The message behind Uhuru’s varsity jacket

Fashion statements are not always clear-cut. Sometimes it requires a little investigation to understand what is plain. Watching President Uhuru Kenyatta during the Jubilee launch reaffirmed this. His red letterman jacket was an interesting choice. One filled with subliminal messages.

The letterman, letter or varsity jacket comes with a rich legacy. As Kenyans, we have submerged ourselves in American culture enough to recognise this essential article of clothing off of American TV and movies. For reasons requiring therapy, American culture is obsessed with high school, perpetually celebrating these as the most significant years of one’s life.

In fiction, the varsity jacket represents an Us v Them mentality where the jocks have all the luck, looks, girls and charm, and everyone else is the rest. In real life, the distinction is getting blurred. But it does not change the history of the varsity jacket which is, it is not the kind of jacket worn by just anyone.

The origins of the varsity jacket can be traced to 1865 at Harvard University. The baseball team needed a way to differentiate and celebrate its star players. They came up with the idea of letter ‘H’ on a cardigan. The best players kept the sweaters and the not so great had to take them back. It was not until 1930 that letter jackets as we know them came to exist. Eventually, it moved to American football and basketball, over time finding it’s way into hip hop culture and street fashion in the late 80s and early 90s.

Made out of a boiled wool body and leather sleeves, the letter jacket is earned. The jacket has identifiers declaring loyalties and uniqueness. It has colours representing the institution issuing it as well as a logo or letter printed high up on the left breast. The bomber jacket has to have a close fit. It is not a loose sport coat to be worn huge and bulky.

SENIORS WORE IT

The sleeves come to the wrist bone. Never longer or shorter. The collar, waist and cuffs are striped. Varsity jackets celebrate achievement . Think of it this way. In the average curriculum it was seniors who wore it. Over time, it has become possible for students to buy varsity jackets.

But in the beginning, wearing one was proof one was well rounded, scoring academically, athletically and socially. In a sentence, the varsity jacket was a fashion statement telling your peers that you are “extraordinary”.

Let’s take a look at President Kenyatta’s varsity jacket. It had all the hallmarks. The Tuko Pamoja clasp logo over the breast. The crimson party colour. The striped cuffs, waist and collar. The identifier at the back declaring “UHURU 2017.” More interesting was Deputy President William Ruto’s bomber jacket. Though constructed as a letter jacket, it was designed to be a shadow of the that worn by the President.

It has the right silhouette but declares a subordinate message. Only Uhuru wore the authentic varsity jacket. Only his effectively sent out a message of status and power. It immediately distinguished him as lead ‘jock.’ The main man. He who takes the ball and runs with it, to the finishing line. His right hand man but not equal, is DP Ruto. The one who will have his back on and off the field. 

Over time, the varsity jacket’s place in pop culture has shifted. It has lost some of it’s exclusive luster and found traction in modern culture where it is a key part of fashion and street style.

Celebrities have bespoke letter jackets and athletes dress up when in the limelight.

While originally worn by professional male teams, letter jackets became just as critical to women’s sports and American college and high school partipation. This makes it one of the most androgynous fashion statements. The look and feel retain the athletic design but the cut and fit can be altered depending on the wearer’s personality, budget and body.

The thing about wearing a garment saddled with such history is that it can be interpreted in 100 different ways. While there were debates over denim as inappropriate and far from presidential, the real meaning was subtle. Varsity jackets are very trendy as replacements for denim and leather. They are also a bridge between the old school and the new vibe. Meaning this is as much about the youth vote as it is being perceived as youthful. One could argue performances by Bahati and Jaguar already said so. One would be wrong. They are part of a preset agenda. The choice of a varsity jacket could not have been accidental. If it were, it would be a terrifying mistake. Not knowing how powerful a message fashion choices can make is the biggest faux pas of them all.