Decoding the colors of Commencement

The practice of wearing caps and gowns to signify a graduate’s educational passage from one level to the next extends back to medieval universities. Since then, generations of students have continued the tradition and in modern times found ways of adding unique touches to the tradition. Use this guide, designed by Tulane University graphic designer Kim Rainey, to help identify the regalia you’ll see graduates don in the Caesars Superdome during the 2025 Unified Commencement Ceremony.