University of California PhD Regalia

University of California PhD Regalia

I arranged a group order for myself and 12 others-- we had a great experience. PhinisheD Gown worked with us to develop a custom google form for just our group. They were flexible and responsive, even with adding classmates to the group order at the last minute. It was very easy to individually pay for our robes and still participate in the group discount. It made a huge difference having them come to the UC Davis campus for an opportunity to try on the regalia and switch for a different size. About half of us exchanged (for free!) to a smaller size. If you're on the fence about a size, you should go to the smaller size. I would definitely recommend PhinisheD Gown, particularly if you can network among other grad students and get a large group order together.

I have been on the hunt for fine regalia for my upcoming hooding ceremony. Initially, I thought I only had two options: my university bookstore and CapGown. I wasn't thrilled about either choice, because I didn't want to pay $1,000 at the bookstore but also felt that the CapGown gowns looked noticeably cheaper / different than the official university regalia. But then I found PhinisheD Gown! The regalia is beautiful and very high-quality. It's virtually identical to the regalia sold at my bookstore, and half the price! The customer service is also incredible. I e-mailed with some sizing questions and had a response within one hour. And I received my gown just two days after placing my order. I could not be happier with my PhinisheD Gown experience.

And for much better prices. Buy them here.

Nice quality and fit very well. Arrived within 3 days. Great customer service. Nok was very responsive and helpful. Thanks!!

Gown, tam and hood are nice quality. True to fit, love the pockets in gown!! Order and shipping were easy and fast.

I would say the guys that distributed the gown to us are very professional. Doing business with them, to my experience, is stress-free.

University of California PhD Regalia

The gown looks great and fits well. The only problem I'm having is the zipper. The zipper is not "zipping" well.

University of California PhD Regalia

I ordered my gown with easy directions, much easier than some of the other companies. The gown arrived within 2 weeks. I was kept informed from the moment the order went in until it arrived and the beautiful regalia (gown, cap and hood) all arrived as seen in the pictures. Thank you!

The regalia looks exactly like the ones that the UCSF Book Store is selling.

I needed to buy my regalia early to show off and try to convince the rest of my cohort that we should all buy from the same company so we all look the same. Not only were they impressed - but you are saving us a few hundred dollars! Thank you! - Angie

Very happy, thanks!

I needed a gown for an event two weeks out, and I got it in four days - from California to Guam. Nok was so responsive and sensitive to my time constraints. The gown is gorgeous!!! Why pay 1K when you can pay $499? I couldn’t be happier!!

Very affordable, high quality product with quick service. Thanks!!!

I'm so glad I came across these robes, which cost well under half what I would have paid at my campus bookstore and look just as nice. I recommend them if you're on the fence about renting vs. buying. Rentals are a horrible deal for what you get, and if you think you'll have to rent more than once, it's definitely worth just getting these. As a bonus, the customer service is fantastic—responsive and helpful.

I just wore my regalia for my first commencement as full time faculty. I thought I was happy with the quality when I unpacked and tried on the garments, but out in "the wild", it's really classy stuff! And for only a few times what it would have cost to rent. Thank you so much, and for your help getting the right size and all that!

Fits well, right colors. 3 day shipping. Thanks

Ordering online from PhinisheD Gown was quick and easy (unlike my dissertation and doctoral journey!). My order arrived in a few days and I appreciated the email updates on its delivery process as it was much anticipated. The actual product is true to the photos and descriptions. This process was much more cost efficient and timely than it would've been through my university (but isn't that usually the case?). I would highly recommend PhinisheD Gown to my friends and colleagues!

In just a few days, I will be pulling my regalia out of the closet. This will be the second year I've had my robes from Phinished, and I am just as happy with it, today, as I was when I ordered it, a few years ago. The finish is excellent, the colors appropriate, and I know I'll be wearing that robe year in and year out.

I came to the site, today to get the URL for a friend who will soon be needing her own robes. There's no reason for her to purchase them anywhere else.

