Learning how to put a tassel on a graduation cap is surprisingly simple: just find the small button right in the center of your mortarboard and slip the tassel's loop over it. For undergrads, the tassel hangs on the right side before the ceremony and gets ceremoniously moved to the left side after you have your diploma in hand. This guide will walk you through attaching your tassel, the traditions behind it, and tips for a perfect graduation day look.
Your Quick Guide to Perfect Tassel Placement
Getting your cap and tassel ready is one of the final, exciting steps before the big day. It's a moment that really makes it all feel real, symbolizing the end of a long journey of hard work. But the placement isn’t just about looking good for the cameras; it’s a core part of academic tradition.
This tradition of tassel placement is steeped in history. The symbolic right-to-left shift was actually standardized way back in 1895 by the Intercollegiate Commission and is still followed by 98% of American institutions today. It’s a small ritual that connects millions of graduates every single year, marking their official transition from student to alumnus.
This practice became even more iconic with the rise of the cap-toss, a celebratory tradition now embraced by 75% of U.S. high schools and colleges. Government reports on educational practices have tracked these traditions for decades, showing how they've become a staple of the American graduation experience.
Key Placement Rules
To avoid any last-minute stress, here's a quick rundown of where your tassel should be. The side it hangs on depends on your degree level and whether you've officially graduated yet. Ensuring your entire look is just right is key, and you can learn more about pulling together your full graduation cap and gown here.
- Undergraduate Degrees: If you're a high school, associate's, or bachelor's degree candidate, your tassel belongs on the right.
- Graduate Degrees: Master's degree candidates also typically start with the tassel on the right side.
- Doctoral Degrees: For Ph.D. and other terminal degree recipients, the tassel often starts and stays on the left. This is because their "hooding" is the main event of their ceremony, signifying their status is already confirmed.
Always double-check the specific procedures with your institution. Some schools have unique traditions for their ceremonies, and you don’t want to be the one person out of sync!
For a quick reference, here’s a simple breakdown of where your tassel should be during the ceremony.
Tassel Placement At a Glance Before and After Your Diploma
This table is a handy little cheat sheet for tassel placement. Just find your degree level to see where your tassel should be at the start of the ceremony versus after you’ve officially turned it.
| Academic Level | Before Receiving Diploma | After Receiving Diploma |
|---|---|---|
| High School & Associate's | Right Side | Left Side |
| Bachelor's Degree | Right Side | Left Side |
| Master's Degree | Right Side | Left Side |
| Doctoral & Professional | Left Side | Left Side |
Following this simple guide ensures you're honoring a long-standing tradition and are perfectly ready for one of the biggest moments of your academic life.
Attaching Your Tassel and Charm Securely
Okay, you know which side the tassel goes on. Now for the most important part: making sure it actually stays on your cap through the whole ceremony. The last thing anyone wants is their tassel flying off during the processional march or, worse, right as they’re shaking the dean's hand.
Getting a secure fit is the key to looking sharp from start to finish.
Luckily, it's a pretty simple process. Every standard mortarboard has a small, reinforced button right in the dead center of the top. That little button is your anchor point.
Go ahead and find that button. Now, just take the loop at the very top of your tassel and slide it firmly over the button. You'll want to make sure the loop is lying flat against the cap so it doesn't create an awkward little bump under the fabric.
Adding Charms and Final Checks
A lot of grads choose to personalize their tassel with a year-date charm or other meaningful keepsakes. It’s a great way to commemorate your graduating class and add a little personal flair to your regalia. We offer a wide variety of custom graduation tassels that come with these charms.
- Before you put the tassel on the cap, just slide the charm’s ring right onto the tassel's main loop.
- Once the charm is threaded on, go ahead and secure the whole loop over the cap's button. This makes sure the charm hangs perfectly alongside your tassel.
With everything in place, give the tassel a gentle but firm tug. This is the all-important final check. It confirms the loop is snug around the button and won't pop off when you're moving around. It’s a tiny step that gives you major peace of mind for the big day.
