Varsity letter

A varsity letter (or monogram) is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities.

For 25 years following the introduction in 1865 of the letter, it was the practice for the team captain to allow certain players who played in the most important games (Yale or Princeton) to keep the 'H' jerseys as an award.

[1] A student in a group photo is pictured, not in a football uniform, wearing a V-neck sweater with the letter 'P' on the left side.

[2] As a decorative clothing item, the varsity letter has a huge number of variations and no set standard is made to any school on how it should look.

These additional designations are shown by adding embroidered sport insignias, modeled metal insert pins, or bars that are attached to the letter.

During the 1980s, and again in the 2010s, varsity jackets have been adopted into hip-hop fashion, with companies such as Avirex, Phat Farm and Rocawear making their own variations.