Burgundy and gold is an unusual pair of colours for a football team. It is deeper and warmer than the reds and blues most franchises chose, closer to the palette of an old university scarf than a stadium. On a heavy sweatshirt that has been washed for thirty years, the burgundy settles into something like a dark wine, and the gold softens toward mustard. It is one of the most handsome colour combinations in sports clothing, and it has been Washington's for almost a century.
Shopping for vintage Washington Commanders clothing is more complicated than for most teams, though. The Commanders name is new, and nearly all of the franchise's older merchandise carries the name and logo the team retired in 2020 after decades of criticism. This guide takes an honest look at that history, then focuses on what most people actually want from Washington vintage today: the colours, the eras and the pieces you can wear comfortably.
01. A long history, and a name that changed
The franchise began in Boston in the early thirties and moved to Washington in 1937. It became one of the NFL's established clubs, winning league championships in its early Washington years and building a large, loyal fan base across the region. Burgundy and gold were part of its identity almost from the start.
For most of that history, the team used a name and a Native American head logo that many people, including Indigenous groups, had long described as a slur and a harmful caricature. In 2020 the franchise dropped both. It played as the Washington Football Team for two seasons before announcing the Commanders name in 2022.
That change matters to anyone buying vintage. The great majority of older Washington merchandise displays the old name or logo. Some collectors buy those pieces as historical items. Many fans, and many shoppers who simply like the colours, now prefer to wear pieces that do not carry them. Both groups are looking at the same decades of clothing; they just make different choices about what goes on their body.
02. What "vintage Commanders" means in practice
Strictly speaking, Commanders-branded merchandise is not vintage yet. It dates from 2022 onward. When people search for vintage Washington Commanders apparel, they are usually after older Washington football pieces that fit the current team's identity: burgundy and gold, the city's name, and the era-specific shapes of eighties and nineties sportswear.
The good news is that those pieces exist. Over the years, fans wore plenty of clothing that led with the city name, a simple wordmark, the team colours or Super Bowl references rather than the logo. Generic burgundy and gold football sweatshirts, colour-blocked jackets and Washington-labelled tees all turn up, and they fit neatly with how the team looks now.
Look carefully at both sides of a garment, including small sleeve and back prints, before you buy. Older sportswear often hid a second logo where you would not expect it.
03. The Joe Gibbs era and its look
The franchise's most celebrated stretch came under head coach Joe Gibbs in the eighties and early nineties. Washington won three Super Bowls in that period, after the 1982, 1987 and 1991 seasons, with a powerful offensive line nicknamed "the Hogs" and a rotating cast of quarterbacks. Doug Williams's performance in the second of those championships, as the first Black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl, remains one of the most important moments in the game's history.
The clothing from those years is what most people picture when they think of vintage NFL apparel from Washington: heavy crewnecks with large chest graphics, satin jackets, puffy winter parkas and caps, all in burgundy and gold. The team played at RFK Stadium in those days, a loud, close-to-the-field venue that fans still remember fondly.
Championship pieces are the obvious prize, and many of them name the Super Bowl and the season rather than relying solely on the logo. Those tend to be the most sought-after Washington items for people who want the history without the retired imagery.
A colour can carry a team's memory on its own. Burgundy and gold says Washington football before you read a single word.
04. Pieces worth looking for
With those considerations in mind, these are the garment types most worth your time:
- Crewneck sweatshirts in burgundy or gold. Heavy cotton crewnecks with the city name or a wordmark are versatile and warm.
- Colour-blocked jackets and parkas. Late-eighties and nineties outerwear often used big panels of burgundy and gold with team text across the back.
- Super Bowl commemorative tees. Look for designs that focus on the game, the score or the season.
- Caps with wordmarks. Simple burgundy caps with gold lettering are easy to wear and fit the current identity.
- Washington Football Team pieces. The two-season transitional name produced a short run of minimalist merchandise that is already a curious footnote.
