I recently saw a poll ,conducted on Facebook, regarding whether Alabama Crimson Tide fans liked the association of the houndstooth fabric pattern with the University of Alabama. It made me wonder whether this pollster had heard rumblings against the popular textile or if he was just posing the question. I never went back to see how the poll came out. I really hate that I missed the opportunity to see what the popular opinion is regarding houndstooth at Alabama. I absolutely love the connections and have several reasons why I believe that houndstooth is the best thing to hit campus on gameday in a long time!
There are few people, under thirty, who realize where Alabama got "houndstooth fever"---Okay, I should say few people under thirty "living outside the state of Alabama". Paul "Bear" Bryant was known for his houndstooth hat that he wore to every outdoor game. This was not a ball cap. This was back in the day when men wore fashionable felt or woolen hats when wearing a suit or even in cold weather. This would have been in the late 1950's and 1960's. My father and all of his friends wore hats whenever they went out. These hats were usually black, gray or a muted and understated plaid. Then -- in comes Coach Bryant. His hat was neither muted or understated. It was a large bold houndstooth pattern! He wore this style of hat for years when he coached games outdoors. If he was in a domed stadium, he wouldn't wear a hat at all. When asked, he always said "My momma always told me not to wear your hat in the house!"
I remember the Christmas when we bought my dad one of those houndstooth hats. These weren't the ones like you can get at a fan store today! These hats were well-made and expensive hats that men wore just as they did the more sedated styles that they replaced. It was a fashionable way for men to show their team loyalty and still look "dapper". (Yes, that word is as old as the hat-wearing tradition!) My dad was thrilled! While it was stylish, no self-respecting Auburn man would ever wear a houndstooth hat! So, even then, the pattern began to be associated with the University. So the houndstooth pattern has traditionally been associated with the University of Alabama and is part of our rich heritage that we should keep!
Look around at other NCAA schools. Name one other school who, along with their team colors, has a print that is their very own. Think about it. I will wait....No? Cant think of one, can you? Neither can I. Yes, our shade of crimson red is different from any other college team. But I bet that you could name at least three or four other schools that have red and white as their school colors. Houndstooth sets us apart! I mean, go to a Tennessee-Auburn game and you can probably spot the variations in the shade of orange that both teams use. But, lets face it, orange is orange. There are only so many color combinations that differentiate teams in the NCAA. It is just plain nice to have that extra something special that sets us apart. Houndstooth does that! It has begun to show up in small touches in our uniforms as well and I, for one, am very excited to see it! I also love the houndstooth ribbon painted on the field to remember the victims of the April tornadoes. It better represents the bond between the University and the Tuscaloosa community that any other emblem could.
I will admit that a little houndstooth goes a long way. It is a bit comical to visit a fan store and see some of the unusual items that are adorned with the pattern. Toilet paper, shoe strings, underwear, wrapping paper, and even wedding bands can be purchased in hounds tooth! I think this may be the reason for the Facebook poll. There can be too much of a good thing and, when it comes to college fan gear, this is usually a given! Perhaps the author of the poll is just getting tired of seeing the pattern abused. Seriously, is there ever a good time to have a roll of houndstooth toilet paper in the guest bath??
So what do you think? Do you like the connection of houndstooth to the University of Alabama? If not, why? I would love to hear from you. And for those of you who are not big houndstooth fans, come on!!! It could be worse! It could be polka dots!!!
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