Undergraduate gowns in Scotland facts for kids

Gowned St Andrews undergraduates on the town pier

Undergraduate gowns are special robes worn by students at the ancient universities in Scotland. These universities include St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Dundee. The gowns are a notable part of their academic dress, which is the traditional clothing worn for formal events.

The most famous Scottish student gown is red or scarlet. It's usually made of thick wool. Each university has a slightly different style. Students at the University of Strathclyde wear a black gown called a supertunica, with blue buttons and cords.

History of Student Gowns

It's thought that students before the Reformation (a big change in religion in the 1500s) wore black gowns, just like students across Europe. By the time James VI was king, around the early 1600s, the gowns became scarlet red.

The red color traditionally showed a lower status. It also made students very visible. This was important because the gown acted like a uniform. It helped stop students from getting into trouble in their university towns.

Early Gowns in Scotland

In the early 1700s, a writer named Daniel Defoe wrote about these gowns. He saw them at the Universities of Glasgow and St Andrews. But he noted that students in Edinburgh didn't wear them.

About the University of Glasgow, he wrote that students wore red gowns. Professors and Masters of Arts wore black gowns with a velvet cape. About St Andrews, he said students wore "scarlet-like" gowns and there were many of them.

The name "toga rubra" (which means "red gown") was popular, especially at Aberdeen. Over time, as education changed, the use of gowns became less common. For example, John H. D. Anderson, a professor at the University of Glasgow, started classes for working people. To make it easier for them, he didn't require the red gown. University leaders didn't like this, so these classes were called his "Anti-toga classes."

Gowns at Glasgow University

The University of Glasgow's student gown is scarlet. It has full sleeves that are half the length of the gown. Students can add a narrow silk band on the chest. The color of this band shows which subject area (Faculty) they are studying.

Gowns at Aberdeen University

A student at the University of Aberdeen

At the University of Aberdeen, the gown, or toga rubra, has been more or less popular over the years. In 1885, fewer than a quarter of students wore it. It was mostly worn by arts students at King's College.

Even though there were rules to make students wear gowns, they weren't often enforced. In 1888, students voted to keep the rule, and the university agreed. But the gown still didn't become widely worn again.

A Scottish artist, Sir George Reid, painted an Aberdeen student in a gown in the 1850s. The painting was called "Salve Toga Rubra" (meaning "Hail the Red Gown").

Traditions and Challenges

The toga was sometimes criticized for not being good for Aberdeen's weather. It was also considered proper for students to wear an old, worn gown. A tradition of 'gown-tearing' developed. Older students would tear the gowns of new first-year students, called 'bajans'. This usually happened on the Monday after the first Sunday of term. Even though gowns were expensive, it was hard to stop this tradition. Students often carried small knives to fix their quill pens, which they also used for tearing.

Some students were against wearing the gown. In 1922, there was an effort to bring back the gown to show 'Varsity Spirit'. But an anti-gown group formed to protest. In 1924, they wrote in the university newspaper that students should dress like regular citizens of Aberdeen. They felt the gown made them seem separate from the local people. This separation sometimes led to local children making fun of gowned students.

How Gowns Are Used Today

Over time, the popularity of undergraduate gowns has changed at different universities. In cities, it became less practical to wear them every day. However, in more isolated places like Aberdeen and St Andrews (and Dundee), the tradition lasted longer.

Today, gowns are most commonly seen at the University of St Andrews. Students there often wear them for formal events, special pier walks, chapel services, and debates. Wearing them is not required, but it's a strong tradition. Sometimes, they are even worn for exams.

At other universities, gowns are rarely worn daily. You might still see them on debaters, members of student societies, student representatives, choirs, or at formal events and chapel services. They are also often worn at academic ceremonies, especially when a new Rector (a student-elected leader) is installed.

The style of the undergraduate gown also influences the gowns worn by student leaders and Rectors.

What Gowns Look Like

University of Dundee gown on a hanger, showing front and back

Color of the Gowns

The exact shade of red for the undergraduate gown is not always strictly defined. However, the University of Dundee and the University of St Andrews say the correct color is "Union Jack red."

Differences Between Gowns

There are several differences in the gowns at various universities:

• Aberdeen - The gown is shorter than others. It's often called a "toga rubra" or just a toga. A famous painting, Salve Toga Rubra, shows an Aberdeen gown.
• Dundee - The student gown is "Union Jack red." It has cape sleeves, a yoke, a collar, and small square patches in "Stewart blue" fabric.
• Edinburgh - The gown is entirely scarlet red.
• Glasgow - Students can add a "narrow band of silk" on each side of the chest. The color of this band matches the lining of the hood for their lowest degree.
• St Andrews - The gown has a maroon yoke and collar. These parts are usually made of velvet, which stands out from the wool of the main gown.
  • Different colleges at St Andrews have different gowns. Students of St Mary's College (which is the Faculty of Divinity) wear a simple black gown. It has a violet or purple St Andrews cross on the left chest.
  • Students of St Leonard's College (for postgraduate students) do not wear the red gown. They wear the gown from their earlier degree or a black gown with burgundy facings.
• Strathclyde - Students here wear the black supertunica, which was worn before the Reformation. It's similar to the Master of Arts gown at Oxford University. However, the cords and buttons on the sleeves and around the neck are "Saltire Blue." This blue color is unique to Strathclyde.

Special Gowns

Gowns for Student Leaders

Many universities have special gowns for their student representatives, like those on the students' representative councils. These gowns are often based on the red gown but have different colored facings (the front edges).

For example, the executive members of the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council wear entirely purple gowns. The University of Strathclyde Students' Association executive wears the black supertunica with the university logo. The President's gown also has gold embroidery on the sleeves.

Other Student Gowns

• St Mary's College at the University of St Andrews (the divinity faculty) uses plain black gowns for its undergraduate students. This gown is knee-length with short open sleeves. It has a violet cross of St Andrew on the left side. The black color is kept because, in the past, all members of St Mary's College were graduate students.