We ordered our gowns as a group from PhinisheD Gown.
First of all, they have very good service. They came on campus to our department with our gowns, tams and hoods, together with backups in case we were not happy with the sizes we ordered. This was pretty convenient.

Second, the quality of the gowns seem to be pretty good. They have a very solid built and look classy. Of course I am going to have to see if they stay nice for years to come. I must say that though they said we should feel free to contact them in the unlikely event of a problem with our gowns.

Overall, I am pretty happy with the product and service.

Royal Blue & Gold PhD Regalia

Royal Blue & Gold PhD Regalia

Looking forward to attend the ceremony in May

My regalia arrived promptly and I finally had a chance to try it on and make sure everything fits. After MANY years post-hooding, I needed regalia to wear to graduations, and at this price it made a lot more sense to buy than to rent. It looks really good, and the advice I received on fit was perfect. The materials seem to be of good quality and while I have not worn it in public yet I'm a happy customer.

Pleased with the delayed decision to buy my own gown after almost a decade. Very smooth transaction; very nice product. Thank you.

I am extremely happy with the package I ordered. It is very high quality material, at a lower cost than the campus bookstore. I will definitely wear my regalia when I am handing out diplomas at graduations for years to come.

Royal Blue & Gold PhD Regalia

Everything has been excellent!

Like many other people, I had been postponing the purchase of my regalia for monetary reasons. After 6 years as a university professor I caved in. I was about to buy the gown from my university bookstore for an insane amount of money when I thought of doing some basic google search for other websites dedicated to this business. I run into Phinishedgown.com by accident but I am so happy I did. The quality of the website was the first thing that caught my eye in comparison with others -- when you spend several hundred dollars, online, you want to have some confidence on the website and the people who run it. Nok answered all my enquiries via email very, very promptly and efficiently. And I had a lot of enquiries (size, material, return policy, shipment, etc)! One thing that I deeply appreciated from her was that she did not try to steer me towards the most expensive options in gowns. She gave me feedback based on my needs and preferences but never showing any bias. I finally decided for a polyester option instead of wool because of the area I live in (quite warm even in winter), but I was very close to buy the blended wool gown because the price was reasonable compared to my bookstore price. The polyester gown is light yet almost velvety to the touch. My concern was that it would look cheap but all the opposite. Nok was also very accommodating as far as shipment timing so that I would have time to return the polyester and order a customized wool one if I preferred before graduation. The hood is just gorgeous -- the satin material is soft, with bright colors. Overall, I am very, very pleased with my purchase and with the customer experience I had with Nok. When you make an investment like this, it is important that the seller shows that he/she cares about the quality of the service they are providing and the satisfaction of the consumer, and Nok did certainly that. Thank you!

Royal Blue PhD Regalia Set

I am SO happy with PhinisheD Gown! At first, I was hesitant to purchase regalia as I'd only wear once, maybe twice. But after receiving and wearing my regalia at graduation, I absolutely love my robe, hood, and tam. And even my adviser said he like my regalia better than his!

I emailed Jane and Nok several times, and every time they responded so quickly and were very helpful. (I wasn't sure whether to get a XS or S gown, and based on my shoulder measurements and dress size in women's clothing, Jane helped me pick the XS, and indeed the gown fit me perfectly!)

Thank you!

They were amazing with helping me try out the gown and decide what the right size for me was!