A secure tassel is a worry-free tassel. Our graduation tassels are designed with durable, correctly sized loops to fit snugly on any standard mortarboard button, ensuring it stays put during all the day's celebrations.
For more ideas on how to make your regalia your own, you can explore different types of charms for graduation tassels to find one that captures your journey. A securely attached tassel and charm don't just complete your look—they become lasting keepsakes of this huge accomplishment.
Understanding the Tassel Turning Tradition
Ever wonder why graduates move their tassel from the right side to the left? That simple, unified flick of the wrist is so much more than a great photo op. It’s a powerful and historic ritual, a non-verbal declaration that you’ve officially transitioned from student to graduate.
Before your name is called and your degree is conferred, the tassel hangs on the right side of your cap. This placement represents your current status as a candidate for graduation—you’re on the cusp of completing your journey.
Then comes the big moment. Once the degrees are officially awarded, the entire graduating class is usually instructed to move the tassel to the left side in unison. This collective movement is the climax of the ceremony, marking your new status as an alumnus in a moment of shared accomplishment.
This cherished tradition has some surprisingly deep roots. The whole practice of wearing caps and gowns as a sign of scholarly achievement started way back in medieval European universities, as far back as the 14th century. The specific protocol for the tassel turn we know today was later standardized in the United States in 1895, cementing the right-to-left shift as the official symbol of moving from candidate to graduate.
The Meaning Behind the Movement
Knowing this history gives the simple action a much richer meaning. You're not just flipping a string; you're connecting to generations of scholars who have performed the exact same ritual.
- Right Side: Symbolizes your time as a student, still on the path toward completing your degree.
- The Turn: Represents the exact moment of graduation, when all your hard work is officially recognized.
- Left Side: Signifies your new status as a graduate and an alumnus of your institution.
"The turning of the tassel is a climactic, unifying moment in any graduation ceremony. It’s a physical representation of an intellectual and personal milestone, shared by every graduate at the same time."
Our tassels, available in a full spectrum of official school colors, are crafted to be a lasting memento of this significant moment. For a deeper dive into which side is correct for you, check out our guide on the proper graduation tassel side.
Pro Tips for a Flawless Graduation Day Look
You’ve figured out how to get the tassel on, but a few insider tricks can be the difference between a picture-perfect day and a day spent constantly readjusting. Think about it: you'll be walking, turning, sitting, and posing for what feels like a million photos. You want your cap and tassel to stay exactly where they belong.
This is especially true if you’ve spent hours meticulously decorating your cap. The last thing you want is for your tassel to snag a gem or scratch your artwork. When you’re looping it over the button, just be extra gentle and make sure the loop lies flat without pulling on any of your designs.
Creativity and attention to detail go hand in hand for any big event. If you’re the type who loves personalizing your look, you might appreciate this clever guide to DIY Halloween costumes, which shares a similar spirit of getting the details just right for a flawless result.
Securing Your Cap and Tassel
Few things are more distracting during a ceremony than a wobbly tassel or a cap that keeps sliding back. Thankfully, these are common problems with really simple fixes. A little prep beforehand saves you a ton of stress.
- Tassel Security: If the button on your mortarboard feels loose, don’t leave it to chance. A small, discreet safety pin is your best friend here. Just pin the tassel’s loop to the fabric right next to the button for a nearly invisible layer of security.
- Cap Stability: Bobby pins are the key to keeping your cap from slipping. The trick is to pick pins that match your hair color so they blend right in. Slide two to four pins through your hair and over the edges of the cap to anchor it firmly.
- Hairstyle Strategy: For those with lots of volume or textured hair, try placing the cap a bit further back on your head. If your hair is on the straighter, silkier side, a light mist of texturizing spray where the cap will sit can give it the extra grip it needs to stay put.
