If you’ve ever watched a graduation ceremony—rows of students in flowing robes and flat-topped caps—you’ve probably felt that swell of significance. Even if you didn’t know exactly why, something about the ritual feels ancient, almost timeless. It turns out, that intuition is right.
Graduation traditions aren’t just pomp and circumstance. They’re the living, breathing echoes of centuries of curiosity, achievement, and the human instinct to mark milestones with a little bit of ceremony.
Today, we’re taking you on a short journey back in time—because at Skew Gear, we believe that behind every tradition is a story worth wondering about.
A Medieval Origin Story
Let’s rewind to the 12th century, when the first universities began to flourish in Europe. Unlike the modern campuses we know today, early scholars studied in drafty monasteries and stone lecture halls, where warmth was in short supply and ideas were the true fire.
To ward off the chill, scholars and clerics alike wore long, hooded robes—garments that were as practical as they were symbolic. The robe signified scholarly devotion, the hood denoted rank and discipline, and the covered head showed respect for learning itself.
Over time, these utilitarian outfits became ceremonial uniforms. In 1321, Oxford University codified the first official academic dress code, setting the stage for centuries of ritual. The colors and shapes of hoods, gowns, and caps told a story: where you studied, what you learned, and how far you’d come.
Enter the Mortarboard
If you’ve ever balanced that square cap on your head while trying not to trip across a stage, you’re in good company.
The “mortarboard”—the flat, square cap that seems both dignified and a little absurd—has roots in the biretta, a hat worn by Roman Catholic clergy and scholars in the Renaissance. Some believe the shape was inspired by a mason’s mortar board, the tool used to hold wet plaster. It was, quite literally, a platform to build upon—an accidental but fitting metaphor for education itself.
Over time, the cap evolved into the symbol we recognize today: a reminder that learning is an ongoing act of building, layering, and shaping.
Tassels, Rituals, and the Language of Milestones
Even the tassel has a story. In many ceremonies, moving it from right to left marks the official transition from candidate to graduate. That small motion—just a few inches—feels huge when you’re the one holding the tassel.
And maybe that’s the point.
Milestones matter because they pull us out of the everyday and remind us that transformation is happening, whether or not we see it. The robes, the caps, the rituals—these are physical tokens of an invisible journey.
Wonder, Curiosity, and the Power of Ritual
At Skew Gear, we have an endless fascination with these traditions. Not because they’re old, but because they remind us that curiosity is the root of every discovery. That wonder is what drives us to learn, explore, and grow.
We believe that imagination isn’t a footnote to education—it’s the spark that makes learning possible. And while a degree represents mastery of a subject, the real milestone is the transformation that happens when you dare to be curious.
That’s why we design our Wonder Wraps™ Graduation Collection that celebrate not just achievement, but the spirit behind it. When you gift a blanket that’s woven with personalization—like the date of graduation or a phrase that inspired the journey—you’re honoring more than a milestone. You’re recognizing a story of becoming.
So the next time you watch someone toss their cap in the air, remember: you’re witnessing a ritual that began centuries ago—a quiet testament to the human need to learn, mark progress, and celebrate the beautiful, messy art of becoming.
And if you ask us, that’s the kind of wonder worth wrapping up and keeping close.
