Anyone with just a little bit of basketball knowledge will know that Michael Jordan sported the number 23 on his jersey. That number is on the gates entering his residence. It is the name of his cologne. And every young (and not so young) basketball fan that wants to be just like Mike wears his jersey with the 23 on the front and back.
Just as athletes don their numbers on their jerseys and other apparel as a source of pride, the Divine Nine adopted a similar fashion in the form of line jackets.
History of Line Jackets
The Divine Nine sororities and fraternities have been flaunting line jackets for the past few decades. More recently, other Greek organizations have started picking up on the trend. Line jackets are a way to show off pride for your organization as a whole, but also more specifically for your chapter and line.
Lines will often choose to get matching jackets that have symbolic embellishments all over. Interspersed with the organization details, personalized gems are what make these Greek paraphernalia fun.
Decoding Line Jackets
Line jackets have a pattern to what symbols or designs are placed where. Here’s a quick way to understand what you are seeing displayed on a line jacket:
- Sleeves: What is on each sleeve is interchangeable between left or right arms depending on your organization type. On one sleeve will typically be the chapter you are part of, with the city or school underneath it. The other sleeve will have the year and season you were initiated into the organization. This is often abbreviated, so “Fall 2015” would show as “FA 15” on the jacket. You can usually add extra symbols or icons on your sleeve.
- Front: The Greek letters for your organization are loud and proud on one of the front panels (usually your right). They are about 4 inches tall and outlined in a different color to really make them stand out. On the left panel, over your heart, is typically the crest of your organization. These are the basics of what the front of line jackets display, but some lines will add additional designs, names, or embellishments.
- Back: The backs of line jackets mimic the backs of athletic jerseys. Where an athlete’s last name spans the back is where most people put their nicknames. In place of an athlete’s number is your line number. Some people choose to put symbolic artwork or designs in place of the number.
- Lower back: Sometimes, line jackets will include icons to represent all the other sisters in your line. Your line number would be represented by a different color icon. For example, if you had eight sisters in your line and you were the third, you may have eight stars along the bottom of your jacket with the third star highlighted.
- Collar: The latest trend with line jackets is to include embellishments on the collar. This could be a call sound, year, nickname, or another slogan that is meaningful to you and your line.
Ordering Your Jackets
While many of the aspects of line jackets are traditional, you and your line have a lot of room to customize and personalize your jackets. Get together and decide what colors, embellishments, and personalization you want so you can end up with something that everyone will love.
Choosing a Vendor
Putting together a group order with different sizes and style preferences is challenging enough; the last thing you want is a vendor complicating the process. When you shop around for a line jacket vendor, keep these stipulations in mind:
- You want a vendor who is responsive. Communication is key, especially if you are collaborating with a company on a large project like line jackets. You will want to make sure the vendor you choose will frequently correspond, giving you updates and showing you mock-ups.
- You want a vendor with products you admire. Look through the finished products that a company provides. Check out their reviews and even photos from their previous customers. When you are investing in a line jacket, you want to make sure the product you are receiving is the quality and style that you want (and expect). If a vendor’s actual products look nothing like what they are advertising on their websites, you will be able to find reviews warning you.
- You want a vendor who is easy to work with. Your time with your sisters shouldn’t have to be spent trying to navigate different glitchy websites or phone calls in an attempt to place your orders. A vendor should make your group ordering experience a seamless one instead of using up all your precious Delta time.
Once you have decided on a vendor, set up a consultation to make sure they are the right fit for your jacketing needs. If all goes well and all your sisters are pleased, go ahead and order. Because each piece is individually made, remember it may take longer than your typical online purchases. A line jacket is a great way to show your sorority pride. It will become one of your most worn (and most loved) pieces of Greek para. If your line is looking for customized Delta Sigma Theta line jackets, schedule your free consultation with LNO Greek today. Check out our DST bomber jackets and sweatshirts to learn about more customized apparel options.