Athletic Apparel

The high school athletic tradition of the “letterman jacket” dates back to the Harvard baseball team in 1865. The coaches of the team wanted to reward the players who exemplified the best of the team and to distinguish the players on the field. Coaches named these sweaters “the lettermen” and the players worked hard to compete and earn the letters as a symbol of their dedication. Eventually, the idea of varsity letters made the transition to football in the decades to follow. The letterman jacket became a staple clothing item in American culture specifically among high school athletes in the middle of the twentieth century. Its introduction to the limelight began in the 1930s and remained a symbol of success and tradition well into the twentieth century with high school students. Though its popularity began to fade following its peak in the 1980s, the trend of displaying one’s accomplishments for varsity sports was still of great importance among athletes.

Sports jerseys and uniforms gained traction and became mainstream in American education during the twentieth century. They served as badges of honor and dedication to the athletic achievements of students. These status symbols uphold the legacy of school-sanctioned sporting events and continue to serve as positive memories of former athletes and the years that have gone by. Deep connections to friends, teammates, and coaches are recalled and retold time after time when the tangible objects retained from one’s past help to jog old moments. Items of clothing such as a sports jersey can serve as strong indicators of affection and support. For example, many high school football players would give a jersey to their sweetheart to wear to show their support and commitment to one another as a young couple. The tradition of boyfriends giving their high school girlfriend their football jersey, much like giving other clothing items or a class ring, is also a part of the American education and social life experience.

Following Title IX, a federal civil rights law passed in 1972, the United States education system had to comply with the standards set forth to ensure equality among students. Formally organized sports for female students were established. While other forms of recreation and informal sporting events were common for young women to take part in during their years in school, it wasn’t until the 1960s and 1970s when sporting events for high school girls were mainstream. As a result, uniforms and sports jerseys were more commonplace and evolved with the changing styles of the times.