Letter Perfect: The History of Varsity Jackets

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Richie Cunningham wearing an iconic varsity jacket in a scene from TV's "Happy Days". (filmaffinity.com)

If you played a sport in high school, you probably couldn’t wait to get your Varsity letter. That meant you could officially have a varsity jacket, or letterman jacket, and proudly strut the school hallways showing off the fashion that designated you as an athlete. Letterman jackets remain one of the biggest traditions in high school’s today. The jackets themselves have not changed much—still a woolen coat with leather arms. Have you ever stopped to think about this high school athletic tradition and how it originated?