it's just the way we're taught
 

ditto what sigmadiva said. :)
the only "someone else" that I would ever buy my letters for is another member of Delta. just as a bit of insight as to where I'm coming from, one of the activites in our process calls for gifts to be exchanged. in the directives for this part, which comes from National, it reads, in part that gifts bearing the symbols or the words "Delta Sigma Theta" are not appropriate because the recipients aren't members.

When i buy 'nalia for myself or as a gift, the garment is crimson, cream, red, white, black or khaki, and the letters will be crimson and/or cream or red and/or white. I've seen sorors that have patterned letters BUT the fabric for the pattern is red and/or white. The only exception I've seen is Kente cloth. :)

ITA, Soror 12!

Yeah, the BGLO's that "I" know do NOT wear other colors, from their officials other than khaki, white, black.

See, being a member of Sigma Gamma Rho, our colors are royal blue and antique gold. If I had letters in pink, then the pink would imply Alpha Kappa Alpha and that is just not 'right'. I could do it if I wanted to, but it is not acceptable in my org and the NPHC community.

I think the thing is that since the colors of the Divine 9 are more well known, ( I doubt many people could name the colors of all NPC sororities) and don't repeat colors of the other organizations that it is a little more like "stepping on toes" to wear colors of a different sorority/fraternity in NPHC.
In Phi Sig when we are doing things for the whole chapter they are generally in Phi Sig Colors (King Blue and Gold) but if it is something that JUST you are going to wear.. then it doesn't really matter what color it is. Most of the things that I have in non "phi sig" colors is patterned anyway.. I don't think ANY organization has delclared that purple leopard is their color... so I'm pretty safe wearing my purple leopard letters on a black t shirt. :D

Kent State University
 

I believe only members of the Divine Nine wear letters in only their colors. NPC and NIC ground at Kent are pretty liberal about what color the fabric is for their letters. Also, if you think about it, coral is a pretty hard color to wear and rare as well.

A while back on the SAI Listserv, there was a discussion about the use of non-SAI colors(crimson and white). It was started by a sister at a HB college and their chapter strictly wore red and white, and most of us had never given a second thought to the use of non-SAI colors. She thought it was wrong to wear other colors, while many of us didn't.

The discussion did make me take notice how members of NPHC GLO's only wear their colors. And this is so in SAI chapters at HB colleges. While I had never considered this viewpoint before, it makes a lot of sense to me. When I see members of AKA, Delta Sigma Theta, Sigma Gamma Rho, and Zeta Phi Beta(as well as the fraternities) around campus sporting their letters, I know right away what group they're in because of the colors before I even see the letters. And I think that's totally cool...seems like it's another way to instill a sense of unity and to distinguish you from other groups.

Even though some of my Fraternity Brothers has worn different colors, I try to stay true to wearing the fraternity's colors of royal Blue and White.

I would say this is very true of you guys - one of our chapter sweethearts is a Sinfonia man, and he has some crazy letters (flames, metallics, etc) but he will always at minimum have them on a black sweatshirt or backing.

Interesting topic.

Like most NPC orgs, AEPhi has no rules regarding color of letters. I myself have several floral patterns, and I've seen star prints, cow prints, tie-dye, leopard print, as well as solid letters in a variety of colors other than green and white.

My local sorority had a tradition of "sister shirts" that you got right after initiation. Alternating class years got either green letters on purple shirts or purple letters on green shirts. So everyone had at least one shirt in the sorority's colors. Other than that, though, the sky was the limit.

Another question for NPHC members - Do you view it as stepping on your toes when a non-NPHC org shares your colors? e.g., Alpha Phi Alpha and Kappa Alpha Theta both use black and gold. (Not that anyone would mistake a Theta for an APhiA or vice versa... :p )

some people get really particular about colors, but I think it's pretty silly. If some other group shares the same colors it's no big deal- nobody owns colors (except maybe Crayola, lol).

for the most part: yeah, what he said. no biggie (FOR ME) if it's everyday wear, i.e. jeans & a red t-shirt. however, if one is interested in an NPHC sorority and one is attending a function of said sorority, it's probably not a good idea to show up wearing said organization's colors.

Originally posted by aephi alum


Another question for NPHC members - Do you view it as stepping on your toes when a non-NPHC org shares your colors? e.g., Alpha Phi Alpha and Kappa Alpha Theta both use black and gold. (Not that anyone would mistake a Theta for an APhiA or vice versa... :p )


It is like enlightenment06 said, nobody owns colors. To wear your own colors is a way of showing pride in your org and not wearing someone else's colors shows respect for their org. Like I said earlier, I could get a shirt with pink or red letters, but for one it would not feel right and some NPHC people may look at me funny.

For me personally, I have had shirts made with different patterns, I just don't do it with certain plain colors and combo of colors. Afterall, tiger stripes can look good on anyone!!!

yeah we dont have any rules for only wearing our letters in our colors, i have a pair of black and white letters even, and distributors always come to our house with like camo and pattern letters too. I dont really think those are very cool however. Well one other thing is that buff is kind of hard to get all in the same shade on a shirt and like no even bothers so they just buy yellow because it looks better anyways.