I was hesitant to purchase regalia online without trying it on or seeing it in person. But I wasn't about to pay the $1295 that my UC required to purchase it. So I started looking online. I looked at capandgown first, and their pictures looked really good until I saw the ones on the PhinisheD website. I was persuaded by the reviews and the pictures to go with this one, and I do not regret it one bit. The regalia is beautifully sewn and finished. The velvet is a brighter blue than most other regalia I saw my friends and colleagues wearing, which really does make it look a lot nicer. And did I mention it has pockets? Before I knew it, people were giving me their things to hold! I will be wearing this set every year for the next 30-35 years as a professor, and it looks like it will hold up nicely. I should also add that Nok was immensely helpful with any questions I had about sizing before I actually purchased the item. I was unsure about the size because I was likely measuring my shoulders wrong. Nok answered my email in a few hours, and I decided to go with the Small over the Medium. By the way, when in doubt, size down. These are huge and quite long.
I did have a few issues with it that were not deal-breakers but could stand some improvement: Whatever the hard material was in the shoulder area that ensures the gown stays stiff and looks nice did not sit flat across the chest, and the front hook kept coming unbuttoned. I managed to get it to sit properly, and it stayed put, but it was slightly annoying. I'm not sure if this can be fixed or if it was just a matter of my chest span failing to accommodate the breadth of the gown. One other thing was the back of the hood. While the colors were true blue and gold -- as opposed to the orange and blue that was passing for UC colors all around me -- I felt like the part of the hood that is supposed to fold over could have been wider, so the colors could be more visible.
Thank you for such a pleasant experience, Phinis...

Quick, responsive service in light of being in the midst of fulfilling a lot of orders. Thanks for the flexibility in the pre-order and everything looks great!

I was late ordering my graduation gown; however, PhinisheD Gown made it possible to send me a gown. I experienced excellent and kind customer service.

Doctoral Regalia Set

Doctoral Regalia Set

The staff at PhinisheD gown were very responsive to concerns and questions we had during our orders, and their product is of good quality and comes with nice protective storage packaging. I will (hopefully!) use this gown in years to come when I have students of my own, and I'm confident that it will hold up for all that time.

Doctoral Regalia Set

The regalia is awesome. High quality material (thick, heavy) the colors are great. although the blue could be a shade darker to match the berkeley colors a little better. the gold color is perfect. The only issue would be the zipper stitching. the day of graduation, the stitching began to come apart slightly at the bottom (where you start the zipper). Though it is slight, it is still disappointing that it would do that. I would suggest better stitch patter or some other remediatory measure.

The robes arrived very quickly and look perfect! I'm so excited to be able to have them, and thankful to Phinished Gown for making them affordable!!

Lovely robes, professional service, quick shipping--thank you!

University of California Doctoral Regalia Set

Very fast delivery, nice website, and the gown is a sturdy material. The one thing is that the top of the gown (the shoulders and collar bone area) is very stiff, like there is cardboard inside. This might be just how all gowns are, but if you are planning to wear a sleeveless dress (as many UC grads might, because of our warm weather), it feels a little uncomfortable. Perhaps there could be some softer material on the inside shoulder area to enhance comfort for bare shoulders?

I am extremely pleased with the quality of my University of California doctoral regalia. Also, customer service was excellent. Highly recommended.

The gown fits well, and Nok was quick in responding to my sizing questions. Fast shipping (it was here before I expected) and the garment bag is a nice addition. It seems like good quality, although I won't have compared it to the rental/other purchase alternatives until graduation. Glad this company is providing another purchasing option. Overall, this was a great experience!

I had heard such great things about the quality of the gown from previous doctoral students who had ordered from here years prior. My only concern was about the sizing of the gown. Initially, I thought I should order an XL or L. I sent an email regarding my concern and Nok responded within a few hours. PhinisheD Gown responded to my emails fast and professionally. I took their advise and measured from shoulder tip to shoulder tip and ordered a medium. When I received the gown within a few days, it was in a garment bag and on a hanger. It fit and looked beautiful! It truly is a quality gown. The hood and the cap are excellent too! I can't wait to wear it for my graduation ceremony. I wish getting your PhD could be this fast and easy! Thanks PhinisheD Gown for a great experience.

The order process was seamless and so quick--I received my gown one day after ordering it! Everything arrived looking gorgeous and fitting perfectly...all for a fraction of the cost of what the Student Store carries.

Fast, easy, good service and interaction and reliable!

The service was excellent and I had a great experience. I feel lucky to have found this company online and to now- after 16 years - finally own a cap and gown. I had input a "wrong" address not realizing how quickly they would ship the cap and gown - but a quick call and the situation was fixed, despite my mistake! Good quality and really pleased overall.

Great looking, high quality gown. Will recommend to others.

I am very appreciated on the service which is very quick.

