Put your hand inside an old varsity jacket and the first thing you notice is the lining, usually a quilted satin that feels cool and slippery against your wrist. Then the weight registers: dense wool across the back, heavier leather on the arms, the snap front pulling everything down on the hanger. It is a jacket built for walking across a campus in February, and it carries itself with a kind of earnest pride that very few garments manage.
Varsity and letterman jackets have been worn for generations, first as awards for athletes and later as everyday outerwear for anyone who liked the look. Like many vintage jackets, older examples tend to be better made than many modern versions, but they also come with quirks: unusual sizing, delicate leather, wool that moths love and patches that tell someone else's story. This guide goes through each part of the jacket, what to check, how to make the fit work and how to keep one going for another few decades.
01. Where the letter came from
The tradition began in North American colleges in the late nineteenth century, when athletes were awarded a large letter representing their school for playing on a team. At first those letters were sewn onto heavy knit sweaters, often pullovers or cardigans. Over the following decades the award moved to a jacket, and the familiar combination of wool body and leather sleeves became standard in high schools and colleges alike.
The word "letterman" comes from that award: a student who had earned their letter. Over time the jackets gathered more decoration, including years of graduation, sport icons, the wearer's name in script, and small pins or bars marking additional seasons or achievements. Schools, clubs, bands and even companies adopted the style, which is why vintage examples carry such a wide range of names and symbols.
In Canada, many high schools, colleges and universities developed their own jacket traditions, sometimes with program or faculty names on the sleeves rather than a single letter. That means a vintage jacket found in Ontario might come from a local school rather than an American one, which adds a pleasant sense of place.
02. The body: reading the wool
The body of a classic varsity jacket is usually made from melton, a dense, felted wool with a smooth surface and very little visible weave. Good melton feels thick and slightly firm, blocks wind well and holds its shape. Run your hand across it. A quality body has a consistent, velvety surface. Thin or loose wool, or wool blended heavily with synthetics, may feel lighter and less substantial, which affects both warmth and how the jacket hangs.
Wool's great weakness is moths. Larvae feed on the fibres and leave small holes, often in hidden places: under the collar, behind patches, around the pockets and along the hem. Hold the jacket up to a light and look through it, and check carefully under any chenille letters, since moths like the sheltered spaces there. A single small hole can often be repaired invisibly by a skilled mender, but widespread damage is hard to fix.
Colour fading is another thing to read. Sun fade on wool tends to appear on the shoulders and upper back. Uneven colour between the body and the sleeves is normal on older pieces, since wool and leather age differently, but a strong patchy fade can be distracting. Decide whether it adds character or bothers you.
03. The sleeves: leather, vinyl and wool
Traditional varsity jackets have leather sleeves, usually cowhide, in white, cream, black or a school colour. Good leather sleeves feel supple and have a slight sheen. Look closely at the elbows, inner arms and where the sleeve meets the cuff, which are the places that flex most. Fine creasing is natural. Cracking, flaking or a dry, papery feel means the leather has lost its oils and may be hard to save.
Many jackets, especially more affordable ones, used vinyl or other synthetic sleeves instead. Vinyl can look similar at first glance, but it tends to feel stiffer and more uniform, without the natural grain and slight irregularity of leather. Older vinyl can also peel in sheets, which is not repairable in any practical way. If the sleeves are vinyl, check them especially carefully for flaking.
Some varsity-style jackets have wool sleeves to match the body, and these are often lighter and easier to care for. They lack the classic two-tone contrast but are a good choice if you want the look without the worry of leather care.
04. Chenille, felt and embroidery
The patches are where a varsity jacket gets its personality. Chenille letters have a fuzzy, raised texture made from looped yarn, usually set on a felt backing and bordered with a felt outline in a contrasting colour. Over time chenille can lose some pile, flatten or develop small bald spots. A little wear is part of the charm. Large patches of missing loops can make the design look tired.
Felt patches and appliqué pieces are flatter and often used for numbers, years or smaller symbols. Check their edges for lifting and look at the stitching that holds them on. Embroidered names, often in looping script on the chest or sleeve, should have tight, even thread with no long loose sections. If an embroidered name or a letter is not something you want to wear, a good tailor can sometimes remove it, though it may leave a slight outline or holes in the wool.
