{"id":7281,"date":"2025-12-31T07:42:51","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T15:42:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.classmates.com\/blog\/?p=7281"},"modified":"2026-06-08T16:56:25","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T23:56:25","slug":"varsity-letterman-jackets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.classmates.com\/blog\/varsity-letterman-jackets\/","title":{"rendered":"Remember Your Varsity Jacket? A History of Letterman Jackets"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Remember the pride you felt sporting (pun intended) a cool varsity jacket as you walked through the halls of your high school, high-fiving your teammates? Or maybe you remember standing in the middle of the field during a game, looking at the bleachers, to see a sea of schoolmates in team jackets cheering you on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you were an athlete who played in your school\u2019s varsity team, or had simply \u201cborrowed\u201d the jacket from your partner, this piece of clothing instantly ratcheted up your coolness levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From being a 1980s high school<\/a> fashion staple to becoming part of the mainstream jock-style fashion, varsity jackets have come a long way. Did you know that their history actually begins in the mid-1800s?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the long and cool history of letterman jackets that will take you right back to your high school sports field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
– Elite Origins:<\/strong> The letterman jacket traces back to 1865 at Harvard University, where baseball players wore gray flannel pullovers featuring a large embroidered “H.”
– Symbol of Achievement:<\/strong> Originally, these garments were treated as “loans” from the school, being granted only to top-performing athletes at the end of the season.
– Functional Design:<\/strong> The modern letterman design, consisting of a boiled wool body and leather sleeves, emerged in the 1930s to provide better warmth for athletes during winter games.
– Pop Culture Explosion:<\/strong> The jacket transitioned from sports gear to a fashion icon in the 1980s, largely thanks to Michael Jackson\u2019s red-and-gold jacket in the “Thriller” music video and adoption by hip-hop pioneers like Salt-N-Pepa.
– Timeless Symbolism:<\/strong> Beyond fashion, the varsity jacket persists as a powerful symbol of team pride, school identity, and personal accomplishment that bridges the gap between high school memories and mainstream streetwear.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is a Letterman \/ Varsity Jacket?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Historical<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

JJonahJackalope, CC BY-SA 4.0 https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A varsity jacket (also known as a letterman jacket) is a piece of clothing worn by the members of a high school or college varsity sports team. These jackets are a symbol of team (and school) pride, and let the athletes bask in their team\u2019s collective sense of accomplishment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While traditionally worn by varsity team members, you\u2019ll also find die-hard fans of the sports teams wearing letterman jackets during home and away games to show support. It\u2019s all about being a part of something bigger than yourself!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Letterman jackets typically depict the colors of the school (or the sports team), with the jacket body highlighting the primary colors and the sleeves showcasing the secondary colors. For instance, East Boston High School<\/a>\u2019s colors are blue and gold, so those are the colors their varsity jackets are made of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The body of the jacket<\/a> is usually fashioned out of molten (i.e. boiled) wool, while the sleeves are made from leather or faux leather. The cuffs, waistband, and rounded collar are all ribbed and have matching striped patterns (made of the same two colors as the jacket). It also features two front pockets and a front row of snap buttons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is it Called a Letterman Jacket?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The most defining feature of a varsity jacket is the large chenille letter patch that\u2019s sewn on to the front left side. Since chenille patches are textured and made using thick, fuzzy yarn, they stand out on the jacket, proudly telling everyone which school the wearer is from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This letter is typically the initial of the school. So, a Stanford University<\/a> varsity jacket will have the letter S sewn on it. As you might have already guessed, these letters are where the letterman jacket got its name from. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the letter patch, students often customize their jackets with other patches and badges that show off their personality and personal achievements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Were Varsity Jackets Invented? A Look at Their History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s travel all the way back to 1865 to Harvard University<\/a>. At the time, the school\u2019s baseball team came up with the idea of embroidering a capital H<\/a> (for Harvard) in front of the thick, gray pullovers they wore during games. It was this single idea that kick-started a trend that is so uniquely American. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike today, though, in the 1800s, sportswear was the property of the team, meaning players had to give back their \u201cH\u201d sweaters after the game season ended. Only the MVPs who played against their biggest rivals like Yale<\/a> and Princeton<\/a> got to keep their sweaters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a certain player performed poorly? They had to return their letter sweater! And so, sportswear with letters became the epitome of athletic excellence, which is why, even today, only the elite varsity team members get to wear them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spread of the Letterman<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Joe<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/2.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seeing the awe and respect that single letter elicited, the athletes soon began flaunting their sportswear<\/a> off the field. Fans of the sports teams began copying them, popularizing letterman pullovers and cardigans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the early 1900s, after the Harvard University baseball team came up with the idea of letting their sportswear carry the initials of their school, the football team also adopted the same practice. Soon, these letters began popping up on the pullovers and cardigans of Ivy League sports teams across the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ranking System<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With athletes and non-athletes alike wearing these letter jackets, there was a tiny problem. How could the top performing athletes be separated from the fans? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enter: a ranking system. If your jacket had on a star or two, it meant you were the captain or a top player of a sports team. If your jacket was bare, you were probably a fan or a backup player who didn\u2019t get to play too many games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Birth of the Current Varsity Jacket<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By the time the 1930s rolled around, a near-carbon copy of the varsity jacket as we know it today was born. Players found that the thin pullovers they were wearing were no match for the winter chill, so they began demanding thicker clothing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is how leather sleeves and buttons came to be added to the woolen jackets. The thickness of the wool was also doubled. The letter, which used to be featured in the middle, now moved to the side. Thus, the current style of the letterman jacket came into the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While every team member could have the jacket, not everyone could keep the coveted letter. Yep; it was something you had to earn by being great on the field. If your performance was deemed worthy, you were awarded the letter and could sew it on to your jacket. It was a big honor, indeed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By this time, the letterman jacket had spread to high schools, too, and was crowned with the term \u201cvarsity jacket\u201d since the varsity team was the elite sports team in high schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Varsity Jackets Become Mainstream<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Dog<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Chad Francis, CC BY 2.0 https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the next few decades, varsity jackets were being featured in Hollywood movies and being worn by rock-n-roll artists, both of which helped make them a part of pop culture. Think icons like James Dean and Elvis Presley. Manufacturers began making random satin versions of letterman jackets<\/a>, cementing them as a fashion statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a few decades later, in the 1980s, though, that the varsity jacket exploded in fame, mostly because professional athletic teams began taking an interest in them. Several teams, such as the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Raiders, and the New York Knicks, came up with their own versions of these jackets. If your favorite players were wearing it, you also had to have it, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, most of the credit for this explosion goes to Michael Jackson who wore a red and gold letterman jacket with a big M sewn on it in \u201cThriller,\u201d his music video. And, before you knew it, the varsity jacket had become synonymous with streetwear, with so many hip-hop artists, such as Salt-N-Pepa, making it part of their style. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the preppy fashion brands, such as Tommy Hilfiger and Polo, began selling varsity jackets, turning it into the American youth culture symbol that it is today. Even Princess Diana has been photographed<\/a> wearing a letterman jacket!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whew! Who knew that old varsity jacket hanging in the back of your closet came out of such a rich history, huh?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why are Varsity Jackets so Popular?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s admit it, nothing looked cooler than a varsity jacket wandering around your high school hallways. Here are some other reasons people enjoy wearing lettermans: <\/p>\n\n\n\n