Cheerleading uniform

A cheerleading uniform is a standardized outfit worn by cheerleaders during games and other events. These uniforms typically include the official colors and mascots of the school or team and are designed to make the wearer appear physically attractive.

Cheerleading uniforms in the early 1900s were a steadfast symbol of the schools they represented, usually depicting the first letter of a high school or the first letter plus the letters "H" and "S", standing for "high school." These letters were normally sewn onto a sweater-type garment, sometimes even polo shirts in warm weather. While showing school spirit and having a uniformed cheerleading team, these sweater-tops were often hot, bulky, and not very functional for any type of athletic movement. The most common type of sweater worn by cheerleaders in the early 1900s was a long cardigan with multiple buttons, normally worn over a turtle neck shirt or collared blouse. The school letters were often sewn in either corner of the sweater, sometimes in the middle of a megaphone shape. Worn with the sweater was a very modest ankle-length wool skirt, often a darker color than the sweater. Some early cheerleading squads chose plaid fabrics for skirts, often these squads were from religious schools and universities, as plaid was the main fabric of their classroom uniforms.

Early cheerleading squads wore saddle shoes or flat canvas sneakers with high dress socks with their uniforms. This style of uniform continued through the 1950s and 1960s and is often depicted in movies and photos from that time period. One of the first companies to produce cheerleading uniforms was Cheerleader Supply Company, founded in 1948. The company was founded by Lawrence "Herkie" Herkimer, of Dallas, TX and a former cheerleader at Southern Methodist University, who began selling pom pom kits to local high schools. Herkie was also the first to organize cheerleading camps and competitions.

As the focus of cheerleading shifted from an auxiliary unit, to an athletic pursuits, changes in the uniforms' material, style and fit were necessary.

As fashion styles changed through the 1960s so did the cheerleading uniform. Gone were the overly long wool skirts, as pleated shorter skirts became more popular. The long skirt was essentially chopped in half as knee length cotton fabric skirts made for easier movement and a more comfortable experience for the wearer as compared to their wool counterparts. The sweater top changed dramatically, squads elected to wear short sleeve crew neck sweaters in favor of long cardigans, however the school letters and megaphone emblem remained, now being placed in the center of the stylish crew neck sweaters. Some squads in this time period, in particular high school squads, favored placing an additional embroidered emblem with the squad member's name on the center of the school letter patch. This was a symbol of high school popularity, as it was a huge privilege to be a cheerleader

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