Too old to wear letters around?
 

Right... so the other day it was actually cold in DC. Figure that. Anyhow, while I will wear old college t-shirts outside and to the gym, some that I got at greek events, I save wearing my letters for just puttering around the house. I went outside to run errands in long-sleeved letters (in fact, the shirt I received from my big when I was initiated) and I got looks that would embarrass anyone. Someone actually said "Reliving glory days? What a loser!"

So my question is this: is there an age where it just becomes... weird to wear letters somewhere? Your comments/advice would be appreciated. And by the way, I am 28 years old. And I look 28. Not 60. Maybe I'm just caring too much about what others think...

Sigh.

I'm 27 and I wouldn't wear letters out unless it was mandated by an alum event or something.

It's not that I'm not 'proud' or anything, but just like other articles of clothing that I wore in high school or college, I just feel I've outgrown them and tend to prefer to dress more my age. I still do have my shirts and stuff, but they are tucked away in a drawer. Some people put them on a quilt too.

I don't regularly wear t-shirts anymore either unless it's to sleep in, so that might be another reason why the lettered shirts don't ever make it out.

It's not like I dress like I'm in college every day... It was a chilly weekend day and I was walking a few blocks away to buy cat litter. Hardly a day to wear something nice. My only long-sleeved tees are college ones, since I don't really wear tees anymore. Anyways, with 10-hour days in suits during the week, I think I would be allowed to tone it down when I'm taking a break from cleaning my house and running an errand. But that's just my take, I guess.

Again, thoughts and comments are welcome!

This.

Maybe it's a council thing, but I say you're a grown woman -- wear what you want. Unless you're actually trying to relive glory days (hanging out at a fraternity house or showing up to ALL collegiate events), you should be fine.

ETA: I'm 24. I wear letters from time to time, but I don't really pay attention to "those" looks.

Not in BGLO culture. :)

It isn't uncommon to see BGLO members 60-80+ years old wearing letters (including hats and shirts) out and about. It's great.

A sad thing happened in undergrad when someone's parent or grandparent was visiting the campus and wore his Sigma Chi (I think) sweatshirt. Some of the students were laughing at him. My friends and I thought it was wonderful that he still owned and wore his letters. And we weren't even in BGLOs yet.

I wear letters from time to time. I only have a few t-shirts, so if I'm just running out somewhere, I might throw one of those shirts on. I'm a very active alum within my sorority and like wearing letters once in a while. I'm 24 btw.

Haha this reminds me of a girl who was around Morgantown my first few years of college. She was an alumna from another sorority on campus, and I believe my freshman year she was 28. She actually attended rush and spoke to girls (not just handed out drinks or something), she was more of a "floater" (come to think of it, is that even allowed to have an alumna rushing girls?). But it was well known that if she didn't like you, her opinion still weighed heavily with the sorority. She still went to events too, I distinctly remember seeing her wasted at Derby Days that spring. Pretty pathetic.

To answer the OP's question though, I graduated 2 years ago and still wear sorority shirts, but not letter shirts. I have a few letter tank tops I may wear to the dog park, but nowhere else. I feel like letter shirts are definitely part of an active's wardrobe, and event shirts can be worn for several years post-college.

[QUOTE=WVU alpha phi;1815898]Haha this reminds me of a girl who was around Morgantown my first few years of college. She was an alumna from another sorority on campus, and I believe my freshman year she was 28. She actually attended rush and spoke to girls (not just handed out drinks or something), she was more of a "floater" (come to think of it, is that even allowed to have an alumna rushing girls?). But it was well known that if she didn't like you, her opinion still weighed heavily with the sorority. She still went to events too, I distinctly remember seeing her wasted at Derby Days that spring. Pretty pathetic.QUOTE]

Wow... that's pretty bad. Granted, there's an alumni association in my area that I'm not involved in, I don't live anywhere near my college, and I haven't been to a college event since college (even an athletic event), but I guess I'll just have to wear a sweatshirt or something next time. Oh well.

If someone felt the need to comment on your clothes while you were at the drugstore or whatever, might I suggest that it is THEY who have the problem, not you. When you get older you tend to stop buying casual run to the store clothing like sweats & t shirts...mainly because you have to sink beaucoup bucks into your work wardrobe. I think it's ridiculous to buy clothes you don't need and not wear something just because there are letters on it.

