Academic scarf explained

The wearing of academic scarves is a tradition found at many colleges and universities in English-speaking countries, and particularly in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Sets of two or more coloured stripes have traditionally been used as part of the distinctive visual identity of these institutions. The scarves are usually made of Saxony wool and traditionally 6 feet (c. 2m) long.^[1] The traditional vertical stripes were (according to one source) adopted first at the University of Cambridge during the Second World War when material scarcity created scarves made of strips of wool sewn together rather than woven into the fabric.^[2]

The colours are often derived from the colours of the official coat of arms and/or the varsity colours, and are used in clothing and symbols of all kinds, from ties to trophies, but notably in the long woollen winter scarves that students and alumni wear to show their pride in their institutions. Some universities have different scarves for different faculties and even for undergraduates and postgraduates. Some may even have a 'combination scarf' where one side is in the university's colours and the other the faculty, etc. colours. Traditionally, academic scarves would not have further embroidery on them, such as arms or logos, as the stripes are sufficient to identify the scarf's origins and affiliation; however, at some universities such as Cambridge it has become usual for scarves to be embroidered with the college arms. Furthermore, universities might change their design and colours from time to time, usually during re-branding exercises, or if there is not an 'official' version that has been widely used. For example the University of Manchester was created in 2004 by merging two previous institutions, and adopted the new colours of purple and gold, along with changing scarf colours.

At some universities, in addition to collegiate scarves, there are also several non-collegiate scarves which have a well-established meaning. For example, those representing the university in sport may be entitled to wear a particular scarf, depending on their level of achievement, or a university department or club may have its own scarf. In addition, some colleges and universities have (for example) separate scarves for senior clubs such as their Boat Clubs.

Academic scarves are to be distinguished from other types of scarves that are officially sold by the institution themselves which often use different colours and are embroidered with logos and other emblem, or designed/made differently to traditional academic scarves.

Australia

University of Queensland

Cromwell College	Duchesne College	Emmanuel College
Grace College	Gatton Halls of Residence	International House
King's College	St John's College	St Leo's College
Union College	The Women's College

University of Tasmania

Ireland

University of Dublin

University Sporting Pink[3]	Trinity College[4]	Trinity College Dublin Association and Trust (Alumni)
Dublin University Boat Club	Dublin University Bicycle Club	Dublin University Cricket Club
Dublin University Croquet Club (incorrect)	Dublin University Equestrian Club	Dublin University Football Club (Rugby Union)
Dublin University Hockey Club	Dublin University Ladies' Boat Club	Dublin University Lawn Tennis Club
Dublin University Rifle Club	Dublin University Swimming Club	Central Societies Committee
University Biological Association ('The Bi') (Medical)	University Philosophical Society ('The Phil')	University of Dublin Choral Society
Dublin University Geographical Society	Dublin University Speech and Language Pathology Society	Dublin University Physiotherapy Society
Dublin University History Society	Dublin University Engineering Society	Dublin University Law Society
Dublin University Pharmaceutical Society	College Theological Society ('The Theo') (incorrect)	College Historical Society ('The Hist') (incorrect)

National University of Ireland

University College Dublin

University College Dublin
University College Dublin, Colours
Sailing and Swimming Clubs	Rugby Club	Boat Club
Agricultural Science	Arts	Chemical Engineering
Civil and Environmental Engineering	Commerce	Electronic, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering
Law	Medicine	Radiography
Science	Social Science	Veterinary Medicine

Other NUI Constituent Universities

Dublin City University

New Zealand

University of Otago

Arana College	Aquinas College	Cumberland College
Knox College	Salmond College	Selwyn College
St Margaret's College

The term scarfies is often used in and around Dunedin, the site of the University of Otago, as a slang term for university students.

United Kingdom

University of Cambridge

Christ's College	Churchill College	Clare College
Clare Hall	Corpus Christi College	Darwin College
Downing College	Emmanuel College	Fitzwilliam College
Girton College	Gonville and Caius College	Homerton College
Hughes Hall	Jesus College	King's College
Lucy Cavendish College	Magdalene College	Murray Edwards College
Newnham College	Pembroke College	Peterhouse
Queens' College	Robinson College	St Catharine's College
St Edmund's College	St John's College	Selwyn College
Sidney Sussex College	Trinity College	Trinity Hall
Wolfson College	Postdocs of Cambridge (PdOC)

Sports colours

Full Blue	Half Blue	Roos
Tadpoles	Riding team	Rifle team
Hawks' Club	CUTwC	CU Bowmen
Cambridge University Revolver and Pistol Club	CURPC	Cambridge University Guild of Change Ringers	CUGCR

Durham University

Durham University	Full Palatinate	Half Palatinate
Collingwood College	Cranmer Hall	Grey College
Hatfield College	John Snow College	St Aidan's College
St Chad's College	St Cuthbert's Society	College of St Hild and St Bede
St John's College	St Mary's College	Trevelyan College
University College	Van Mildert College	Durham Law School

University of Glasgow

University of Glasgow
Arts	Dentistry	Divinity
Engineering	Law	Medicine
Nursing	Science	Social Sciences
Veterinary Medicine

Imperial College London

Imperial College London
Royal College of Science	City & Guilds College	Royal School of Mines
	Imperial College School of Medicine

Lancaster University

Lancaster University
The County College	Pendle College	Fylde College
Lonsdale College	Bowland College	Grizedale College
Furness College	Cartmel College	Graduate College

University of London

University of London
Birkbeck, University of London[6]	King's College London[7]	Guy's Hospital Medical School
St Thomas' Hospital Medical School	London Business School[8]	London School of Economics[9]
Queen Mary, University of London[10]	Royal Holloway, University of London[11]	Royal Veterinary College
University College London[12]	University College Hospital Medical School	Goldsmiths, University of London[13]
Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry	School of Oriental and African Studies[14]	Heythrop College[15]