Your cap should feel snug, but not so tight that it gives you a headache. The goal is to put it on and forget about it so you can soak in every moment of the celebration.
After the ceremony is over, make sure to take care of your tassel. It’s a genuine keepsake from your academic journey. Many graduates choose to display it in a custom diploma frame right alongside their degree, creating a beautiful and lasting tribute to their accomplishment.
Tassel Rules for Different Degree Levels
While the classic "right-to-left" tassel turn is a graduation day staple, the rules can actually shift depending on the diploma you're earning. It’s not a one-size-fits-all tradition, so knowing the specific customs tied to your degree ensures you get it right.
That humble tassel on your cap is part of a tradition that evolved from 12th-century practicality into the symbol we know today. What started as a way for scholars to stay warm in drafty medieval universities was formalized in the U.S. in 1895. In about 95% of ceremonies, tassels are worn on the right side to signify a student is still a ‘candidate.’
This tradition now involves roughly 4.2 million postsecondary graduates and 3.7 million high schoolers every single year. For a deeper dive into these academic customs, you can explore the history of convocation traditions.
Undergraduate and Master’s Degrees
For the vast majority of graduates walking across the stage, the rule is straightforward and consistent.
- High School, Associate's, and Bachelor's: If you're receiving one of these diplomas, you’ll start the ceremony with your tassel on the right side of your mortarboard. Once your degree is officially conferred, you'll move it over to the left.
- Master's Degrees: Candidates earning a master's degree almost always follow the same right-to-left tradition. Still, it never hurts to double-check with your university, as a few institutions have their own unique customs.
Doctoral Degrees and Tams
The most significant exception to the rule is for doctoral candidates, where things look a little different.
Graduates earning a Ph.D. or another terminal degree often wear their tassel on the left side from the very beginning of the ceremony. For them, the pivotal moment is the "hooding ceremony," which is the primary symbol of their accomplishment, making the tassel turn secondary.
On top of that, many doctoral candidates wear a soft, velvet tam instead of a traditional mortarboard. These are usually paired with a more ornate, heavy bullion tassel, which is attached and positioned on the left, where it stays for the entire event.
Answering Your Last-Minute Tassel Questions
As the big day gets closer, a few small questions about your regalia are bound to pop up. Getting these details sorted out now means you can just relax and enjoy the ceremony without any last-minute stress.
What If My Tassel Falls Off During the Ceremony?
First off, don't panic! It happens more often than you'd think. If your tassel comes loose while you're sitting, just try to discreetly hook it back onto the button on your cap.
If that’s too tricky or it happens while you’re walking, simply hold onto it until the ceremony is over. A great pro tip is to secure it with a small safety pin beforehand—just pin it to the fabric right next to the button for some extra peace of mind.
Can I Personalize My Tassel?
Absolutely! Adding a little personal flair is a fantastic way to make the day your own. Many graduates slide custom charms onto the tassel's loop before attaching it to their cap. The most popular choice is a year-date charm to commemorate their graduating class. From custom colors to stacked tassels, you can find many options in our tassel collection.
Just a quick heads-up: it’s always a good idea to check your school's rules on regalia modifications. Most institutions are totally fine with small, tasteful charms, but a quick check beforehand is always smart.
Do Tassel Colors Actually Mean Anything?
Yes, they’re a huge part of academic tradition! The color of your tassel is a visual code that often corresponds to your specific field of study. For example, light blue is the classic color for Education, while a brilliant gold typically signifies the Sciences.
For high school ceremonies, the tassel is usually a bit simpler and will feature the official school colors.
Of course, the ceremony is just the beginning. The next chapter is all about navigating post-graduation life and keeping those hard-earned connections strong. Preparing for what’s next is just as important as the celebration itself.
Here at Graduation Attire, we provide high-quality tassels, charms, and complete regalia to make sure you look and feel your best on this huge day. Find the perfect match for your degree and school colors by visiting us at https://www.graduationattire.com.