However, I draw the line at wearing my tomato red sorority jacket to the store. LOL

I Love when I see older BGLO women wearing their para. A couple of weeks ago I saw an older Zeta (55+) wearing a line jacket. It mustve been relatively new as it still looked "fresh", but she looked nice, really poised and put together even in a line jacket. It made me smile. I Love seeing older alums of any organization proudly wearing letters. I carry my letter tote bag almost everyday as it is my gym bag. I'm sure I get looks walking into work with it, but whatever.

I graduated 3 years ago and left almost every article of Theta clothing as hand-me-downs to sisters younger than me...that was really common in my chapter. I do have a Theta sweatshirt (with the word spelled out, not letters) that I wear to run errands but that's about it.

Lately I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a nice piece of jewelry or something I could routinely wear.

ETA: I completely agree with 33girl that if people are commenting on your clothes like that, it reflects poorly on them, not you.

That's a good point, guys. I live within blocks of Howard University and routinely see older women in their jackets. It especially makes me smile when they're walking in a big group together. :D

;)

HU is the Mecca of BGLOdom, in general, so you will see BGLOers walking in groups and you will see older members (faculty, alum, visitors, etc.) walking around in letters sometimes. :)

On another note, I am glad that I'm no longer the oldest person in this thread. :p Happy belated birthday, 33girl, and I'm sure your tomato red jacket is really nice. You should still wear it.

DITY? :p

Based on the NPC and one D9 responses in this thread is the reason for the difference in feeling / attitude towards one's glo after undergrad. What I mean is the attitude for NPC - 'I did it for four years'. The attitude for NPHC - 'I'm doing this for life.'

As Dr. Phil stated it is very common, almost expected for some individuals in the D9 that I know, to wear our letters quite frequently.

To answer the OP - they are YOUR letters that you worked for and earned! Wear them as often and as frequently as you want.

I just graduated from medical school and I'm still wearing my letters. Granted, I don't wear them to work except as unobtrusive jewelry, but if it's a cold weekend, you can bet I'm wearing a lettered sweatshirt. My sorority contributed greatly to the person I am today, and I enjoy being able to represent my organization.

Congratulations to the D-9 GLOs for wearing their letters after graduation. They are proud enough to do so. As to those that laughed at a Sigma Chi alumni I am sure he was/is proud of him being a member of a great organization and why not. I try to wear mine when I can for not only functions but working as I meet many other GLOs that way.
Upsetting is when undergrads do not wear their letters but logo shirts for beer companies or clothing stores. I went through my ritual and earned my letters and badge, I am dang proud of that fact.

He hid it better this time. I was almost fooled.

???? it is Steve.

As an advisor I often wear letters if I am going to the chapter for a casual meeting or workshop. It is not uncommon for me to run errands before/after around town. Rather than snide comments or weird looks, people are usually interested and it often prompts a conversation -- especially if Recruitment is coming up.

I am over 50 and wear my fraternity letters and crest on knit shirts. I also have a nice jacket with the letters and several hats with the fraternity name on it. I think you should feel free to wear what you want. As someone else said "you earned those letters" wear them proudly.

I wear lettered apparel quite a bit as I'm a very proud sister of Delta Delta Delta & my membership is for life; not to mention I have a lot of them. My family has teased me about it but no one else has said anything- that could be partially because people constantly tell me I look 17 lol.

I kinda cut back during graduate school, mainly because I was living in a foreign country where Greek Life is SERIOUSLY misunderstood, and it always drew some uncomfortable questions/long explanations. Plus, most students dressed nicely for class, and it made me feel awkward (although I have to cop to going to class in my cycling gear on more than one occasion due to flat tires and running late). I had some event shirts that I'd wear to the gym, in which case I almost always found another Greek student (which was nice).

I'm making most of my shirts into a quilt right now, but I have a few that have some special significance and I'll still wear. And I'll forever rock my "Activation" letters because they're really nice and on a nice hoodie. I use my bag as a gym bag most days as well.

Although I am not saying you made this up, I honestly cannot imagine someone saying such a thing out loud.

I think there is nothing wrong with wearing letter shirts (or lavalieres or pins with appropriate attire). Is there something wrong with someone wearing their college's sweatshirt? Isn't it kind of the same thing? It doesn't matter if you are a Harvard graduate or attended State Community College, are/was a member an NPHC organization or NPC, or local or service group - it's a part of who you are.

Putting all rhetoric aside (the argument that membership is for life vs. membership is something you had in college, as well as the "there's a time and place to wear a sweatshirt or t-shirt" argument) - why does age have to factor into the equation?

