Question: what do the colours mean on graduation gowns uk

title: Academic dress in the United Kingdom
text: Officers of the universities generally wear distinctive and more elaborate dress . The Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor may wear a black damask lay type gown ( sometimes with a long train ) trimmed with gold or silver lace and frogs . They wear a velvet mortarboard , similarly trimmed with gold braid and tassel . This form of dress is not strictly ' academical ' but it is typical dress for those in high positions . Other than this gown , they may have other distinct forms of dress , such as the scarlet cappa clausa or cope worn in certain circumstances by the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge or his / her deputy and by higher doctors presenting candidates for degrees , which was once worn by Doctors of Divinity . In the past , Chancellors may also wear full court dress with breeches and court shoes like that of the Lord Chancellor of Great Brsaaitain .