Some people love the mystery of a stranger's name or a small-town school on their jacket. Others find it odd. There is no right answer, but it is worth deciding before you buy. Plain or lightly decorated jackets are a good choice if you want the shape and materials without someone else's history.
A varsity jacket is a piece of someone's year, stitched in wool and leather. You get to decide how much of their story you keep.
05. Snaps, ribbing and lining
The smaller parts of the jacket are often where wear shows first. Check each snap by closing and opening it a few times. Snaps should click firmly and hold. Loose or missing snaps can be replaced, but matching vintage hardware may not be easy. Look at the fabric around each snap for tears, since that area takes stress every time the jacket is opened.
Knit ribbing at the collar, cuffs and waistband gives the varsity jacket its shape, often with stripes in school colours. Stretch it gently. Good ribbing springs back. Ribbing that stays stretched, has holes or has lost its elastic quality will make the jacket sit loosely and look tired. Ribbing can be replaced by a specialist, but it is a real job, so factor that in.
Finally, look inside. Quilted satin linings are common and comfortable, but satin tears along seams and at the armholes with wear. Small tears are easy to mend. A shredded lining can be replaced, though it changes the feel of the jacket. Check the pocket bags as well, since they often wear through at the bottom.
06. Getting the fit right
Vintage varsity jackets often run short in the body, with the ribbed waistband sitting at or just above the hip. That cropped shape is part of the classic look, but it means the jacket will feel different from a modern coat that covers your seat. Try it on and check where the waistband lands. It should hug your body gently without riding up when you lift your arms.
Shoulders are the most important measurement. Leather sleeves are set into a wool body, and that seam should sit close to your natural shoulder. Too far in and the jacket feels tight across the back. Too far out and the sleeves droop. Sleeve length matters too, since the knit cuffs should rest at the wrist bone without bunching too much.
Think about layering when you size. A jacket that fits perfectly over a tee may be snug over a hoodie. If you want to wear it with heavier layers, try it that way in the shop. Here are a few useful pairings:
- A plain grey hoodie, straight dark jeans and white sneakers, the easy everyday combination.
- An oxford shirt, chinos and leather shoes, for a look that leans toward campus prep.
- A fine-knit sweater with wool trousers, which dresses the jacket up for an evening.
- A white tee with wide-leg trousers and boots, giving the short jacket a modern balance.
07. Caring for wool and leather together
The combination of materials makes varsity jackets tricky to clean. Wool and leather need different treatments, and putting the whole jacket in the washer can shrink the wool, stiffen the leather and damage the chenille. Spot cleaning is your first line of defence. Use a soft brush on the wool to lift dust and lint, and treat small marks with a damp cloth and a tiny amount of gentle wool soap, blotting rather than rubbing.
For the sleeves, wipe gently with a barely damp cloth and condition the leather once or twice a year with a product made for that purpose, testing on a hidden area first. White leather sleeves show dirt quickly, and they need extra care. If the jacket needs a deeper clean, look for a specialist cleaner with experience in leather and wool combinations rather than a standard dry cleaner.
Store the jacket on a wide, shaped hanger so the shoulders keep their form, in a cool, dry place with room to breathe. Avoid plastic bags, which trap moisture. Cedar blocks or lavender sachets help deter moths, and checking the jacket every few weeks during storage season lets you catch problems early.
08. Choosing the one you will actually wear
It is easy to fall for a varsity jacket because of a striking letter or a beautiful colour combination, and that is part of the joy. Before you commit, though, ask a few practical questions. Does the wool feel dense and healthy? Are the sleeves supple, not cracked? Do the snaps hold? Does the shoulder sit where it should? Can you live with whatever name or letter is on it?
If the answers are good, you have found one of the most satisfying vintage jackets there is, a piece that works from early autumn into the first proper cold and back again in spring. Wear it often, brush it after a long day, and give it a little care each season. A well-chosen varsity jacket rewards that attention by looking better every year you own it.
