What to wear under your graduation gown

A graduation gown is cut to hang open at the front. When you stand still it falls straight; the moment you walk, sit down or step forward to have your name read, it parts. Three areas of your outfit stay in view from the box office to the drinks reception, and they're the ones every photograph picks up.

Then there's the hood. For Clerkenwell and Moorgate degrees it's maroon and gold at every level and in every subject: maroon cloth lined with gold for a bachelor's degree, maroon silk edged in gold for a master's. Doctors go further, with a maroon gown trimmed in gold as well. (Tooting's academic dress isn't published on the same page, so check the set your booking shows.) That's two warm, rich colours sitting on your shoulders before you've chosen anything, so give them space. Neutral ground works: ivory, navy, black or a dark grey. Burgundy, wine and deep red are the ones to avoid: beside the maroon they look like an almost-match rather than a decision.

The day itself is long but mostly spent indoors. You check in at the Barbican's box office two hours before the ceremony, robe up and have your portrait taken inside the building, sit for about ninety minutes in the hall, then stand around with a drink in the foyer. Under the gown, comfort counts for more than you'd think: you'll be on your feet, then seated, then on your feet again.

Dress for the month all the same, since you still have to get there. The Met Office's long-running London records, from its Heathrow station, put January's average between 3 and 8°C, with around seven nights a month dipping below freezing. July averages 14 to 24°C, with three and a half times January's sunshine. Bring a coat in winter and a light layer in summer, and hand either to a guest, or to the free cloakroom, before you go in.

On camera, contrast is what makes an outfit visible. A colour well away from the black gown reads clearly in photographs, while something close to black merges with it. If you love dark clothes, keep one lighter piece near your face, a shirt collar or a pale neckline, so the hood has something to sit against.

"For all attendees, business wear or formal dress is classed as appropriate."

— City St George's, University of London

Shapes that follow the body work hardest under a gown. The gown already adds fullness, so a loose, floaty dress tends to disappear beneath it, while something fitted keeps its outline when the gown parts. A short structured dress gives the strongest contrast with all that black; a long satin or crepe column is the softer route, and it moves well as you walk to the stage.

In January, choose warmth that stays sleek on camera: a knitted dress in a fine gauge, sleeves in something light, tights either sheer or opaque. Keep anything bulky for your coat. Under the gown, extra layers only add width.

With maroon and gold at your neck, ivory and cream are the safest bets: they lift the maroon and make the gold glow. Champagne and soft gold tones pick up the gold in the hood for a tonal look. For colour, cool shades work best against the warm hood, so try sapphire, navy or a clear cobalt. Keep reds and pinks for another occasion; next to maroon they compete.

Your shoes have to manage the stage first and the photographs second. Crossing it means walking in front of the whole hall at the pace the names are read, so choose a heel you've already worn for a full evening, a block heel or a pointed flat. New stilettos on the day are a risk. In January, a sole with some grip helps on a wet pavement on the way in.

Leave room for the cap. A mortarboard needs to sit level, so smooth hair or a low style is easier than a high one. Jewellery can stay small, a fine chain or simple earrings, since the hood is already doing plenty around your collarbones.

Tailoring is the most direct route to the university's "business wear or formal dress". Choose a suit cut close at the shoulder and waist, with trousers short enough not to pool over your shoes. Navy and charcoal set off maroon well, and a mid-grey keeps things lighter. For January, a wool suit and a proper overcoat; for July, something lighter, in stone or pale grey, that stays formal without the heat.

Skipping the jacket? Smart trousers, an ironed shirt and a tie still count as business wear, and a waistcoat gives the shape a jacket would. Most of your back disappears under the gown anyway; the front of the shirt, the tie and your trousers below the knee are what the camera gets.

Wear a collared shirt with buttons: the hood sits on it, and hoods creep backwards over a long day. A button gives you somewhere to fix it if it begins to slip.

Your tie is the place to nod to the hood. A muted maroon or a soft gold echoes it without looking matched; navy and silver grey are the easy alternatives that go with everything. Avoid bright red, which fights the maroon in every photograph.

For shoes, polished leather in black or a deep brown: oxfords, derbies or loafers, worn a few times before the day so they don't pinch by the reception. Keep the shirt tucked so the outline holds when the gown parts, and wear a plain watch, which shows at the cuff in nearly every shot.