shape, apparently without any official authorisation from the university.^[6] Since the 2012-13 academic year, both the BA and MB hoods have once again supplied in the Dublin full shape.

Epitoge

Graduates of diploma programmes may choose to wear academic dress consisting of an epitoge [e1], a strip of material worn over the left shoulder, on top of an undergraduate's gown. Undergraduate diplomates wear a blue epitoge, while postgraduate diplomates wear a blue and black epitoge.

Headdresses

A form of a black hat known as a square cap (also mortarboard) [h1] is worn or carried. The Consolidated Statutes of the College (Chapter XVIII) state that: "The caps to be worn by Graduates and Undergraduates shall be black, and of the ordinary academical shape; the cap to be worn by Scholars and ex-Scholars shall be covered in velvet, and all other caps in fine cloth; and the caps of Graduates shall in all cases have a black silk tassel added in the usual manner. Students shall salute the Provost and Fellows by doffing their caps."

Chancellor

The Chancellor of the University is elected by the Senate (i.e. the alumni with degrees) of the University. For ceremonial occasions, she or he wears on ceremonial occasions a black corded silk lay-type gown with a long train, decorated with a row of gold lace along the sleeves and with two rows down the front and along the cope, similar to the gowns of the Lord Chancellor. The Chancellor's velvet mortarboard has a gold tassel, like that of the former noblemen commoners.

Proctors

The Proctors wear the ancient form of the BA hood with their gown. The hood is in the Belfast simple-shape and lined with ermine (white fur with black spots).