The Chalmers Cap and its Folklore

Foto: CFFC

The Chalmers cap is the traditional cap worn by students and alumni at Chalmers University of Technology. The cap is available in white and black, which are worn during the summer and winter, respectively.

Folklore of the Chalmers Cap

The cap is a you probably know two caps, a white and a black one. The black cap is worn from the changing of the cap on the first of october to the changing of the cap right before the Cortègen April the 30th. This cap is the first allowed cap to wear for the nymble. During the second part of the year the white cap is worn.

Each spring the student purchases a may flower that is pinned on the caps two breads. This means from the may flower on the cap you could determine how long a person has studied at Chalmers university.

CFFC / Andreas Andersson

CFFC / Sofie Groth

It is suitable to pin the may flower on the breads in a way that it is well attached but as well easy to remove since it is inappropriate to wear the may flowers during funerals.

The tossel consists of a great amount of threads (well over 300 threads). Each thread has a strong will to split its ends . To prevent this each thread should be provided with a knot regularly from the student's partner. This with the price of a kiss for each knot. If you lack a partner take advantage of a suitable acquaintance who accepts the payment. The knot should be done as an eight knot and not as a regular knot.

In order to find a mate among your fellow chalmerists the breads on the tossel can be of service. The placing of the breads indicate a person's marital status. If the chalmerist have a mate the breads are placed tightly together at the middle of the tossel. If said chalmerist is engaged the breads are instead at the top and if said chalmerist is married the breads are at the bottom. In the case when on does not have a mate the breads are placed so they divide the tossel in three equal parts.

Variations of the rules about the traditional breads exist, but they are not supported by Marskalksämbetet.

What differentiates the sophisticated Chalmerist from the barbarians at KTH and other places is that a certain level of etiquette is upheld while carrying the cap. For example, you never carry the cap in-doors, except when wearing white tie and tail coat. Emilia on the other hand, may wear the cap indoor if she so wishes. Busses and cars are also considered indoors. Trams however, are considered outdoors for historical reasons.

Rules

The rules of the chalmers cap are settled in stone by the student union. Further suggestions about the chalmers cap are given in the folklore of the cap.

The cap consists of a cap and a tassel. In the tassel there are two wooden/threaded beads. Each year a may flower is purchased and pinned on one of the two beads.
Each year a student should purchase a "majblomma". This is pinned in one of the two breads on the tossel.
The cap should not be ornated with anything other than what is explicitly mentioned here.
The cap should be worn by a member of the Chalmers Student Union with the intention of graduating. During festive occasions the cap is allowed to be worn by graduated members of Chalmers.
The cap shouldn’t be worn inside. If Emlia feels it suitable to wear the cap inside it is allowed.
The white cap is worn from the changing of the cap ceremony on April 30th to the changing of the cap the first october. The black cap is worn from the changing of the cap the first of october to the changing of the cap on April 30th.
Nymble owns the right to wear the cap from the time they turn from Nollan to nymble.
At student graduation parties the white cap should be worn even if it occurs before the 30th of April but only during the festivities and not from and to the party.
To white tie/evening dress the white cap is worn and is allowed to be worn inside.
To white tie/evening dress the white cap is worn and is allowed to be worn inside. At funerals the white cap should be worn with a mourning band and without other ornaments. The mourning band should be worn so the cocarde is covered.

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