Like the recent revival of the Tigers鈥� football program and the introduction of the annual Homecoming event, the Dalhousie Bookstore is hoping the addition of a classic collegiate jacket will reignite a once popular university tradition.
Tammy Corkum, the Bookstore鈥檚 merchandise buyer, says the traditional collegiate jacket was a mainstay among sports teams at Dal for years up until about 1992 when the waist-length jackets was phased out in favour of a hooded, knee-length polyester jacket.
鈥淚 have no idea why the jackets went out of style with students,鈥� says Ms. Corkum, who鈥檚 worked at the Bookstore since 1985. 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 want to see this tradition die again.鈥�
The new jackets come in two versions 鈥� an all-leather and a leather-wool 鈥榤elton鈥� mix. Although every effort was made to bring back the exact same jacket, some design modifications had to be made to cater to modern style sensibilities. Instead of the old Dalhousie crest on the front left breast, for instance, the new jackets sport a capital letter 鈥楧.鈥� But perhaps the most significant alteration is to the melton version, which sees its once-white leather sleeves replaced with black leather.
But in every other way鈥攔ight down to the same Toronto company that manufactured the jackets years ago鈥攖he jackets and the bright gold cresting are the same.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the same leather jacket your father would鈥檝e worn,鈥� says Ms. Corkum.
Dal pride is in fashion
As the person who manages Dal鈥檚 clothing lines鈥攆rom t-shirts and hoodies to mittens and wind-breakers鈥擬s. Corkum is in a good position to take stock of university spirit.
鈥淵ou wouldn鈥檛 have seen this amount of interest in university clothing here at Dal a few years ago,鈥� she explains, noting an increase in sales. 鈥淧erhaps the school spirit has always been there and we鈥檙e just doing a better job of giving students what they want.鈥�
The jacket, which was brought back in stock earlier this fall, has one happy owner of note: last week, Ms. Corkum personally presented President Tom Traves with one complete with a number 鈥�95鈥� on the left sleeve representing the year he was appointed.
鈥淚t was the number one highlight of my career,鈥� she exclaims. 鈥淭o see how much he enjoyed it and to hear that he鈥檚 received many compliments about it... I鈥檓 just really proud of that jacket and the tradition that it holds.鈥