Cambridge is a place where traditions hold against the test of time. The more memorable ones are matriculation and graduation, where you sign a big, old, dusty book stored in your college library, promising that you will not break a long and convoluted set of rules, or actually receive the fruits of your labour in paper form. The actual ceremonies take all of thirty seconds, and are deceptively anticlimactic.
But gowned occasions introduce a fashion conundrum that will plague you for the rest of your time in Cambridge: What the hell am I going to wear under my gown? “You don’t want any awkward necklines, or worse, to look as if you just threw your bathrobe on” Before we start delving into the details, any event where a gown is required is a formal event, so do dress accordingly. You will mostly wear your gown to formals, somewhat fancy three course dinners in colleges. Most students have a rotation of outfits that they know work with the gown.
But before you have that to hand, I highly encourage you to try on the outfit that you are planning on wearing with your gown ahead of time. You don’t want any awkward necklines, or worse, to look as if you just threw your bathrobe on. For colour combinations, avoid going for a monochromatic all black.
If your gown is black, you will probably end up looking like a sack of potatoes, or if not – worst case scenario – a trash bag. Please avoid the black shirt under a suit. And for the few of you who have colleges that decided t.
