What to wear under your graduation gown

Your gown hangs open at the front. Standing still, it frames you; once you walk, sit down or head up to the stage, it parts. Three areas of what you're wearing stay visible from morning to evening, and they turn up in nearly every picture.

The hood is the part people forget to plan around. It drapes from the back of your neck and sits across your shoulders. The university recommends a shirt or blouse with buttons to make fitting the gown easier, and the buttons help with the hood too: they give it a fixed point, so it stays straight while you stand, sit and get hugged all day.

Expect to be on your feet for hours. The university asks graduates to arrive on campus two hours before their ceremony: register in the Richmond Building, collect tickets, get gowned, maybe have your photographs taken in the Sports Hall at Unique Fitness. Then you're seated in the Great Hall half an hour before the start for a ceremony of about an hour and a half. Everything you wear has to be comfortable for that length of time.

Dress for the month, too. The Met Office's Bradford weather station records the averages for both rounds. December averages between 2 and 7°C, and it's also the city's wettest month, with almost a hundred millimetres of rain. July runs from 12 to 20°C, with more than four times the sunshine. Either way, bring a coat or jacket for getting to campus and for photos outdoors, and someone in your party can look after it while you're in the hall.

For photographs, choose contrast. A shade that stands apart from your gown comes out clearly in pictures, while one that's too similar fades into it. If you love dark colours, wear them, but put something lighter near the hood: a pale shirt, an ivory neckline, a fine scarf that comes off for the pictures.

"The graduation ceremonies are an official occasion and although there is no formal dress code, smart dress is required."

— The University of Bradford

Fitted shapes work better than loose ones. The gown already adds volume, so a floaty dress tends to disappear inside it, while something that follows your figure still reads as a proper outfit once the gown parts. A tailored mini or a fitted midi gives a crisp contrast with the formal gown. A long satin or crepe slip is softer and moves well as you walk across the stage.

In December, go for warmth that still photographs well: a fine-knit dress, a long-sleeved top in a light fabric, opaque tights. Leave the thick layers to your coat, because bulk under the gown adds width to every photo.

Light colours near the neckline are the safest choice: white, ivory and cream come out clean in photographs and frame your face. Soft blues, sage and blush suit a gentler look, and if you prefer something deeper, emerald, sapphire or plum all look rich and formal.

Pick shoes with the stage in mind before the photos. You climb a flight of steps, cross in front of the whole hall and come back down. A block heel, a heel you've tested on stairs or a smart pointed flat will manage that. Brand-new stilettos are a risk, and in December you want soles with some grip on wet pavements.

Keep your hair practical for the cap. Mortarboards sit flat, so a low bun or loose waves work better than a high ponytail or a tall updo. Keep jewellery small, studs or a delicate chain, since the hood fills the area around your neck.

Fit matters more than how new the suit is. Look for a close fit through the shoulders and waist, and trousers that just touch the top of your shoe. Charcoal, navy or a mid-grey all look sharp under the gown and calm next to the hood. December calls for wool and a proper overcoat; for July, pick a lighter cloth in a pale stone or sand shade that stays formal and keeps you cool.

Don't own a suit? Good trousers, a crisp shirt and a tie still count as smart dress. A waistcoat gives shape if you skip the jacket. With your back and shoulders under the gown, people mostly see your shirt front, your tie and your legs from the knee down.

The shirt matters more than you'd think. The hood sits on it all day, and the university recommends one with buttons to make the gown easier to fit. The buttons also give the hood something to anchor to as it shifts through the day. Classic white or pale blue both photograph cleanly near the hood.

Keep the tie in one muted colour. A plain navy, burgundy, forest green or silver tie looks considered next to the hood. Big patterns and novelty prints pull attention away from it in photographs.

Choose polished leather shoes in black or dark brown, whether oxfords, derbies or loafers, and wear them in before the day. You'll be going up and down the stage steps, so a sole with some grip helps, especially in December. Keep your shirt tucked in so the line holds when the gown swings open, and keep your watch simple.