Replica jerseys from older decades are harder for many people, since most carry the old logo on the sleeves or helmet graphics. If jerseys are your interest, newer Commanders-era versions in burgundy or the gold alternates are easier to wear casually.
05. Dating, condition and fit
Collectors date football clothing using a combination of clues: tag design, country of manufacture, fabric weight, stitching on hems and sleeves, and the style of the print. A thin, single-stitched hem on a tee often suggests an older piece, but reproductions and exceptions are common, so no single detail is proof of age. Super Bowl references naturally set an earliest possible date.
Burgundy has its own way of ageing. It can fade toward a brownish red or a dusty pink, especially across the shoulders. Gold often softens toward ochre. Even fading usually looks good; patchy fading around a logo is more distracting. Check these points before you commit:
- Prints for cracking that has moved on to peeling.
- Ribbing at cuffs, collar and hem for stretch and fraying.
- Jacket snaps, zippers and linings.
- Underarms and side seams for thin fabric or holes.
- Small secondary prints that you might have missed.
Football merchandise from the eighties and nineties ran large and boxy. A vintage medium often fits like a current large or bigger. Measure a sweatshirt you already like across the chest and down the back, and compare. Try jackets on over a hoodie, and make sure you can reach forward without the cuffs pulling halfway up your arms.
06. Wearing burgundy and gold well
Burgundy is easier to wear than many people expect. It behaves almost like a dark neutral, especially when faded. A burgundy Washington crewneck with mid-blue jeans, white sneakers and a plain grey cap is simple and warm. For something a little sharper, wear it under a camel or navy coat with grey trousers.
Gold is louder, so keep its partners calm. A faded gold tee looks good with olive or brown trousers, a navy overshirt and brown boots. Earth tones are the key: cream, tan, olive and chocolate brown all flatter burgundy and gold, while bright primary colours tend to clash.
A colour-blocked parka is a statement on its own. Wear it over a heavy hoodie with dark denim and simple boots. In a Toronto winter, a big nineties football parka is not a costume; it is a perfectly sensible coat.
Keep logos to one per outfit, and let the colour carry the team connection when you want something quieter. A plain burgundy sweatshirt worn with a gold cap says Washington to anyone who knows, and to everyone else it just looks good.
07. Mixing old pieces with the new identity
One advantage of the colours staying the same is that older and newer clothing sit together easily. A faded nineties burgundy crewneck with only a Washington wordmark works perfectly well with a current Commanders cap. The shades will not match exactly, since thirty years of washing changes any dye, but the slight difference reads as natural rather than careless.
The Commanders era has also leaned on a bold "W" and on some heritage-inspired designs that echo older wordmarks and stripes. Those newer pieces can act as a bridge if you like the look of eighties sportswear but want a team mark that matches the present. Pair a new cap or knit beanie with an older, logo-free sweatshirt and the outfit reads as one story rather than two.
If you are building a small collection, think about variety in garment type rather than in logos. A burgundy crewneck, a gold tee, a colour-blocked jacket and a simple cap will give you far more outfits than four sweatshirts with slightly different graphics. It also keeps the team connection relaxed, which tends to be how the best vintage sportswear is worn.
08. Choosing what to wear, and keeping it well
Vintage Washington football clothing asks a little more thought than most team gear. Decide what matters to you before you shop: the colours, a championship season, the RFK years, or the new identity. Read both sides of every garment, measure carefully, and choose pieces you will be comfortable wearing in public.
Once you have found the right piece, wash it inside out in cold water and dry it flat or on a line, out of direct sun, to slow further fading. Spot-clean satin and nylon jackets and store them on wide hangers. Keep caps out of the washing machine.
Football sportswear moves through our shops on Queen West and at Square One with the weekly drops, and there is never a guarantee of any particular team or era. When a well-faded burgundy crewneck does appear, though, it is the kind of piece that quietly ends up on regular rotation, worn far more often than anyone expected.
