Historical English Academic Robes: A Basis for a ‘National’ System

From time to time, various writers on the subject, Franklyn included, put out a call for a ‘national’ set of robes, which could be worn by any British graduate, whatever their degree and institution, as an alternative to the robes of their alma mater. Leaving aside any benefits it might have (one can see the attraction of it for graduates of the University of East Anglia and Kent …), the great problem would be: who would design it, and who would approve it? [The author\u27s] thesis here is that the remains of such robes in fact still exist, and that it is possible to piece together the ‘national’ system fairly easily. [Excerpt]