This Story Behind Letterman Jacket Will Amaze You

When it comes to defining the current fashion trends, nothing comes as a surprise! The things that were prevalent in the past are hitting the fashion streets again. From Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, Zac Efron & Rihanna to street style stars, everyone can be seen donning the fall’s most vouched for piece of clothing

The Varsity or Letterman Jacket. The uber chic and sporty look and feel silhouette has become the athleisure staple. If you still don’t have it, it is time to make it a major must-have in your wardrobe.

What is a Letterman Jacket & Who Brought It into Existence?

None other than a letterman jacket is embedded into the popular American college culture. It is also fondly known as the varsity jacket because it was originated in one of the greatest American varsities (we’ll come to that in a short while). Fasten your seat belts and get on that time machine because we are going back in the 19th century.

The letterman jacket first originated in the same place where the social media giant Facebook was born. You guessed that right – Harvard Business School, Massachusetts. But, the original varsity jacket was not a jacket at all. In fact, it was a sweater with a large “H” sewed on to the center to differentiate the star Baseball players from the campus crowd.

Source: Wikimedia

The jacket accorded a special status to the wearer because only the key baseball players of this top American University were allowed to don it. With this jacket came a great responsibility to perform. If you rode the pine all year, it was mandatory to denounce the status by returning the jersey.

Source: Harvard Magazine

How Letterman Jackets Become Popular?

A decade later after its inception, the letterman jacket was spotted in Harvard’s football team and slowly it captivated the attention of other universities and schools. Soon, a “letterman” became a high school or a college student who actively participated and excelled in school-sponsored activities.

The varsity used to award that student a “letter” to sew on the sweater or jacket and display the achievement to others.

At the turn of the 20th century, letterman “jacket” became an iconic American tradition. With its popularity, came different versions and in 1930, the jacket saw its first incarnation.

The wool body and leather sleeves along with the traditional collegiate badge saw the rise. The same pattern became the symbol of a school’s authority. It has continuously evolved since then to become what it is today.

As the time lapsed, the people sitting on the couch and cheering for their players felt under-appreciated. That’s how the letter opened up for the masses. In the last two decades of the 20th century, this jacket became an indispensable part of the sports and fashion world.

The timeless tradition made its way from the Ivy League campuses to rappers and hip hop singers. Today, there is ample of room for customization and the top brands like Ed Hardy, Nike, Adidas are reinventing this classic style to suit the masses.

That’s not all! The once sports luxe aesthetics that was reserved only for sports lovers have begun crafting a sharper, smarter look for different people.

Taking a cue from the tradition, you can now choose a style that makes your letter jacket ideal for parties, casual and office wear. It has to be seen what’s in store for the century-old jacket. So far as the current styles in the market are concerned, we love it what’s there. Tell us your favorite letterman jacket style in the comments section below.

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