The Best Graduation Cap Tassel Toppers

Buying Guide

You work hard to get to Graduation Day. But if you’ve ever sat in the audience at one of these events, you know how hard it can be to keep an eye on one graduate in a sea of graduation caps and gowns. Gowns and caps are usually provided in a solid color, which is either black or one of the school’s colors.

Over the years, though, graduates have found a fun way to stand out. By decorating their mortarboards, they can not only be easily spotted in a crowd, but they can also express their personal style in a setting that typically requires uniformity. Found at high schools, colleges and universities across the U.S., the practice is so prevalent, Sheila Bock, professor of interdisciplinary, gender and ethnic studies at UNLV, documented it in a project for the Center for Folklore Studies at Ohio State University.

The practice of decorating mortarboards is thought to have begun in the 1960s, when graduates added peace signs to their caps to protest the Vietnam War. Over the years, decorated graduation caps picked up steam, and today, some ceremonies are a sea of colors and images. Social media has only boosted the popularity of decorated caps, giving students a way to share their creativity with the world.

But not all schools are on board with this type of individuality. Some schools ban it altogether, while others set guidelines meant to protect the integrity of what’s largely considered a formal occasion. The University of North Alabama forbids 3-D decorations, requiring all designs to lay flat on the surface. Decorated mortarboards aren’t allowed at all at Florida State University, and students will be charged a $45 fee to replace a cap that’s been damaged by the decorating process.

There are, however, many educational institutions that are fine with mortarboard decoration. Before you get started, though, it’s important to check for any guidelines specific to your school. Your school likely will prohibit certain images, including any involving profanity or product promotion.

• If you’ve rented your cap and gown, make sure any tassel topper you choose won’t damage the mortarboard. A plastic topper often is the best option, but make sure it peels off easily. You can then frame it or put it in a scrapbook as a memento of your day.
• One of the biggest benefits of decorating a mortarboard is that it helps your loved ones spot you during the ceremony. This is especially beneficial if you’re in a setting where the audience is elevated, looking down at you as you wait to be called to the stage. Make sure you choose a decoration that will be easily identifiable to your loved ones.
• Most mortarboards are 8.5” x 8.5”. Look for a topper that fits this size and also accommodates your tassel.
• You can customize your topper by doing all the artwork yourself. But you can get a big head start by buying a topper and adding your embellishments to it. All you’ll need is some crafting items like rhinestones or flowers and a hot glue gun to attach them.
• Some tassel toppers are waterproof, which means if you find yourself caught in a sudden rainstorm, your design will hold up. Custom-made designs don’t always have that feature.
• The strength of the adhesives can vary from topper to topper. You’ll want one that stays in place throughout your special day without it being impossible to remove.
• One downside to purchasing tassel toppers is that others might have the same one. Adding a few extra touches to yours can help make it unique. But you might choose to find a design that you and your friend group can all wear to send a unified message.