Undergraduate gowns in Scotland facts for kids

Gowned St Andrews undergraduates on the town pier

Undergraduate gowns are special clothes worn by students at older universities in Scotland. These gowns are part of a tradition called academic dress, which includes robes and hats worn for formal events.

The most famous Scottish student gown is red or scarlet. It's usually made of thick wool. Students at the Universities of St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Dundee wear these red gowns. However, students at the University of Strathclyde wear a black gown called a supertunica, which has blue buttons and cords.

History of Student Gowns

Long ago, before the 1500s, students across Europe likely wore black gowns. Over time, in Scotland, this changed to scarlet red. The red color was a sign of lower status, and it made students easy to spot. This was important because the gowns acted like a uniform, helping to prevent students from getting into trouble in their university towns.

In the early 1700s, a writer named Daniel Defoe wrote about these gowns. He saw students wearing them at the Universities of Glasgow and St Andrews. He noted that students at Edinburgh did not wear them at that time.

Defoe wrote about Glasgow:

Here is a principal, with regents and professors in every science, as there is at Edinburgh, and the scholars wear gowns, which they do not at Edinburgh. Their gowns here are red, but the Masters of Arts, and professors, wear black gowns, with a large cape of velvet to distinguish them.

And about St Andrews:

the students wear gowns here of a scarlet-like colour, but not in grain, and are very numerous

The red gown was sometimes called the "toga rubra," especially at Aberdeen. Over time, as education changed, the use of these gowns became less common. For example, John Anderson, a professor at the University of Glasgow, started classes for working people. To make it easier for them to attend, he removed some formal rules, like wearing the red gown. These classes became known as his "Anti-toga classes."

Gowns at the University of Glasgow

The University of Glasgow's student gown is scarlet red. It has full sleeves that are half the length of the gown. Sometimes, a narrow silk band is added to the front of the gown. The color of this band shows which subject the student is studying.

Gowns at the University of Aberdeen

A student from Aberdeen University in their gown

At the University of Aberdeen, the red gown, or toga rubra, has been popular at different times. In 1885, fewer than a quarter of students wore it. Even though there were rules saying students should wear gowns, they were not always followed.

Students at Aberdeen used to wear old and worn gowns. There was a tradition where older students would tear the gowns of new first-year students, called 'bajans'. This often happened on the Monday after the first Sunday of term. Even though gowns cost money, it was hard to stop this practice.

Some students did not like wearing the gown. In 1922, when there was an effort to bring back the gown, a group formed to protest it. In 1924, they wrote in the university newspaper:

when we leave the gates of King's we become citizens of Aberdeen in this year of grace 1924, and we ought to dress as such. We ought to do nothing which might serve to separate or to alienate us from the general body the citizens

This feeling of being "separate" meant that local children sometimes made fun of students wearing gowns.

When and Where Gowns Are Used Today

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

Today, the gowns are most often seen at the University of St Andrews. Students there sometimes wear them for formal events, special pier walks, chapel services, and debates. It's not required, but it's a common sight. They are rarely worn for everyday classes or exams anymore.

At other universities, gowns are seen less often. You might still spot them on students involved in debates, clubs, or formal events. They are also commonly worn at important academic ceremonies, especially when a new university leader, called a Rector, is welcomed.

The style of these student gowns also influences the robes worn by student leaders and Rectors.

How the Gowns Look

A University of Dundee gown

Gown Colors

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 a few differences in the gowns at the various universities:

• Aberdeen - These gowns are shorter and are often called a "toga rubra" or simply a toga.
• Dundee - The gown is "Union Jack red" with cape sleeves. It has a yoke and collar made of blue fabric.
• Edinburgh - The gown is entirely scarlet red.
• Glasgow - This gown can have a thin silk band on the front. The color of this band matches the color of the hood for the lowest degree in that subject.
• St Andrews - The gown has a maroon yoke and collar, usually made of velvet. This contrasts with the wool of the main gown.
  • Students at St Mary's College (which is for divinity students) wear a simple black gown. It has a violet or purple St Andrews cross on the left side.
• Strathclyde - Students here wear a black supertunica, which is similar to gowns worn before the 1500s. It has blue cords and buttons on the sleeves and around the collar. This is unique to Strathclyde.

Special Gowns

Gowns for Student Leaders

Many universities have special gowns for their student representatives. These are often based on the red undergraduate gown but have different colored facings or details.

For example, student leaders at the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council wear purple gowns. The executive members of the University of Strathclyde Students' Association wear the black supertunica with the university logo. Their President even has gold embroidery on the sleeves.

Other Student Gowns

• At St Mary's College in St Andrews, students studying divinity wear plain black gowns. These gowns are knee-length with short open sleeves and a violet St Andrew's cross on the left side. The reason they wear black, even though they are undergraduates, is that in the past, all students at St Mary's College were graduate students. So, the black gown tradition has continued.