Hello, and welcome to the Varisity Leather Award Society's (VLAS) home page called Leather Sleeves Newsletter. VLAS helps understand the origins of the letterman jacket while also preserving historic items and awards that pertain to letterman jackets. This page was last updated November 2nd, 2002.

I am sorry to note that I do not sell nor distribute letterman jackets/accessories. Also, I know very little about where to get current letterman jackets. Most buyers that I've talked to find local letterman jacket retailers the best since buyer can see what they're getting. However, I also run Listing of Distributors that may help you out. If you are a distributor/retailer of letterman jackets, e-mail me so I can add your company's information (at no cost). Look at the Listing of Distributors for examples of what to information to send me.

What is an Award Jacket? Learn about the tradition of an award jacket.

1938 Jacket - Arizona State

Embroidered jacket - circa 1995

History of the Letter Award Tradition The origin of the award jacket can be traced many years ago.

• Historic Jacket - Univ. of Michigan's Jack Blott's letterman jacket, circa 1920s (10/10/99)
• Local Tradition - An article about Phoenix Lettering in Arizona.
• An Unusual Local Tradition - A Kentucky high school provides varsity letterman jackets to seniors at no cost! (3/25/99)
• Listing of Distributors - Find vendors who sell letterman jackets and related items. (5/25/01)

VLAS needs your help to preserve the award tradition both in the form of the jacket, sweater, award blanket, or any other award item. VLAS would like to obtain photos and personal histories of award items. Awards items can also be donated. You can donate to VLAS who is setting up an achieve in cooperation with VLAS manufacturing members. Many schools, mostly colleges, have an archive department through their libraries or athletic departments that would like to receive award items relating to their school. Please help VLAS preserve these items

rather than lose them forever. If you would like to submit any articles for the local tradition, lettered person or other columns in Leather Sleeves, or if you have any other historical information, please submit. VLAS is looking to trace the award history in high schools and colleges and needs to gather photocopies from year books showing the start of the letterman's jacket or sweaters in different locations throughout the country. Does anyone have information on early manufacturers? Please submit information to the address below. Thanks!

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Last updated: June 25th, 2001

Jamie Richardson jerichar@fas.harvard.edu http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~jerichar/sleeves/