How to Wear a Graduation Stole or Sash
A graduation stole is simple to wear, but small details decide whether it looks neat in photos: where the center sits, whether both ends hang evenly, and whether your university allows one at all. Here is how to put on a stole or sash in under a minute, and what to check before the day.
Stole or Sash: What Is the Difference?
The two words are often used for the same thing: a long, narrow band of fabric worn over the graduation gown. Some people use "sash" for a band worn across the body from one shoulder, but most graduation sashes, including ours, are worn like a stole, draped around the neck with both ends hanging down the front.
Stoles can mark a degree, an honor, a club or society, or a cultural identity. At some universities, the stole is part of the official academic dress. At Charles Sturt University, for example, diploma and associate degree gowns include a stole in the faculty color.
How to Wear a Graduation Stole, Step by Step
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Put on your gown first. The stole always goes on over the gown. If you are also wearing a hood, check your university's rules first (see below).
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Find the center. Fold the stole in half lengthwise so the two ends meet. The fold is the center, and it sits at the back of your neck.
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Drape it around your neck. Place the center at the back of your neck and let both ends fall down the front of your gown, over your chest.
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Even out the ends. Both sides should hang to the same length. Look down or use a mirror, and slide the stole until the ends line up.
- Smooth it flat. Make sure the stole lies flat on your shoulders and is not twisted at the back. Any design or lettering should face out.
- Secure it if it slips. A small safety pin through the stole into your own clothing underneath keeps it in place. Avoid pinning through the outside of the gown.
Can You Wear a Stole with a Hood?
It depends on your university. The University of New England, for example, states that it is not correct to wear more than one hood or stole at the same time. Others allow certain stoles alongside academic dress: Charles Sturt University lets First Nations and Torres Strait Islander graduates wear a sash in their cultural colors.
If your university allows both, ask which goes on top before the day. For help with the hood itself, see How to Wear a Graduation Hood.
Check Your University's Rules First
Some universities do not allow extra sashes or stoles on official academic dress at all. Others allow honor, club or cultural stoles. Read your graduation office's academic dress guide, and ask before you buy if you are unsure.
Choosing Your Stole
Our Graduation Sashes and Stoles come in 10 colors, made from smooth polyester satin in one size. Many schools and student groups choose one color so their graduates stand out together in photos. Ordering for a group? Request a quote.
Before the ceremony, press out any creases on a low setting with a pressing cloth. Our guide on how to iron a graduation sash shows how.
Complete your look with honor cords, a graduation hood and more from our Graduation Accessories. For the rest of your outfit, see How to Wear Your Graduation Gown and Cap and our guides on what to wear under a graduation gown for men and women.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a stole the same as a sash?
Usually, yes. Both words describe a band worn over the gown, and most graduation sashes are worn around the neck like a stole.
Should both ends of the stole be even?
Yes. The stole should fall from the back of your neck with equal lengths on each side.
Does the stole go over or under the hood?
That depends on your university, and some do not allow both at once. Check your academic dress guide.
Can I wear a stole and honor cords together?
Many graduates do, but rules vary. Check with your graduation office.
How do I keep my stole from slipping?
Center it at the back of your neck, then pin it to your own clothing underneath if it still moves.