Academic Dress of The University of Bristol - Doctors - Full Dress

Full Dress

• Scarlet cloth gown of the Oxford M.D. shape. The facings of the gown to be salmon-coloured to a width of three-and-a-half inches.
• Hood of the Cambridge pattern, in University red silk, lined throughout with salmon-coloured silk.
• A Doctor's bonnet of the Cambridge pattern (a flat broad-brimmed bonnet of black velvet with a narrow cord of gold at the junction of the crown and the brim).

Exceptions

• Gowns of Doctors of Philosophy and Education to have facings in dark violet. In the sleeves, the cloth visible only for six or eight inches from the point of the shoulder downwards, the remainder of the sleeves being finished in or trimmed with dark violet silk.
• Hood of the Cambridge pattern, in University red silk, lined throughout with dark violet silk.
• Square academic cap (mortarboards), covered with black velvet, the tassels of black silk.

i.e. Ph.D. and Ed.D. use violet rather than salmon colouring. The possible similarity between the junior Doctors in undress and Masters arises only rarely since undress is practically never used in Bristol (it appears at e.g. inaugural lectures given by new Professors). In fact, of course, the gowns are differentiated by being made of different materials.

Although the University does not refer to M.D., D.D.S. or Eng.D. as higher doctorates they are not included in the list that wears the gowns clearly intended for junior doctorates (those with violet). It is thus appropriate for them to use salmon facings and hood-linings leaving the Ph.D. and Ed.D. as somewhat anomalous exceptions. In practice, M.D., D.D.S. and Eng.D. are not awarded very often and the other, higher, doctorates are reserved largely for honorary degrees so the anomaly is minor.