History Behind the Cap and Gown . Tassels and Trimmings . History Behind the Cap and Gown. Academic dress dates back to the formation of early universities in Europe, beginning around the 12th century. Historians presume long gowns were worn by these individuals to keep warm in unheated buildings.
Hoods seem to have been used to keep bare heads warm, in place of the traditional skull caps.
This tradition of attire continued for hundreds of years, without much standardization. As a result, today European institutions' traditional academic regalia is diverse. American institutions, on the other hand, adopted a code of academic dress at the end of the 19th century. These codes recommend that gowns for bachelor's degree have pointed sleeves and are worn closed. Master's degree gowns should have oblong sleeves that open at the wrist.