I have seen sisters of both AXiD and Gamma Sig (I am a member of both orgnizations) wear letters/insignia outside of meetings/events. These women range from their late 20s to their 60s. Just what is so mock worthy or shocking?

I was wondering why it was so shocking, too. Maybe it's a regional thing? I don't really know. I'm graduating in a few days, but I can't imagine never wearing my letters ever again!

I live in the DC area as well, and I wear my billboard letters and event shirts occassionally in casual settings (i.e. shopping). No one ever gives me weird looks or comments.

ETA: I am only 23, so maybe I don't get looks because it might not occur to the random passerby that I am not in college anymore. Regardless, why do you care what a random passerby thinks?

I don't own any letter shirts anymore, but I used to carry AOII tote bags (I need a new one since I wore the others out!) everyday to work. I got a lot of different responses to the bags. Some people were confused that I was displaying letters. Only one person came in and sounded excited to see my AOII letter bag. He said, "Oh, my grandmother, mother and sister are AOIIs!" I'm proud to be an AOII, but I'm not going to buy a new letter shirt that I won't use. I have plenty of screen print shirts for the gym.

At homecoming there was a Sigma Chi alumnus tailgating with his chapter near us wearing a lettered sweatshirt. My pledge brother and I both thought that it was really awesome and said that we wanted to be that guy in twenty years. I say keep rocking them!

I stopped when I was 27, around the time I gave birth to my son. I decided that I was too old to still do it because my friends were now mom friends, and most were closer to 40. Before becoming a mom, I could pass for younger, so it was no big deal to me. I was lucky that as a rush advisor at two schools, I always had a ton of new and cute shirts well after I graduated.

I never hesitate to wear my AGD pullover jacket when it's rainy and windy, ESPECIALLY on weekends.

If it's acceptable to wear university and college t-shirts and sweatshirts (I had over 50 by graduation, most of which were free, most of which have moved with me from place to place), it's acceptable to wear lettered t-shirts and sweatshirts.

I'm wearing a t-shirt I got the first day of my freshman year of college right now (meaning I've had it for 7 years) and if someone said something about "reliving the glory days" I'd say something along the lines of "only because I have to deal with your ugly days." Live-in isn't greek but he wears his college t-shirts all the time, and his dad is actually jealous of the number of Oakland Zoo t's he's got and wears.

I am twenty-four. The only people who comment on my letters (besides a few white people who had a brother or sister who was greek) are other black people because they have never heard of "Phi Mu" before and "what is that"? Never anything negative though, but I do still look like a teenager so they probably can't tell yet.

I'll never stop wearing them. They mean far too much to me. Perhaps I'll start getting 2-inch instead of 4-inch letters once I hit thirty or something.

I live in DC too, and although it's never happened to me, I could imagine it depending on the neighborhood. Don't forget there are a lot of college alums in this city who are pretty much anti-greek. (Georgetown, for example)

I'm only 22, but I do have a 2-year-old with me most of the time. I will always wear my letters with pride!

You know he's going to eventually get around to perping a D9 sorority member as one of his incarnations. He's so smart and tricky you know. :cool:

I only have one lettered sweatshirt, and I mostly just wear it around the house. I say "mostly," because when the school where I teach had a College Day and we were supposed to wear college gear, I wore a t-shirt from my university with my lettered sweatshirt, since I didn't have a university sweatshirt anymore, and it was cold.

I have a couple of old event shirts that I'll wear to the gym or to sleep in. They're comfy!

Definitely. My jacket has gotten me through some rough weather. And in Erie, PA, I don't care what I'm wearing... if I'm warm and dry, it doesn't matter what anyone says to me!

Same here! And I don't wear lettered shirts to every event I attend with the active sisters, but I'll put them on every so often. At the very least, my gym wardrobe is constantly updated :)

I don't think you are ever too old to rock the letters! I am still a collegian, but I love seeing other alums of other GLOs wearing letters or jewelry. I plan on wearing my letters for a loooong time. They are such a huge part of my life and I am proud to wear them.

As for attending collegiate events, why not. I know my chapter loves having some alum attend events. We always invite them! There is nothing wrong with remaining active with your GLO no matter how old you are.

Also, I love running into alum sisters! I get so excited, they have great stories. I was lucky to meet one alum sister who is a parent to one of my brothers friends. She helped colonize the chapter at her school and had wonderful insight. I would have never known this if she wasn't wearing her letters at 40+!