Boston College
Massachusetts
1863
Boston College students had adopted maroon and old gold as their school colors by the 1880s at the latest, but detailed historical information about that process is not available at this time.
Citations in the World Almanac (listed by cover date; color information is from the previous year): maroon/old gold (1923-1935)
At some point (possibly in the 1990s?) the administration of Boston College approved the use of an optional doctoral gown tailored from maroon fabric. The velvet trim of this gown is black, edged with gold piping. Two embroidered patches of the college shield are sewn to the upper facings of the gown. This gown may be used in place of the traditional black gown.
To the right is a photograph of this gown from the University Cap & Gown Company (Balfour). For reasons unknown, the company describes the color of the gown’s fabric as being “burgundy”, not the college’s official color of maroon.
Boston College first appears in a 1927 list from the Intercollegiate Bureau of Academic Costume (IBAC) as having been assigned a maroon hood lining with an old gold chevron, a description that does not change in subsequent IBAC lists.
