I’m sure that there will be a lot of graduations in your life. And while high school often feels like the biggest accomplishment of your life, when you get to college and even grad school, you realize that graduations become more meaningful than ever.
Preserving graduation caps and gowns may not occur to you during your first high school graduation. After all, most high school graduation regalia tend to be average polyester. It’s obviously not worth storing.
But doctoral hoods and other post-grad graduation regalia are a bit more advanced. You get a soft skull cap, top quality fabric on the gown, and some unique velvet piping stitched in there too. It’s the kind of graduation regalia that easily sets you apart from college and high school graduates.
Besides, such caps and gowns are expensive, and would typically cost well in excess of $100. So, keeping them safe is highly recommended.
Below, you can find a few tips that will surely help you with this:
Pick a Dry Place
It’s not uncommon for people to display their graduation regalia alongside their diplomas. If you’re going to work so hard to get a Ph.D., then it’s only fair to let the whole world know. However, exposing graduation regalia to the light isn’t ideal.
UV light, in particular, will cause fading on the fabric, and this happens on just one side.
In the end, you end up with regalia that looks very weird and you will never wear it again. But you can save yourself from all this by storing your graduation clothing in a dark and dry place away from the sun.
Ensure the regalia is also easily accessible. You never know when you might need it. These are simple graduation cap ideas but they truly make a lot of sense.
Keep Your Regalia Clean
Before you store your graduation regalia, at least make sure it’s cleaned properly. The last thing you want is to store your gown and cap with a few beer stains on it.
Let’s not forget that graduation ceremonies tend to be a lot of exciting fun. It’s, therefore, not uncommon to end up with a few stains. This is why it makes a lot of sense to have the gowns cleaned before storage.
Get a Plastic Container
Speaking of dark and dry places, there’s no better place to put your graduation outfit than a sealed plastic container or a wardrobe box.
However, don’t mix up the regalia with other clothes. Place it in its own box to ensure there’s enough air circulation. This will keep the fabric fresh and goes a long way in reducing the risk of mold and mildew.
Check on It
Finally, you may also want to check up on your graduation regalia after storage.
This is done just to make sure that nothing is off. Pay attention to any signs of mold if you can. Additionally, make sure the fabric is still fresh as well.