Monogrammed Sweater, Preppy Glory
One of my favorite outfits in high school was a light pink wool crewneck sweater and a pair of rose-colored corduroys. The sweater was monogrammed with my initials, JRE; however, the E, for my maiden name, was in the center. The J and R appeared in smaller script on each side. The monogram thread was rose-colored to match my cords. The outfit was a Christmas present from my mother, which she ordered from the JC Penney’s catalog.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have the good sense to keep the monogrammed sweater in all its pink and preppy glory. I didn’t realize it, along with my 501s, Nike Oceanias, and all my 1980s designer jeans were precious artifacts of my somewhat wasted youth. Fortunately, we have pictures to prove the early 1980s fashion trend. Check out the 1981 pictures below of junior high girls. Notice, in particular, the girl in the middle. Her light blue monogrammed sweater captures a sweet style in the life and times of Generation X. Also, the kid to her right adds additional preppy happiness with her Izod Lacoste shirt. (Lacoste, now divorced from Izod, has made a comeback with updated polos with the little alligator.)
I love this picture of the girl (and her monogrammed sweater!) walking through the door of a classroom. It’s a terrific candid shot that transports me back to my junior high days in East Texas. For example, my old school had the same heavy wooden library chairs, oak doors, and transom windows. On warm days, transoms up and down the hallways would be cranked open to provide additional ventilation.
Did you own a monogrammed sweater in the 1980s? Please tell us about it in the comment section below, or join the conversation on Facebook.
More Monogrammed Sweater Pictures
Lynchburg College Student, 1981
Schools (concretely my daughters school, private, religious) are the same, look the same, as those pictures. Kids dress the same, etc. as those pictures.
My kids attend a Catholic school and our classrooms look very similar, too.
Beautiful light pink wool with silver grey letters. I loved it so much.
I loved mine, too!
I had two monogrammed sweaters back in junior high school (81- 83), and I so wish I had still had them.
Don’t you ever just wonder what happened to all your stuff? I sure do! LOL
No monogrammed sweater, but I did peel an alligator off of a pair of Izod socks and pin it to my graduation gown 😉
I’d love to see a picture of that. Pure genius!