How To Put A Tassel On A Graduation Cap: The Definitive Academic Attire Guide

Attaching a graduation cap tassel requires locating the center button at the top of the mortarboard, looping the tassel's hang loop securely underneath, and pulling the bulk of the tassel through to anchor it. Mastering this traditional academic procedure ensures your tassel stays firmly in place throughout the ceremony and transitions smoothly from the right side to the left during your degree conferral.

Pre-Ceremony Preparation and Hardware Overview

Preparing your mortarboard for commencement demands a basic understanding of academic regalia construction and garment accessories. Most standard graduation caps feature a hard square board (the mortarboard) covered in fabric, a central fabric-wrapped button, a continuous loop of cord at the head of the tassel, and a metallic charm bearing the graduation year. Ensuring your cap fits properly and your tassel is free of shipping tangles prevents awkward adjustments during the processional.

• Essential Equipment and Materials: Standard graduation mortarboard, academic tassel with loop, bobby pins or safety pins (optional for wind security), handheld mirror, and a steamer or iron if the cap fabric is wrinkled.
• Prerequisite Knowledge: Understanding your institution's specific tradition regarding tassel placement. Undergraduates typically wear the tassel on the right side prior to degree conferral and switch it to the left side afterward, while graduate and doctoral degree recipients frequently wear it on the left from the outset.
• Estimated Setup Duration and Budget: The complete attachment and styling process takes between 2 to 5 minutes, requiring zero financial investment beyond your standard graduation regalia package.

Step-by-Step Graduation Cap Tassel Attachment Workflow

Step 1: Inspect the Mortarboard Top and Locate the Center Button

Examine the top surface of your graduation cap to locate the fabric-covered anchor button positioned directly in the center where the diagonal structural seams intersect. Run your finger underneath the cap's interior lining directly beneath this button to confirm the presence of the internal anchor string, ribbon, or metal grommet that secures the button to the board.

Pro-Tip: If your mortarboard is reversible or features a soft crown, identify the front of the cap (usually marked by an inner tag or a slightly longer point) so your tassel hangs uniformly over your forehead rather than your ear.

Step 2: Form a Slip Knot with the Tassel Loop

Take your graduation tassel and isolate the thin cord loop at its upper terminus. Pinch the cord loop between your thumb and forefinger, feeding it partially through itself to create a small, manageable opening or slip knot structure if the design calls for it. Most standard academic tassels utilize a continuous loop that does not require a complex knot, relying instead on tension around the center button.

Step 3: Loop the Cord Around the Center Button

Slide the pinched loop of the tassel underneath the center button on top of the mortarboard. Wiggle the loop so that it encircles the base of the button completely, ensuring that the knot or bound top of the tassel hangs off the edge of the button rather than sitting flat on top of the fabric.

Warning: Do not attempt to glue, tape, or permanently stitch the tassel loop to the mortarboard button, as you will need to remove or adjust it during the ceremony when shifting sides.

Step 4: Pull the Tassel Through to Secure the Anchor

Grasp the bulk of the tassel—including the fringe and the hanging year charm—and thread the entire bundle completely through the opening of the cord loop. Pull downward firmly on the hanging strands until the loop cinches tight against the base of the center button, creating a secure choke-knot that will not slip under normal movement.

Step 5: Test Stability and Manage Excess Length

Allow the tassel to drape naturally over the edge of the mortarboard, letting the fringe fall freely down the side of your face. Gently shake the cap or turn it upside down to test the integrity of the loop attachment, making sure the knot remains flush against the center button without slipping or loosening.

Academic Regalia Specifications and Tassel Placement Standards

Common Mortarboard Failures and Field Fixes

• Root Cause: The tassel loop is too large or stretched out, causing the entire assembly to slip off the center button during the processional walk.
  
  
  • Actionable Fix: Remove the tassel and create a simple overhand knot in the cord loop before slipping it over the button to reduce its overall diameter and increase friction.
• Root Cause: High winds or vigorous head movement cause the tassel to blow across the face or wrap around the mortarboard corner.
  
  
  • Actionable Fix: Secure the upper hanging strands of the tassel to the edge of the cap fabric using a discreet bobby pin that matches your hair and tassel color.
• Root Cause: The graduation cap is too large or top-heavy, causing the entire mortarboard to tilt forward and drag the tassel across your eyes.
  
  
  • Actionable Fix: Pin the interior sweatband of the cap to your hair using two cross-hatched bobby pins just above your ears to anchor the mortarboard level.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which side does the tassel go on before graduation?

Undergraduate students wear the tassel on the right side of the mortarboard prior to the official conferral of degrees. During the commencement ceremony, the university or college president will direct the graduating class to move their tassels from the right side to the left to symbolize their transition from students to graduates.

When should graduate students move their tassel?

Master's and doctoral degree candidates generally wear their tassels on the left side of the cap from the beginning of the ceremony and do not shift them. Because these advanced degrees signify that the recipient has already earned a prior undergraduate degree, the ritualistic side-shift is typically omitted for graduate-level regalia.

How do I keep my graduation tassel from blowing in my face?

Windy outdoor ceremonies frequently cause tassels to whip around obstructively. To prevent this, apply a small dab of clear hair gel to the upper strands or use a matching bobby pin to tack the upper portion of the tassel cord securely to the side of the cap.

Can I attach a tassel if my cap doesn't have a center button?

Some custom or international caps lack the traditional fabric-wrapped button. In these rare instances, you can secure the tassel loop by threading a small safety pin through the inner lining of the cap and hooking the tassel loop to it from the underside.

Ensure your entire academic ensemble looks sharp and well-prepared by securing your regalia components well in advance of your commencement day.