Aug 30, 2016

The Varsity Movement: Just in Time for Football

As athletic wear moves into everyday wear, the varsity style is making its way back into people’s wardrobes. This trend originally started in 1865 at Harvard University. When their baseball team wanted a way to highlight the varsity team’s star players, the idea of sewing the letter “H” onto the team’s uniforms emerged, creating the timeless “letterman jacket”. The letterman jacket fad spread across Harvard’s athletic teams. Soon, even high school varsity teams followed suit.


Over time, stripes were added along the cuff of the jacket for athletes to display their achievements. Athletes would also add felt patches to the jacket to highlight merit. Within a couple years, the name “varsity jacket” was a common term used across colleges and high school campuses. As high profile teams like the New York Knickerbockers (Knicks) and the Oakland Raiders debuted their version of the varsity jacket, it gained even more national notoriety. Fast forward to 2016, and the letterman jacket and varsity movement is as large a part of American culture as football.




Now that the varsity trend has made a comeback and is not just for athletes, what makes something varsity-inspired? Branded patches and pins help personalize the look and continue the theme. You can expect to see sports striping, baseball-style sleeves, baseball caps, and jersey-inspired styles in the coming months.




The Maniac Sport Eco-Fleece Sweatshirt is a perfect sporty and fashionable take on a classic sweatshirt. With its raw neckline and varsity-stripe detailing, this item is the perfect example of the varsity trend.

Another item to show your school or corporate spirit is the Poly-Cotton Cropped ¾ Sleeve Raglan. With its raglan cut and fashion-forward cropped cut, this is the perfect addition to any university or company store—no competition! Other great styles include the District Ladies Game V-neck Tee, Ladies Sport-Wick Varsity Fleece Full-Zip Hooded jacket, and The SportTek PosiCharge Replica Jersey. A great bag to tote with your varsity look is the Beach Comber Bag with a wide stripe pattern.


Contact The Icebox for your company’s varsity-style apparel and accessories, we promise we will hit it out of the park!