As early as now, I know for a fact that graduating students are browsing through academic regalia catalogues trying to look for the cheapest graduation cap and gown set. The funny thing is – when they make a choice from that kind of mentality, instead of getting their money’s worth, they just obtain a cheap robe, and that’s it!
You have to remember that you don’t always get the best bargain from buying inexpensive things. So if you pay a small price for something, then most likely, the efforts put into the manufacturing of your product might have been little as well. However, price isn’t the only thing involved when you decide to buy something.
Good thing I’m here to help you out (yeah!). I believe the most important thing you can consider for you to save on graduation caps and gowns is to know the factors that will suit your comfort. That way, you won’t have regrets. I mean, imagine if you bought something itchy or hot or too tight for you, and so on and so forth, all because it merely cost you a penny. But that’s a waste isn’t it? I’m pretty sure you’d want to rip it in shreds and burn that robe right after the ceremony.
Graduation is supposed to be a happy day and a memorable and honorable one, too. To keep it that way, allow me to explain to you certain aspects to take into account about the graduation cap and gown. There are probably 3 factors you should consider before buying a package. Besides the gown color, there’s the (1) graduation gown size, (2) fabric of the graduation gown, and (3) cap size.
Graduation Gown Size
Before you even start thinking about your usual clothing size, let just stop you right there. Don’t forget that graduation gowns are unlike your casual clothes which mean that there’s a different way of getting your size measurements. To have an accurate size, here’s a step by step instruction for getting your measurements. Make sure to record them in custom unit (feet and / or inches).
1. Have your height taken. Measure the total length from your head all the way to the ground with your shoes on.
2. Record your weight in pounds. This should be the weight taken with your casual clothes on.
3. Measure you shoulder length. It should be done from shoulder to shoulder, tip to tip.
4. Graduation gowns have long sleeves so don’t forget to measure the sleeve length. You can do this by bending your arm and measuring from the center of your back to the tip of your elbow.
5. Lastly, measure around your chest, just in line with your shoulder blades and under your arms.
Now that you have all those information recorded, you can base your size from the chart below.
| Height | Weight | Size |
| 4’6” to 4’8” | 180 lbs and below | 39 |
| 4’9” to 4’11” | 180 lbs and below | 42 |
| 5’0” to 5’2” | 180 lbs and below | 45 |
| 5’3” to 5’5” | 180 lbs and below | 48 |
| 5’6” to 5’8” | 270 lbs and below | 51 |
| 5’9” to 5’11” | 270 lbs and below | 54 |
| 6’0” to 6’2” | 270 lbs and below | 57 |
| 6’3” to 6’5” | 330 lbs and below | 60 |
| 6’6” to 6’8” | 330 lbs and below | 63 |
| 6’9” to 6’11” | 330 lbs and below | 66 |
| PLUS SIZE | ||
| Height | Weight | Size |
| 5’0” to 5’2” | Above 180 lbs | 45 XL |
| 5’3” to 5’5” | Above 180 lbs | 48 XL |
| 5’9” to 5’11” | Above 270 lbs | 54 XL |
| 6’0” to 6’2” | Above 270 lbs | 57 XL |
| 6’6” to 6’8” | Above 350 lbs | 63 XL |
Fabric of the Gown
You might notice that I’ve skipped considering the graduation gown color, that’s because it’s really not much to think over. There’s no research needed for you to know what color you should get. The school tells you that, whether you ask for it or not, there is a standard requirement for each school.
From what I usually see, graduation gowns come in 4 kinds of fabric. The matte, shiny, eco-friendly and deluxe, and these are just actually the most common ones. Familiarizing yourself with these simple matters make your decision easier because you will know which one is appropriate for the day, considering the temperature, environment and conformity. Once you’ve taken all those into account, I’m sure you will get to pick the most comfortable kind.
Cap Size
This one’s easy. Most of the time, graduation apparel providers have a one size fits all type of cap which makes it hassle free, but for those of you who want an exact fit, all you have to do is wrap that tape measure around your head at a few inches above your brows, record the measurement in inches and then refer to another chart below.
| Head Measurement | Cap Size |
| 20.88” | 6.5 |
| 21.25” | 6.62 |
| 21.63” | 6.75 |
| 22” | 6.88 |
| 22.38” | 7 |
| 22.88” | 7.13 |
| 23.25” | 7.25 |
| 23.63” | 7.38 |
| 24” | 7.5 |
| 24.38” | 7.63 |
| 24.88” | 7.75 |
| 25.25” | 7.88 |
| 25.63” | 8 |
I swear that these are all but simple things that can keep you from committing one of the gravest mistakes you can ever have. Take it from me, I’ve almost been there and I personally wouldn’t want anyone to go through what I did. Good luck and have a happy graduation!
graduationcapngown 