Matriculation ceremony (formal admission to the University) and University examinations
The required dress for these occasions is known as sub fusc: for men, dark suit, dark socks and black footwear, a white shirt, white collar and white bow tie, a mortar board and gown; for women, a white blouse, black tie, dark skirt or trousers, dark stockings, black footwear and dark coat (if desired), mortar board (or cap) and gown. It is possible to obtain the headwear, tie and gown on arrival at the College, and academic dress can also be loaned or hired from the following outfitters in Oxford:
Shepherd & Woodward;
Castell & Son;
Walters.
In addition, a new student business is offering hand-tailored graduate gowns 'at 25% off high street prices': http://www.oxbridgegowns.com/store/
Formal dress
Student gowns are not worn for dinner at Balliol, but there is a served dinner in Hall each Tuesday during term, and there are other occasions when you will wish to dress smartly (for men, a suit, or at minimum a jacket and tie). The first such occasion is Freshers’ Dinner, which you are expected to attend: the Undergraduate Freshers' Dinner is in Hall on Wednesday 5 October 2011at 7.30 pm; the Graduate Freshers' Dinner is in Hall on Friday 7 October 2011 at 7.45 pm.