Dictionary

Varsity jacket is originated in the United States in the late 19th century. Initially, the jacket was associated with sports teams and awarded to high school and college athletes who had excelled in their respective fields. The iconic design typically features a wool body, sometimes with leather sleeves, and often showcases the school or team’s emblem on the chest. Those with the big letter on a chest are also sometimes called as “letterman jackets”. Over time, the varsity jacket transcended its athletic roots and became a symbol of youthful, casual fashion, gaining popularity in the mid-20th century. The etymology of both terms are easy to guess: “varsity” is a shortened form of the word “university”, and “letterman” is literally due to the depiction of letters on a jacket’s front.