Manchester University

University of Manchester[16]
Manchester School of Architecture[17]	Hulme Hall	St. Anselm Hall[18]

Victoria University of Manchester and UMIST (former)

Victoria University of Manchester	UMIST	VUM Faculty of Arts

Newcastle University

Newcastle University[19]
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)	Newcastle University Medical School	Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAGE)

University of Oxford

Balliol College	Blackfriars	Brasenose College
Campion Hall	Christ Church	Corpus Christi College
Exeter College	Green Templeton College	Harris Manchester College
Hertford College	Jesus College	Keble College
Kellogg College	Lady Margaret Hall	Linacre College
Lincoln College	Magdalen College	Mansfield College
Merton College	New College	Nuffield College
Oriel College	Reuben College	Pembroke College
The Queen's College	Regent's Park College	St Anne's College
St Antony's College	St Benet's Hall	St Catherine's College
St Cross College	St Edmund Hall[20]	St Hilda's College
St Hugh's College	St John's College	St Peter's College
St Stephen's House	Somerville College	Trinity College
University College	Wadham College	Wolfson College
Worcester College	Wycliffe Hall

Sports colours

University of Wales

University of Wales
Aberystwyth University	Bangor University	University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Newport	University of Wales Institute, Cardiff	Swansea University

University of York

University of York[21]
Alcuin College	Constantine College	Derwent College
Goodricke College[22]	Goodricke College (old)[23]	Halifax College
James College	Langwith College	Vanbrugh College
Wentworth College

Scarf colours of other UK universities

University of The Arts, London	Aston University	University of Bradford
Cardiff University	Cranfield University	University of Central Lancashire
University of Dundee	University of East Anglia	University of Edinburgh
University of Exeter	University of Greenwich	University of Hertfordshire
University of Hull	University of Kent	University of Leeds
University of Leicester	University of Liverpool	Liverpool Hope University
Loughborough University	Manchester Metropolitan University	University of Nottingham
Open University[24]	University of Plymouth	University of Reading[25]
Richmond University	University of Salford[26]	University of Sheffield
Sheffield Hallam University	University of Warwick	University of Westminster

United States

Harvard University

Harvard University[27]
Adams House[28]	Cabot House	Currier House
Dunster House	Dudley House	Eliot House
Kirkland House	Leverett House	Lowell House
Mather House	Pforzheimer House	Quincy House
	Winthrop House

Scarf colors of US High Schools

See also

• List of rowing blades – School and university

Notes and References

1. Web site: A brief history of academic scarves . 2017-08-03 . Study.EU.
2. Web site: 'The Bramley' -Pure Wool Collegiate scarf . 6 February 2018 .
3. Web site: Scarves of the University of Dublin . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131214080055/http://acollegemiscellany.com/scarves/dublin/ . 2013-12-14.
4. Web site: Scarves of the University of Dublin . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071117054752/http://acollegemiscellany.com/scarves/dublin . 2007-11-17 . 2007-11-17.
5. Web site: University of Birmingham, Social Sciences Scarf - Ryder & Amies .
6. Web site: Birkbeck, University of London Scarf - Ryder & Amies .
7. Web site: King's College London Scarf. www.ryderamies.co.uk.
8. Web site: London Business School, University of London Scarf - Ryder & Amies .
9. Web site: London School of Economics . 2019-11-03 . LSE Student Union.
10. Web site: Queen Mary, University of London Scarf - Ryder & Amies .
11. Web site: Royal Holloway, University of London Scarf - Ryder & Amies .
12. Web site: University College London Scarf . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20061013045407/http://www.smartturnout.co.uk/acatalog/University_College_London.html . 2006-10-13 . 2006-10-13 . Smart Turnout.
13. Web site: Goldsmiths, University of London Scarf - Ryder & Amies .
14. Web site: School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Scarf - Ryder & Amies .
15. Web site: Heythrop College Scarf - Ryder & Amies .
16. Web site: Knitted scarf . 2019-11-04 . University of Manchester . 2019-11-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191104180125/https://www.uom-giftshop.co.uk/merchandise/KnittedScarf-C-and-C . dead .
17. Web site: MSA Official Scarf. 2023-08-10 . Manchester Metropolitan University.
18. Web site: Hall Scarf . 2023-08-10 . St. Anselm Hall Association.
19. Web site: Newcastle University Scarf - Ryder & Amies .
20. Web site: St Edmund Hall . Shepherd and Woodward . 2019-11-04 . 2018-12-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181215223614/https://www.varsityshop.co.uk/acatalog/St_Edmund_Hall.html . dead .
21. Web site: University of York Scarf . University of York Official Merchandise . 19 October 2021.
22. Web site: University of York, Goodricke College Scarf - Ryder & Amies .
23. Web site: Facebook . 2024-08-22 . www.facebook.com.
24. Web site: Open University (OU) Scarf - Ryder & Amies .
25. Web site: Product Details . www.rusu.co.uk.
26. Web site: Salford University Scarf . 2020-08-12 . Ede & Ravenscroft.
27. Web site: Traditional Harvard Scarf. 2018-10-29. 2018-10-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20181029140200/https://store.thecoop.com/ecomm-collections/traditional-harvard-scarf/ecomm-product-detail/1273. dead.
28. Web site: Colin Manning . 13 March 2014 . Get up, it's Housing Day .
29. Web site: Phillips Academy rowing scarf . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20181029142652/https://theandovershop.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=48&zenid=d5f62b64416d988c8296907e4c93ea73 . 2018-10-29 . 2018-10-29.