Why don't you wear your colors?
 

I just discovered this page and I apologize if I am raising an old issue. But I was wondering why non-BGLO organizations where there letters in colors that are not their official colors? I was also wondering why I see members of NPC sororities in IFC letters or vice versa. Again I apologize if this has already been brought up.

Call me dumb, but WHAT??? Clarify your question a little more. This may not be hard for the greeks to understand though.

------------------
Set your goal!! Strive!! Bask in your reward!!

Positive Kay

They are probably wearing their boyfriend's letters. Depending on the fraternity and/or the campus, this ranges from a common and cool thing to a big no-no.

Years ago, they might have been little sisters but those do not exist anymore.



[This message has been edited by 33girl (edited September 25, 2000).]

To answer your question about the colors. I think that often times members get shirts with different patterns or colors that are not their org's in order to show some individuality. It set them apart from everyone else. This way their representing their organization as well as their personality. One of my sisters have a t-shirt she made that has a ballerina pattern. She loves ballet and the sorority and wanted to show both.

For the second question as to why you see girls wearing fraternity letters, I know of a sorority whose pledges wear their brother fraternity's letters for a day. It's a tradition and the shirts have been passed down family trees.

It seems to me that just wearing one color shirt with one color letters would get extremely boring. There was nothing more fun than getting a new t-shirt, going to the greek store at URI and picking out my background fabric and my pattern! I LOVE THAT! My fave was a aqua shirt, black background with skulls and crossbones fabric!

There is another reason that organizations like Zeta Phi Beta use only the official colors (although black and khaki are also common) other than the mandate from our International office. Practically speaking, folks who are not greek often times only recognize NPHC organizations by our colors...often times non-greeks may not recognize the greek letters of ZPB, for example, but they will know "the women who wear Blue and White". Additionally, since the actual colors have meaning to our Sorority...it would be challenging for me to have purple and orange fabric with ZPB, as those colors have no significance to us.

Finally, it's not really boring, because NPHC greeks have many t-shirts (I have at least 15-20 different Zeta tees, baby tees, etc.), back packs, check book covers, umbrellas hats, prints and pictures, (I've even seen hosiery)--almost anything that can tastefully have letters has them, so we get our variety from the number of items available, rather than changing the colors of the letters/para themselves.

I knew a girl on my cheer squad who was in an NPC sorority and she wasnt sure what the official colors of her org were. (Now, I'm pretty sure this is not the norm...) But my take on it (and this is just my vibe from what she told me) was that when it comes to 'nailia, the colors chosen were not as signifigant as the letters themselves, or the mascot.

Other than black or white (and sometimes khaki) as a BACKGROUND color, I wouldn't wear any 'nailia that was not Rhoyal Blue and Gold. As a matter of fact, there are no certified vendors that sell NPHC goods in the "wrong" colors.

The women of Sigma Gamma Rho are represented by,
colors; royal blue and gold
flower; yellow tea rose
mascot; french toy poodle

My fav color is actually red and I prefer cats over dogs, but I wouldnt get a shirt made that way, cause that's not what the organization is represented by--regardless of my personal tastes.

It's just another one of the minor differences between NPHC and NPC/IFC orgs. No big whoop.

Could you IMAGINE a Delta wearing her letters in pink and green?? Or an Alpha wearing his letters in purple and gold????

That's just the most craziest thing I have ever heard!

I guess that's just what makes BGLO's different.

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that there are only 4 NPHC sororities, compared to 26 NPC groups.

I can think of 3 or 4 NPC groups off the top of my head that use red as a color...same with blue. NPC colors aren't as "original" to begin with. Let's face it there are only so many colors you can use! I mean, who wants to go around in chartreuse and puke green?!? http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

I know at my school it's very common for people to customize their letters. The backgrounds they choose are sometimes a reflection of their personality. I know one girl who has John Deere tractor letters! And to match it her shirt is green... but her sorority's colors are maroon and lavender.

For NPHC orgs, the "official" colors are specific (ie crimson and creme, salmon pink and apple green, black and old gold) but for para, any SHADE of those color is acceptable (ie red and white, rose and emerald, black and yellow). So even though we are limited in color, there are varieties of shade as well as background colors like black, white and tan. Beleive me, many members of a NPHC org have para collections that can rival ANYONE in type and variety!


[/QUOTE] I mean, who wants to go around in chartreuse and puke green?!? http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif
[/B][/QUOTE]



------------------
mccoyred

Dynamic
Salient
Temperate

Black and yellow is not an acceptable substitute for Black and Old Gold. I'm real picky about my 'nalia.

Okay, Old Gold is on every corner. Get off the pedestal and stop trippin'.

Are you a member of a NPHC organization?


>>>For NPHC orgs, the "official" colors are specific (ie crimson and creme, salmon pink and apple green, black and old gold) but for para, any SHADE of those color is acceptable (ie red and white, rose and emerald, black and yellow). So even though we are limited in color, there are varieties of shade as well as background colors like black, white and tan. Beleive me, many members of a NPHC org have para collections that can rival ANYONE in type and variety!

Let me just say that there are differences between our organizations. Period. That doesn't make one better than the other, or more respectful of our founders, or anything else!

I love the scarlet & olive that our 7 founders chose. It has significant symbolic meaning to our fraternity. I love the golden lyre that symbolizes our fraternity. I love the red carnation that represents our bond. I love my fraternity and all it represents!

I also love that I am allowed to buy what appeals to me personally. I can be creative while representing my organization. Our (AXO) bid day shirts, party shirts, etc. can have different themes and different colors. We have had navy shirts, purple shirts, bright blue shirts, black shirts etc. depending on the event. I have letters in red/green plaid (its very hard to find scarlet & olive together so we tend to settle for the Christmas version http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif) I have letters in a floral print. I have them in animal print, and blue dragonfly print. I love them all, not because of the colors that they are, but because of what the actual letters mean to me . No matter if they were pink, blue, red, yellow, purple, whatever...the AXO letters will always mean the same thing to me - love and respect for my organization.

If people want letters in their group colors - that's fine. If they want different colors - that's fine too. If a group mandates what colors can & can't be used - that's fine too.

I just think too often in life we are too quick to say one way is better/best/the only way/etc. It shouldn't be that way here. We all learn new stuff on this board from each other. Some stuff we agree on, some we don't. Sometimes we disagree within the groups. Sometimes we can actually agree on things!

------------------
"Alpha Chi Omega - If you only had 2 wishes, what would your second one be?"

[This message has been edited by AXO Alum (edited September 27, 2000).]