Wearing letters
 

I have a few "vintage" (circa 1993) letter sweatshirts that I wear bc they are so comfy. But they are tattered.

Do any of you alums, active or inactive, wear letters? I live in New England and spend a lot of time in sweatshirts, so I was considering buying one or two letter sweatshirts.

Just wondering what others do.

I'm in letter sweats as I type (and I'm a lot older than you).

Yes, I do. I wear a lapel pin with US/SAE flag on my dress jackets. And hats, shirts et al still. I also wear my school stuff as well.

The way I look at it, I go out of my way NOT to wear corp. "letters" (GAP, Old Navy etal) as they do not pay me to do their ads and why should I pay them for the honor?

While school and GLO I have a direct connection to and am part of "something".

If you need links, I know that SAE has a master list and IIRC some of the others GLO's have simular ones on their National sites.

I'm actually thinking about getting another sweatshirt, and I graduated in 2001. Of course, I am involved in a ton of rushes, so I have a bunch of t-shirts. Some I wear and some I don't. Mostly I wear them to chapter meetings and such.

I'm 27. I still wear my letters on t-shirts, sweatshirts, and all the party shirt/bid day stuff. I still buy letter shirts/sweatshirts and wear them proudly along with my letter windbreaker jacket.
I still wear my lavaliere occasionally as well as sometimes (probably not anymore with new regulations) I took my letter bag with me through the airports (I met several Thetas by doing that).

I still go by the same rules/standards as I did as an undergraduate member......I dont wear them to happy hours, I dont wear them to parties, I dont sleep in them as pajamas, etc.

I have a collection of Convention and LI tees that I do wear on occasion (usually AOII related). I do wear my jewelry regularly, and use a quilted letter tote when I travel. Been thinking about getting a new sweatshirt this fall, but may put that on the holiday list instead. :)

I have a bracelet, a ring, and a few necklaces that I wear nearly every day. Some have ZTA on them, others are a five pointed crown, and I have a signet ring with the ZTA crest.

Where I live, it's the rare person who knows anything about sororities and fraternities. People who don't know me assume ZTA are my initials and ask me if my name is Zelda!

Yep, that's my name.. Zelda Tanya Adams. ;)

Haha...this reminds me of something that happened to me during my first trip home after starting college. I was so proudly wearing my letters, and a guy at a coffee shop asked me, "Who's Rob? Your boyfriend?" I had no idea what he was talking about until he pointed at my chest. My Theta and Pi Phi friends with me thought it was hilarious!

Being a chapter advisor, I also have a collection of event shirts. And I also have several letter shirts. I wear them around the house, to the grocery, out shopping as well as to chapter meetings. on teacher workdays or working Saturdays, I will wear them to my office.

I have met quite a few sisters out and about while running errands or shopping, and recently a nice man from Sigma Alpha Epsilon gave me a super deal on a car rental because he thought the "Fuzzies' at his school were wonderful.

I also find that I use my letter tote quite a bit. It's heavy black canvas with letters embroideried in pink. It looks classy, and I carry it to a lot of different things. You're right, it is a great way to meet people in airports!!

In my job, there are many ladies from NPHC sororities. They never seem hesitant or shy about wearing their paraphernalia. They proudly sport it on a daily basis. They seem to firmly believe that it is a lifetime commitment, and doesn't stop at graduation. They never question me about wearing a shirt or my pin.

When I dress up, occasionally I wear my badge.

I wear lettered sweatshirts all winter, as we have a jeans & t-shirt work atmosphere. I have an ASA cup and stickypad on my desk, and my cursor is ASA.

I was wearing my lavalier a lot, but then the chain broke, and I haven't gotten a new one.

Being one of the elders on GC, I wear polo shirts with letters/Coat of Arms, and Hat with letters and name.

Amazing how many times one can run into someone who knows the Letters and may know someone from a different campus /chapter.

Always enjoy talking with other greeks who I run into.

I wear my pin if I'm attending a function like a pre-Recruitment brunch or Founders Day. That's about it.

What's up nupes
 

What's the deal

Let's see.... I wear my lavalier or one of my Sigma charm necklaces a few times a week, I was wearing a bracelet with letters on it almost everyday, but I have been to lazy to get it fixed since it broke. I wear event shirts a lot to do errands and such in. I ususally wear my letters to school once every few months. I tend to avoid it only because the middle school kids get so confused about what a "sigma" is. I carry a bag almost every day though. Being a teacher they are great bags to carry papers in.

I wear my line jacket (sometimes) when I work with the band alumni group at my alma mater.

I've got several caps/hats/t-shirts/sweatshirts/etc. that I wear from time to time...

