Sporting colours

Many schools do not limit their use to sport but may also give colours for academic excellence or non-sporting extra-curricular activities,[2][3][4] Colours are traditionally indicated by the wearing of a special tie or blazer.

The level of representation required for the award of a colour varies between the different schemes.

[9] Durham adopted palatinate purple for its degree hoods at about the same time.

At Cambridge, teams would seek permission of the boat club to use their blue colour; by the 1860s the established sports with full blue status were rowing, cricket and athletics.

In 1884, the rugby and football clubs awarded themselves blues following their varsity matches (against Oxford), leading to a debate at the Cambridge Union that was decisively lost by the boat club.

christ's-hospital-cricket-colours
Pupils who are awarded Colours at Christ's Hospital school, receive a tie, and in the case of sporting colours awarded for cricket, they also receive a cricket cap with the school crest and cricket 'XI' embroidered at the front.