‘The fact that it’s like $1k makes me cry for you’: Los Angeles woman graduates law school. Then she realizes she made a huge mistake
A Los Angeles woman has just completed a huge achievement—graduating from law school after years of rigorous work. But, she’s not a fan of her regalia after all of those dedicated years.
TikTok content creator Liv (@liv_sik) graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) Gould School of Law‘s JD program. But, she noticed that the solid red color scheme made her look like “welcome to Duloc” and that it was “not really working” in her favor. She even tagged her video as “#lordfarquaad” due to the striking resemblance her graduation bore to the Shrek character.
Her video, which gave her audience some slight, humorous complaints about the fit, has since gotten 748,000 views and thousands of comments. Some viewers let her know that she did, in fact, look like Lord Farquaad in her outfit. Others discussed law schools that have significantly different regalia by comparison.
What does law school regalia traditionally consist of?
Law school regalia generally depends on the school and program. European programs and institutions tend to have more variety and distinction between different programs, whereas American institutions have more definite graduation structures. For example, King’s College London has unique gowns that were designed by Vivienne Westwood in 2008. The regalia has a strikingly different appearance when compared to U.S. gowns, something that commenters pointed out.
Many programs in the United States choose a black gown cut in the doctoral style, although some opt for gowns in the school’s colors instead. Traditionally, those graduating with a degree in law have at least some form of purple trim, hood, or detail. USC’s JD graduates, for instance, wear a dark purple hood.
Why is Liv’s law school regalia a deep crimson or red?
In Liv’s comments, she seemingly confirmed that she went to USC’s Gould School of Law. The school traditionally has three different gowns for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree candidates, with doctoral degree candidates receiving the crimson or red regalia.
JD students also graduate in USC’s traditional bright crimson, something that’s explicitly discussed on the school’s website. There’s not necessarily an alternative color that JD students can switch to to ensure they look more like graduates and less like Dulac guest relations experts.
While Liv does appear to be joking about her choice of law school being a “mistake” due to the regalia colors, she did seem somewhat irked by the price she had to pay for it. One commenter mentioned that the USC makes doctoral and law degree candidates spend over $1,000 on regalia.
“Just looked up usc regalia and the fact that it’s like $1k makes me cry for you ? mine was $85,” one commenter said. Liv also pointed out that the puffy hat she was wearing alone cost $180.
Considering she spent that much, and people thought she was trying to cosplay Lord Farquaad, many said she was right to be annoyed.
But, as one commenter pointed out, at least Liv will have a great Halloween costume in 2026. Or at least, she would’ve if USC allowed students to reuse their graduation regalia for that purpose. The school outright bans regalia from being used for alternative purposes.
@liv_sik This hat was $180 btw. #prelaw #prelawadvice #3l #lordfarquaad #regalia ♬ The End of the Picture Book – yasuhiro soda
The Mary Sue reached out to Liv via TikTok direct message and the USC via email for comment.
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