Replies

1. 
   woodruff | Jul 17, 2006 06:21am | #1

   Check out the Butterick costume pages. There are two robes which would probably serve as a jumping-off point for you:

   http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/butterick/shop.cgi?s.page.8&TI=10013

2. 
   Kilroywashere | Jul 18, 2006 05:59pm | #2

   Academic gowns are very specific in terms of the style of the sleeves, the colors used, etc.  There is actually a code that describes what color each department gets, etc.  You can get a good diea by looking through this site: http://www.jostens.com/cgd/college/capsgowns/finequality/index.asp

   Then different institutions have their own quirks - either Oxford or Cambridge has scarlet doctoral gowns, the University of Washington has (purple!)doctoral tams rather than mortarboards.  I once sang in a convocation for the Queen of England at my University, all of the faculty assembled in their academic gowns....  There are colored gowns - fuschia and orange was one particularly eye-searing combo!  Some of the older European schools use a liripipe type medieval headress rather than the hood and mortarboard we are accustomed to in the States... 

   Just remember that academic gowns are based upon medieval gowns, and you can look at some of the medieval costume patterns for inspiration - go to the costumer's manifesto website to find links.  Some good academic setting movies have gowns in them that you can look to for inspiration - but the best use of an academic gown by an actor has to be Professor Snape billowing around in his Master's robes in Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone!  (Note the long pointed sleeve - that is for Masters gowns only, Doctorates have a closed bag sleeve)