I needed regalia because I am now faculty after graduating from UCSD in 2012. When I was graduating, my regalia cost then almost $1600, which was completely unaffordable for me both then and now. After discussing my needs with Nok (I wanted a custom hood made with my discipline colors), I ordered my regalia and I couldn't be more pleased. Excellent customer service, great quality, and an unbeatable price. I am recommending to all my fellow faculty who are UC grads to order from Nok! Thanks for all the great service!

Your customer service rep, Nok, was simply wonderful! She answered all my questions and kept me informed throughout the process. I ordered at the last minute, and received my doctoral regalia in 3 days. It is absolutely beautiful--- great fabric, quality construction, and it hangs beautifully. I will highly recommend your company. And many thanks to Nok!

Phinished Gown saved my commencement ceremony! My big day was next Monday, and it was on Thursday night (~11PM) that I realized that the tam I had selected was a bit smaller for myself. I then sent out an email asking for possible exchange. This was literately a last minute request. However, Nok from Phinished Gown replied my email within 20 minutes, saying that he would mail me a larger tam and it should be delivered to me on Saturday, free of charge. Realizing that the next Monday would be my big day, Nok even offered to drive to my town for delivery if the new tam was not delivered on Saturday. Luckily, he did not need to drive; that is because the new tam was delivered to me on Saturday morning. Inside the package, Nok even provided me the shipping label of the returning tam. All of these services were free of charge, and all I need to do was only to drop the returning package at USPS when I have time. I could not ask for a better purchase experience. Thank you very much, Nok and Phinished Gown! I will definitely highly recommend Phinished Gown's product, which will let you look great on your big day!

I heard about this site from a friend who graduated a few years before me. As a continuing member of the academic community, this friend said her regalia was excellent and had held up well over the last few years. I was impressed by how quickly it arrived -- just two business days from when I placed my order! -- and by how high-quality it was. I loved the detail on the regalia, especially the piping around the velvet, and my friends and family all mentioned how wonderful it looked.

I do have two minor comments. First, I noticed that some of tacking (i.e., rough stitching before the actual stitching) hadn't been removed on the hood, leaving a few stitches of white thread visible around the silky fabric. It's easy enough to remove, but I just didn't notice it before commencement began.

Second, if you have longer hair, the Velcro-style fastenings on the adjustable hat will probably catch your hair a bit, since the scratchy hook side points inwards. I had some trouble with my hair when trying to remove or adjust my hat. It would be more comfortable for those of us with longer hair to have the softer loop side pointing toward the head (and have the hook side pointing away from it), but it's not too bad.

Even with these two minor comments, I was incredibly happy with the regalia and with the customer service. I'd certainly recommend it to anyone interested in looking sharp on their commencement day -- and especially those who anticipate wearing their regalia again!

As a plus size woman, I have some concerns about the "one size" versions of the gowns based on height. I e-mailed customer service and they responded quickly with recommendations. I am a size 22-24 in women's clothing (apple shaped with more belly than bust) and about 5'7. I ordered a size L gown according to my height and shoulder measurement and it fits great! I haven't tried it on yet with the dress I am planning to wear, but there is plenty of room.

My favorite part was the fast delivery of an exchange. It took less than a week. Now my cap fits. I can't wait to wear my cap and gown. Thank you!

The quality of the gown was great. It came in nice packaging and in a very timely manner. Thank you!

Thanks so much for making the gown and custom hood. Graduation went well and I looked terrific, thanks to you. Excellent work!

Spread your words to more universities, I would not know this great product if my friend did not try it. BIG thanks to you guys!

I love the gown! Thank you so much! It looks great!

Top-notch service and high quality regalia. Very satisfied!

Regalia looks great. Customer service was very good.

I really appreciated the chance to try on the different parts of the regalia on campus on the pick-up day.

Thanks, Nok & Jane! I'm so happy with with my regalia and with how easy you made the group ordering process. You offer such a great product at a reasonable price. Plus, I was glad to be able to support UC Berkeley alumni! I'm more than happy to recommend your company to others.