GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – It’s National College Colors Day! Celebrated every year on the Friday before Labor Day, it’s a day to show off your love for your favorite college team and show some school spirit.

This nationwide event is for students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, and fans to wear the colors of their college or university.

FUN FACTS OF COLLEGE COLORS DAY:

Do any colleges have pink as a color? – Both Penn State and Syracuse originally incorporated pink into their color scheme, however have since changed it.

What are the most common college colors? – The most common color combination for universities is red and white.

It’s said Vanderbilt University’s colors were chosen by Vanderbilt’s family to represent his success in the coal industry (black) and his fortune (gold).

In 1889, a cluster of orange and white daisies was found growing on the grounds of the University of Tennessee. Athletics association president Charles Moore liked the colors so much he adopted them as UT’s official colors.

HISTORY OF COLLEGE COLORS DAY:

School colors are more than just accessories when it comes to universities. They are an extension of a school’s identity and for many people to their own identity or symbol of pride. Many schools choose their colors with a significant amount of care. Whether you were in the creative arts, sports, or financing, it’s likely you have a special connection to your school’s colors. 

Founded by the College Licensing Company in 2004, College Colors Day, fans get to rep the apparel of their favorite college or university throughout the day. Who is the CLC you might ask? They are the licensing division for over 200 colleges in the United States. Famous for developing brand licensing and building the massive fan base behind the University of Alabama with Bear Bryant in 1981, the CLC is largely responsible for providing the college branded merchandise we value so much today. From Boston College to Stanford University you can thank them for your koozies, your jerseys, and your branded hats because it’s likely they licensed them!

Over the last few years, the CLC has seen a huge increase in sales, more than expected from the influx of students getting degrees. Recently we’ve even seen celebrities sporting the attire of a university they most certainly never attended. This shows that there is a nostalgic factor associated with fashion that goes even beyond personal attachments. College apparel has gone from an elitist group of exclusively students and alumni to a badge of honor to a place you are loyal to. Which is largely the point of the holiday, finding pride in your “home” and a community in loyalty.