Academic Black Tie

A British college student has been invited to an event that calls for "academic black tie" and has asked me for a definition of the dress code. I'm afraid I've never heard of it and although I could simply tell him to contact the event host for clarification I would like to know myself what this means. Anyone have any idea?

That's just black tie with gown. If you are an undergraduate wear the BA gown; otherwise wear the gown of the highest degree you have actually been awarded.

It's too bad he's not Swedish.
If he were, and had obtained his Ph.D, he could step onto the scene in one of these:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctoral_hat



Hans said:

That's just black tie with gown. If you are an undergraduate wear the BA gown; otherwise wear the gown of the highest degree you have actually been awarded.

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Thanks. To what kind of events would it be worn?



Hans said:

That's just black tie with gown. If you are an undergraduate wear the BA gown; otherwise wear the gown of the highest degree you have actually been awarded.

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An undergraduate should most emphatically NOT be wearing a BA gown--unless things have changed drastically since my days at Oxford (1963-5).

Correct, you wear your undergrad gown - Commoner, Exhibitioner or Scholar.

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chobochobo said:

Correct, you wear your undergrad gown - Commoner, Exhibitioner or Scholar.

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The OP didn't mention the name of the university though - and apart from Oxbridge, most other British universities do not make such distinctions. Mind you, at most British universities you would never wear any kind of gown at all until your graduation(s), and then after that, only if you were a member of faculty attending other people's graduations.

The simple answer to the OP then is, you would have to ask the organisation that issued the invitation. It's the only way to be sure of exactly what they mean.



chobochobo said:

Correct, you wear your undergrad gown - Commoner, Exhibitioner or Scholar.

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At Cambridge undergraduate gowns vary by college not status.

FlyingMonkey said:

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The OP didn't mention the name of the university though - and apart from Oxbridge, most other British universities do not make such distinctions. Mind you, at most British universities you would never wear any kind of gown at all until your graduation(s), and then after that, only if you were a member of faculty attending other people's graduations.

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JLibourel said:

An undergraduate should most emphatically NOT be wearing a BA gown--unless things have changed drastically since my days at Oxford (1963-5).

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Actually many (most?) British universities do prescribe specific undergraduate gowns and sometimes they appear to be identical with BA ones. It's true they are very rarely seen now.

I agree that "Academic Black Tie" sounds like black tie with gown is probably what is intended.

"College student" is not usual BritEng vocab so i wonder if this event is actually happening in North America where other rules might apply?

I have never heard of "academic black tie."

AFAIK, the only thing you can properly wear to a formal event requiring academic robes is subfusc. Which, in fact, requires a white tie.

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Bounder said:

I have never heard of "academic black tie."
AFAIK, the only thing you can properly wear to a formal event requiring academic robes is subfusc. Which, in fact, requires a white tie.

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Again, that's really only an Oxbridge thing (although St Andrews may do something similar, I don't know). 'Subfusc' is something you will almost never hear spoken of at other universities.



FlyingMonkey said:

Again, that's really only an Oxbridge thing (although St Andrews may do something similar, I don't know). 'Subfusc' is something you will almost never hear spoken of at other universities.

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Mind you, at most British universities you would never wear any kind of gown at all until your graduation(s), and then after that, only if you were a member of faculty attending other people's graduations.

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All true. But as very few universities (there are a few in the States, I think) have any concept of wearing academic robes at anything other than graduations, one might as well apply the oxbridge rules.

In any case, while subfusc may be obscure, it certainly isn't as obscure as "academic black tie"!



Bounder said:

I have never heard of "academic black tie."
AFAIK, the only thing you can properly wear to a formal event requiring academic robes is subfusc. Which, in fact, requires a white tie.

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But you wouldn't wear sub fusc for a formal dinner - only for university ceremonies etc. At a black tie dinner in an Oxbridge hall undergrads would wear a dinner jacket with their gowns - but, I agree, I have never heard this described as Academic Black Tie.



Von Franz said:

It's too bad he's not Swedish.
If he were, and had obtained his Ph.D, he could step onto the scene in one of these:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctoral_hat

Click to expand...

Actually that's for White Tie.



Percy Trimmer said:

But you wouldn't wear sub fusc for a formal dinner - only for university ceremonies etc. At a black tie dinner in an Oxbridge hall undergrads would wear a dinner jacket with their gowns - but, I agree, I have never heard this described as Academic Black Tie.

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Well, it depends on the college, I'm sure, but it certainly isn't typical to wear gowns to a feast, as opposed to formal hall. If it is a black tie event, you typically just wear your DJ.

And subfusc is, at least theoretically, used for more than just university ceremonies. AFAIK, subfusc is still required to sit exams at Oxford, though not at Cambridge. So I suppose that you could have a social event with a subfusc dress code (which would necessarily include wearing an academical gown) although I have certainly never been invited to one.

It may well be that subfusc is not the answer Midnight Blue is looking for. But it is the only academic "dress code" that I know of. And it is, sort of, kind of black tie . . .ish. Hopefully, he can find out some more details.

BTW, I think it's pretty funny that what is probably nothing more than a poor choice of words has involved SF and one of the world's leading experts on formal dress in a lengthy debate which will, eventually, devolve into a discussion of collar bands.

Thanks everyone for the info. The student did not indicate what college he's attending but I've deduced that he's British based on his .co.uk email domain. Sounds like the best bet is for him to contact his college directly!