Gold is the signifying robe of Johns Hopkins University. According to this form, observed by most members of the Wellesley College faculty as degree recipients from American universities, the bachelor's gown is plain with long pointed sleeves. The master's gown is slightly fuller in cut and has long oblong sleeves open at the wrist with an arc cut in the front. The doctor's gown is still fuller with bell shaped sleeves. It is faced down the front with black velvet and has three bars of black velvet on the sleeve, although the velvet and bars may be in the color representing the bearer's academic field, as in the British system.
Hoods are the most distinctive part of the American academic dress.
The exterior of the hood is black, its length is three feet for the bachelor's degree, three and one-half feet for the master's degree, and four feet for the doctor's degree. Hoods are lined with the official colors of the college or university conferring the degree, and the trimming is velvet, reflecting the color of the bearer's academic field.