I have paraphernalia on my car (not too much, though - license plate/stickers/etc.). And every now and then, I might buy something new.

Bottom line: I am Greek until I die, so I reserve the right to wear letters/para when and where I please.... :D

However, overkill is bad, whether you are active/undergrad or alumni. Less is more, they say....

I agree, but you know we break the rule for our "Seasoned" members with 40+ years in the org. I've seen "Seasoned" members of different orgs with 2, 3, and even 4 pieces of 'nalia at once.

There's nothing wrong with wearing your letters. It's just showing pride in what's a part of you. Just keep the 'nalia tasteful and neat, and don't go around acting like a brand spanking new undergrad neophyte, ie chanting, singing, doing calls etc, during the workday.

I keep a jacket at work for the arctic A/C, and I keep my lanyard for my keys on display.

There was a teacher at the school I taught at who everyone knew was an Omega. How did we know? He donned purple and/or gold every single day. He didn't run around barking or throwing up hooks, but everyone knew he was one of the 8 Omegas on the faculty.

Of course!
 

I take pride in wearing my letters!

I don't own a piece of clothing any more with my GLO letters. I kick myself for not keeping my T-shirts, etc., when I was an undergrad to make a quilt from, but moving around so much I think most of those things were lost.

I have various badges (3) that I don't regularly wear, but would like to wear as a piece of jewelry either on a ring or necklace mount when I am at Luncheons, JL, etc. I do have a very nice ring with the crest that I recently found in my jewelry box. I have been getting a lot of comments on it lately. I honestly thought it had been stolen with some other things. I want to take it and get it engraved with my name and initiation date.

If the opportunity arose I would probably buy a tasteful piece of clothing or a book bag with letters for use at GLO-specific events.

Both my husband and I have a ton of stuff from our alma mater.

I do have a BSP sweatshirt we got for conclaves. I wear it only around the house...it isn't a high quality one.

I saw a woman, about 50-55, in the grocery store wearing an Everybody Loves a Delta Gamma Girl shirt. She was so adoreable that I went out and order a Tri Delt one. I thought I may be too old to wear shirts like that, although I do wear my letters and pin, but she really reminded me how nice it is to see other alumnae/i supporting their GLO and that it doesn't just have to be the greek letters.

It is important for us to show the same pride we did as collegians. Membership is for life afterall.

I got a Theta shirt like that a couple of months ago and I love wearing it!

Letters
 

I am also a Gamma Sig. I graduated about in 2005, but I still wear my letters!

Especially when they are financial and active.

With hundreds of thousands of members, I always say that my sorority doesn't need anymore young or old women walking around with our symbols on if these women aren't contributing beyond that.

So you managed not to lose the tons of stuff from your alma mater in all of your moves but lost your lettered stuff?

They are the only ones who should even consider wearing XYZ tennis shoes, XYZ jogging suits, XYZ shoelaces, and other things that just scream "I'm seasoned and I don't have to have 'nalia moderation." I've seen younger members trying to do this stuff and I always shake my head.

I remember when I first crossed, I tried to put every piece of car 'nalia on my vehicle. It was the Delta mobile and my Greekfriend had to pull me to the side and say "we get the point, give it a rest...and take off that humongously ugly neo wooden lettered pin...and stop always carrying around that darn bag they made for you all...and put that huge, plastic Fortitude pin to rest too." :o

How VERY true!!! Its not a lifetime commitment to wear letters, its a lifetime commitment in all aspects.

I totally agree!!

[QUOTE=PreppyTriDelta;1336345]I saw a woman, about 50-55, in the grocery store wearing an Everybody Loves a Delta Gamma Girl shirt. She was so adoreable that I went out and order a Tri Delt one. I thought I may be too old to wear shirts like that, although I do wear my letters and pin, but she really reminded me how nice it is to see other alumnae/i supporting their GLO and that it doesn't just have to be the greek letters.
[QUOTE]

I love that story! that is soo cool:) (I think I've said this before, but) I met a women at an alumni panhellenic meeting and I thought it was soo cute that she said "My name is Susy and I'm an XYZ." Not "I was," but "I am!" I have never met or seen anyone except people my own age with the occasional bumper sticker sporting their GLO letters or anything.

:mad:

How do you know they are not contributing?

Did you go up and ask them!:eek:

Who gives you the right to belittle people for wearing letters?:(

I wear mine, so am I wrong?

I have been a member of The Greek Community a heck of a lot longe than you!:rolleyes:

Your symbols? You are the only one who feels that You can wear Those symbols?

