Prettiest badge?

[LeslieAGD]

This is a little off the subject but...while I was purusing some of the chapter websites, getting a closer look at some of the badges, I noticed that AXOs website is very detailed. In detailed, I mean that I was suprised to find the meaning of the name "Alpha Chi Omega." I know in AGD, the symbolism behind our name is not a public record. I was curious as to whether the description of other sororities' names are public and, if so, what they are.

[AchtungBaby80]

Hey AXO Alum,

I was told that about Delta Zeta's badge, too! Maybe they (whoever "they" are) go around telling everyone that.

I found another pin I think is really pretty--Phi Mu! One of my best friends belongs to that sorority, and I think she's got a really interesting badge.

[dzsaigirl]

I was also told the same thing about the DZ badge. I don't really care though. I like it whether it is on display, or if people say it's prettiest...blah blah blah...I know what it means so that is mostly what makes it beautiful to me

GO DZ !!!!!!!

[ZetaLuvBunny]

I would be partial to my badge, but other than that I like the badges of Tri-Delt and Kappa Kappa Gamma a lot!

[TechAPhi]

My love, of course, is the Alpha Phi badge (particularly, the one with pearls and a diamond in the center). The replicas of the original "lazy phi" pins with opals are incredibly unique and beautiful too.

If I were choosing another sorority's pin though, I think I would have to go with the Alpha Omicron Pi badge, which is extremely pretty and unusual (in a very good way). I've never seen one in person though because the universities I attended had no AOPi chapters. I think I have a better chance now that I am in Georgia though (I see AOPi stickers everywhere out here!).

In fact, I just love the badges that are stacked mongrams of the sorority's letters (Alpha Gam, Chi Omega, Alpha Omicron Pi, Gamma Phi Beta, & co.).

It's hard to pick just one because, truly, they are all very unique and interesting in their own ways, and each special to their members as my badge is to me.

[CutiePie2000]

Originally posted by 33girl
I heard someplace that sororities founded in the south all have "shield" badges (like ASA's), the ones founded in the north have monograms (like Alpha Phi) and the ones founded west of the Mississippi are a "thing" (like the Kappa key). It's true to a point looking at them, but there are exceptions (like Chi Omega).

By "thing", do you mean "emblem"?
Yes, 33girl, what you say is indeed true! I am going to shamelessly cut and paste this from another thread :
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It's interesting to note that most of those sororities founded in the northeast (relatively speaking) have monogram badges--AGD, GPhiB, APhi, Sig Kap, Theta Phi Alpha, AOPi, AEPhi. (Exception: DDD, SDT, DPhiE, PhiSig.) Sidebar: I don't think it is correct to say that Sigma Kappa is a monogram though...isn't it more like a shield?

Those founded in the midwest have emblem badges: DZ, KKG, PiPhi, AXiD, AChiO, Theta.
(exception: AST)

Those founded in the south have shield badges: ZTA, Tri-Sig, KD, ASA, Phi Mu, ADPi.

There are 2 exceptions --both founded in the south -- Chi O is a monogram and DG is an emblem.

[SSS1365]

I've always liked ADPi's badge for some reason

[SoTrue1920]

I've always thought the Phi Mu badge was beautiful...as well as the jeweled version of the Alpha Kappa Alpha badge.

[ZTAngel]

I think the ZTA badge is most beautiful but since I can't vote for my own I choose Delta Zeta and Alpha Chi Omega. I love the lamp and the harp. They are both beautiful badges.

[SoCalGirl]

I never realized that SK was the only one that has color even when unjeweled. Thanks for pointing that out SigKapAlumWSU! But I'm not allowed to pick it.

I've always been drawn to the diamond shaped badges. ADPi, ASA, AST, Theta, KD Of those it's a toss up between ADPi and Theta.

The other triangle badges have always caught my attention. SSS and DPhiE

CutiePie--Your right about SK's being more of a shield. If SSS counts as a shield and DPhiE's is an exception for the ones in the North; then SK is most def an exception too. However, our new member pin, which was the member badge first would fall into the monogram category.

Question about the Phi Sig badge. On the NPC site it looks like a triangle w/ a sphinx etched into it. On Brookline's site it's a full out Sphinx. Is one an older version of the badge? Or possibly a pledge pin? I tried to check the DPhi site but the pics wouldn't load.
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I love this topic! Especially since I just got my Triangle after an entire year w/ out one. (HQ SNAFU) The cover story is about our badge. History, how it's made, Ebay, etc. Love it!

Interesting tid bit about our badge. The triangle design wasn't adopted until March 7, 1894. Chosen it part "because no other fraternity or society had taken it".

I've seen tons of triangle shaped badges on ebay for groups I've never heard of. It's nice to think we were first. But, does anyone know if there maybe was a fraternity out there w/ a triangle badge before 1894? The 19th century wasn't exactly the "Information Age" and it could be that my sisters just weren't aware of another group w/ the shape.
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K, 'nother random question. I was on the SSS site and there's a blurb on there about being the first NPC in a foriegn country. I know they now have a chapter in Germany, but were they first in Canada too? Cause last time I checked, Canada is a foriegn country.

[aopirose]

So was the pledge pin ("K" entwined by a snake) the original badge? If so, that would explain the badge beinng considered a monogram. Just a thought.

[wptw]

It's nice to think we were first. But, does anyone know if there maybe was a fraternity out there w/ a triangle badge before 1894?

I think credit for the first triangle badge goes to the Yale society Chi Delta Theta, founded in 1821. I think there were also a few locals and secondary school fraternities and sororities with triangular badges prior to 1894. Nothing mainstream though.

wptw

[ZetaLuvBunny]

Not sure how it is with other sororities....but with the ZTA badge you can get it either gold or silver, and with either no jewels, pearls, diamonds, saphires, rubies, amethysts, and maybe others, but you can't have more than two different types of jewels on it. Example: you could have a diamond & saphire one, but you couldn't have diamonds, saphires, AND rubies. They range in price from like $25 to $300 something. I'm sad that I haven't recieved my badge yet (they take a long time to come in), but we wear our Big Sister's badge until then. The one I ordered is gold without jewels, but I will probably get amythests on it in a couple years cuz it's my birthstone. An AOII friend of mine told me there are different jewels u can get for hers too of varying prices, and the cheapest one is like $75!!!!

[Hootie]

Chi Omegas are only allowed to choose from an all diamond badge or an all pearl badge (no other stones allowed). Frankly I think most go with the all pearl badge for price reasons, although I'm sure many of our high officers might have gotten diamond badges later - who knows?

My mother's AOTT badge is all pearls I believe but I think there was a ruby (might be) at the top of the A?!?!? It's been a while since I sneeked a peek!

Hootie

[FuzzieAlum]

Alpha Xi Delta offers an array of pins, but the only stone you can have are pearls and diamonds (or a combination). You can get plain sterling silver, plain gold, three pearls, a row of pearls, a row of diamonds, or any mixture of pearls and diamonds. Usually it's either one diamonad at the tip with the rest pearls, or sometimes chapters will buy ex-National Presidents an all diamond Quill.

I actually have an old Quill that is white gold with pearls, which is very beautiful, but they don't offer it anymore. And our founders used sapphires and turquoise and other jewels.