# Caps and gowns and tassels, Oh My!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-and-gowns-and-tassels-oh-my/813019>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 24, 2018, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-and-gowns-and-tassels-oh-my/813019 "2018-04-24T04:35:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Claude\_Remains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Claude\_Remains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claude_Remains)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-and-gowns-and-tassels-oh-my/813019/1 "2018-04-24T04:35:32Z")

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Do I wear my NTHS tassel in addition to or instead of my graduation tassel?

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**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-and-gowns-and-tassels-oh-my/813019/2 "2018-04-24T10:31:24Z")

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Congrats on making the honour roll, I guess? Well done!

( stealth brag, right?)

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**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-and-gowns-and-tassels-oh-my/813019/3 "2018-04-24T14:34:47Z")

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It’s been a while since I’ve been in that game, but multiple tassels was the way it was done back in the day.

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**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-and-gowns-and-tassels-oh-my/813019/4 "2018-04-24T16:31:51Z")

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According to [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_regalia_in_the_United_States):

“Only one tassel is worn at a time.”

Their reference is:  
Eugene Sullivan, ‘Academic Costume Code and Ceremony Guide,’ American Colleges and Universities, 16 ed., New York: Walter de Gruyter, 2001, p. 1860.

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**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-and-gowns-and-tassels-oh-my/813019/5 "2018-04-24T19:53:55Z")

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What’s NTHS?

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**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caps-and-gowns-and-tassels-oh-my/813019/6 "2018-04-24T19:56:58Z")

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> [@peedin](#):
>
> What’s NTHS?

[National Technical Honor Society](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Technical_Honor_Society)