Oxford graduations delayed after women turned away for not wearing socks

Oxford University proctors have reminded students of the dress code for their graduations, after women flouting a 'sock and heels' rule caused delays in this summer’s ceremonies.

In an message sent to students, officials warned that failure to wear the correct ‘sub fusc’ cap, gown and dark clothes could cause “serious inconvenience”.

“It has come to our attention that a number of students at recent degree ceremonies were not dressed appropriately,” the email said.

“Infractions which were reported to us include the following: graduands with bare legs or no black socks/tights, non-dark footwear, coloured clothes.”

A number of women have been refused entry to graduations this year for wearing high-heeled shoes without socks. 

Eleanor Broome, 24, who studied French at Oxford, was turned away at the door in July and said she had to “sprint, in black trousers and full gown in the blistering summer heat”, to buy tights to wear under her trousers.

Her ceremony was delayed by fifteen minutes while students and their family and friends waited for her to return.

Eleanor Broome

“The sub fusc regulations are just so outdated now that there's nothing in there for women who want to wear trousers and heels,” she said.

“It was a boiling hot July, I didn't want to wear covered lace up shoes and black socks.

“I did really love my degree and I loved my time at Oxford, but what should have been the happiest day of my life turned into the angriest day of my life.”

Rebecca Morton was told by officials that she would not be allowed to graduate because she was “showing flesh”.

She was eventually allowed into the ceremony after a friend gave her a pair of socks to wear.  

“Overall I think there is a problem in the way subfusc and other university policies are written and implemented in that they are designed for a default male student,” she said.

“It is one of the many ways in which the university continues to adhere to a set of archaic regulations that are coded for men.”

A spokesman for Oxford University said: “The note went out to College Deans of Degrees at the start of summer as a reminder of the dress code for degree ceremonies. 

“The note was intended to avoid delays to ceremonies, as a courtesy to everyone attending. We are not aware of any significant delays as a result this year.”