Jacket History

Our bright jackets, as long as the Corps has been in existence, have proudly been a jogging advertisement for the Corps while worn on the backs of our teaching staffs, members, parents, & proud boosters. It is estimated that 1,200 jackets have been sold & worn throughout the years.

A yellow windbreaker jacket was produced in the late 1970’s & early ‘80’s & promoted our theme at that time, The jacket’s color was bright & garish. This jacket concept was an idea that did not take off. A black or white cotton jacket was also tried, but lacked definition. That also disappeared as the fad faded.

In 1973 a less expensive dark green nylon jacket with flock printing was developed & sold. It was dark & not eye-catching. The green satin jacket was more popular.

The jacket continues to prevail as our marketing focus. As our Pioneer Corps has evolved throughout the past 45 years, so have also some subtle changes that are remarkable to mention. The satin green jacket is actually a baseball jacket that is commonly worn by teams even today. The Corps’ original members came from low income families. So our task was to find an affordable jacket that had flash. Most corps at the time wore cotton jackets with embroidery on the back. The Cavaliers, who at that time hailed from Park Ridge California, had a green satin jacket, with a black stripe on the arm that also displayed an extensive amount of embroidery. They were, as they are today, one of corps’ elite groups. So for us, a St. Patrick green jacket was an obvious choice, however a bit expensive. The jacket cost $20.00 in 1964!