All eligible graduating seniors of Banning High School must wear appropriate dress under their gowns to participate in
the formal graduation ceremony.
Appropriate dress will include the following:
Student Dress Attire
Required: Graduates dress in cap and gown over semi-formal attire. Prior to graduating students wear their
tassel on the right side of their mortarboard (cap).
Ladies: Semi-formal attire including: a dress, skirt and blouse ensemble, or pantsuit or jumpsuit. Dress
shoes, sandals with back straps, wedges, heels and flats acceptable. Unacceptable attire includes: denim
outfits, excessively short dresses, bare midriff outfits, jumpsuits without a jacket, knickers, bathing suits,
Graduation
Guidelines
shorts, rubber thong sandals, flip flops, hiking
or military
boots, or athletic shoes. NO HEELS
Gentlemen: Semi-formal attire including: button down dress shirt with a fold over collar and tie with dress
slacks. Dress shoes. Unacceptable attire includes: denim outfits (Levis), bathing suits, turtleneck sweaters,
sweaters or jackets with organizational names, zipper jackets, windbreakers, hiking or military boots, sandals,
flip flops, or athletic shoes.
Cap & Gown Guidelines
o Base gown colors may not be altered. No colors that contrast with school colors.
o The graduation cap is worn flat on the head, parallel to the floor. The front point of the cap should be centered
on the forehead.
o The graduation gown should fall midway between the knee and ankle.
o Men generally wear dark trousers and dress shirts and ties under their graduation gowns.
o Women generally wear lightweight dresses or blouses and skirts that do not hang below their graduation
gowns. They can also wear a detachable white collar that adds a more finished, decorative touch.
o Flowers and jewelry should not be worn on the academic gown.
o Caps and gowns may be accessorized with specific regalia like stoles and honor cords in keeping with the
traditions of the school.
o No extensions and/or appliqués (furs, feather, patches or any other material that will draw undue attention).
o No gang affiliated signs/symbols, sexual references or pictures, or nicknames that have hidden or inappropriate
meanings.
o No drug and/or alcohol related references.
o Students may air brush the graduation cap (mortarboard). Preferred air brushed items may include student
name, class year, favorite character, or other clean and appropriate images. Gowns may NOT be airbrushed.
Only tassels may be hanging from caps. See the ASB Account Clerk for details and information.
o All designs for cap & gown must be pre-approved on or before Friday May 1. Designs must be submitted to
Marcy Hawley in the ASB office. Any student needing aid in securing proper graduation clothing should see
Mr. Pierce in Room 8102.
Banning High School Senior Class Advisors, ASB Director, certificated staff, and site administration will only allow
properly attired students into the gymnasium for line up and the procession to graduation. Students without proper
attire may be asked to leave.
Banning High School graduation ceremony document revised 4/24/15
Graduation Mortarboard Guidelines
Graduates will wear a graduation gown and cap during the commencement ceremony. The graduation cap or
mortarboard has its own set of etiquette rules to be followed regarding how it is worn, when it should be removed and
the placement of the tassel.
The Tassel
o Wear the tassel of your graduation cap on the right side of the cap. Near the end of the commencement,
the senior counselor will instruct you to move your tassel from the right side of your cap to the left,
signifying your graduation.
Wearing Graduation Cap
o A graduation cap should be worn so that it is parallel to the ground. Women may use bobby pins to keep
the graduation cap in place if their hair causes it to shift. Graduation caps usually have elastic around half
of the part that goes around the head; wear the graduation cap with the elastic part in the back.
o Men should remove their graduation caps during the national anthem and the school song. Women may
leave their caps on through the entire commencement ceremony.
Guests Wearing Hats
o Male and female guests should remove their hats for the national anthem and school song.
o Women wearing wide-brim hats should remove them once seated so they don't block the view of others.
Also, if the ceremony is being held indoors, male guests should remove their hat upon entering the
building, and leave it removed until exiting the building.
Considerations
o Along with following the aforementioned graduation hat etiquette guidelines, you should also follow any
instructions about the caps that site administration and/or faculty members give you.
Banning High School graduation ceremony document revised 4/24/15