You better thank God for those people who made it available for you to be able to wear them today!:(

Only Tom Earp would make something like this to be a personal attack against him!! :rolleyes:

:mad: What gives YOU, Tom, the right to belittle people for sharing an opinion? If you will think for a second about what she is saying, it makes sense! The point is simple -- DON'T wear letters if you don't continue to contribute to the org past collegiate days. This OBVIOUSLY doesn't apply to you. Get over yourself & quit making problems where there are none.

I think she means she didn't keep her T-shirts and stuff. When she mentioned the badge(s) and the ring with the crest that would be the lettered stuff that she expected to have forever.

This is a little random, but it's kind of connected:

How important were/are particular items of clothing to your group, especially ones that you would save and have forever? Which items are they?

In my chapter at the time I was an undergraduate, we wore sweatshirts with letters in beautiful fabrics and we had a lot of event T-shirts, but we didn't do official jerseys with nicknames and bigs and littles names. I've heard folks talk about those kind of jerseys on GreekChat, and I would think that you'd save them forever. Would you wear that as an alum, or would it be weird?

I can see that if you had a line jacket, you would save it forever. And it seems to me that D9 groups are much more likely to display letters with pride throughout your whole membership. (and to stay more active in all aspects of the group.)

In NPC and IFC groups, it seems that what you would wear as an alum would be much subtler. Is that true everywhere, or just in my head?

Well, honestly, yes, I did lose some favored things from our alma mater--sweatshirts, beautiful christmas ornaments and some jewelry. Two different house fires and multiple moves took care of that. But, as the years have gone on Mr. BSB and I have purchased things for our children to wear to football games, events, etc. either online, at alumni socials when they have their boutiques at events, etc. That's what I meant. ;)

For the love of all that is good and wholesome, shut the hell up, Tom. Geesh.

Thanks for clarifying. :)

I am seriously thinking when I get my new car I would like to get a tasteful window cling. I had one of the crest on one of my cars and it looked nice. We have a plate holder from our college on both cars. But the kids' sports stickers come first! :)

I had one very beautiful sweatshirt that had the crest on it. I would have kept it forever...I just know. It was perfect fit and perfect material, etc. Sadly, it was lost to the ages. I don't know if it was in the move or in the fire at my dad's house because that was one I took along with me most places to put on if I needed something for nice but casual occasions.

And, yes, I agree, if I would have had anything like a special jacket or jersey I would have kept it with my other special jackets, etc. (I did lose my HS letterman's jacket in the fire.)

If I could find something again like my crest sweatshirt I would get it and wear it.

I love how Tom is consistently able to find a different emoticon for every sentence in each of his posts.

I bet she was too cute! I love seeing "seasoned" members represent.

I have the same sentiments regarding supporting our organizations. Before I became Greek, I met an XYZ at a former workplace who really didn't wear 'nalia because she was inactive. No one really knew she was an XYZ. She told me she didn't even have 'nalia on her car because she couldn't consciously spend money for paraphernalia when she wasn't supporting the national body. That always stayed with me. :)

Thank You, I love the little smileys!:D :)

I think it's a little harsh to jump on alum and say "If you don't contribute, don't wear letters."

If they had disgraced the organization, maybe, but come on. I'm a new alum and I can't afford to contribute much to my organization. I can't even afford to contribute as much as I used to pay in dues. But, I contribute time, and in my mind that might be a more valuable contribution than just sending a wad of cash around every year.

Am I wrong in thinking this? I'd much rather organize a JDRF walk or help my chapter during recruitment time than just pinch pennies and send some small donation along. Plus, a lot of recent alum can't even spare enough time to contribute that way, because they're working hard at starting a career. Should they just not wear letters at all? I'd think they'd be rather deserving, especially if they're setting themselves up to be admirable for their hard work and good character.

;) You suffer from the same condition that Tom Earp does. No one said these people can't do anything or that we would ostracize these people. We are saying that old and young members need to contribute to the organization before they run around thinking that putting on letters means they are "representing" something.

I have found that people typically can afford whatever they want to afford. I rubbed pennies together to pay dues as an undergrad and rubbed pennies together to pay dues for the 7 years after undergrad. I will continue to rub pennies together to pay dues as long as I manage to find pennies to spend on clothes and other things that I probably don't NEED.

Broke is relative and a state of mind. For instance, being a broke grad student is NO JOKE but most of us still manage to do STUFF. Whether that's going out on the weekends, buying some gooblygob to wear, or eating out. Contributing your time is a wonderful thing and sisterhood is about more than dues. But many organizations are non-profit businesses that could use our dues for some important things both administrative and philanthropy-wise.