Uniforms through the Years

PRINCIPIA FOUNDER MARY KIMBALL MORGAN'S WHOLE-PERSON APPROACH EMBRACED ATHLETICS as an avenue for character development for every student at Principia. As the athletics program has evolved over more than 125 years, so have the uniforms.

In 1901, the School’s girls’ basketball team played a game against Central High School, becoming the first team to represent the School in an outside competition. By 1993, the women's College basketball team had matching travel warm-ups, covered in snaps for easy removal right before an important game. During warm-ups for this year’s championship game, there were no snaps to be found. 

The uniform of a swimmer has evolved since the 1920s, especially the materials. Over the past 100 years, swimsuits transitioned from 100 percent wool knit to a mixture of polyester and elastic. The women’s suits had built-in briefs and skirts, which were necessary for water aerobics. The men’s bathing suits often featured a belt, which is uncommon, if not unheard of, today. 

Students in the 1920s sported golden-yellow cotton one-piece rompers with bloomer leggings while attending their classes. In 2007, a student at the School would wear a white T-shirt with the word “Principia” across the front and dark navy blue-and-white panel gym shorts. 

The 1922 Page and Belt football team had a record-breaking season, with seven wins and one tie. The players charged their way to the record books in silk-lined brown leather helmets with little-to-no padding.  

By the early 1930s, Principia’s football helmets evolved to have blue-dyed leather and gold numbers painted on the back. Soon after, plastic helmets became the norm, with gold or blue plastic outer shells, snaps attaching a white chin strap, and protective metal face masks. 

Until the 1950s, Principia football players could be seen in long-sleeved, 100 percent wool navy blue jerseys with golden-yellow felt numbers to differentiate the players. By the 1970s, uniforms had evolved to synthetic jerseys and gold synthetic knee-length pants to match.  

In 1923, Principia's field hockey program included teams at both the Junior College and Upper School. That December, the Upper School team traveled to Forest Park to compete against Mary Institute. During the game, the athletes wore white wool tops with matching jumpers or skirts. Shin guards were worn over shoes and paired with low-cut socks. 

After a 25-year hiatus, Principia School is reintroducing the women’s field hockey program in fall 2026. Today’s uniform features a short-sleeved blue-and-gold jersey and navy blue skirt, paired with shin guards now under knee-high socks. 

In 1943, as Principia Upper School track athletes sprinted across the finish line, they would have sported a sleeveless white cotton jersey with a bold blue stripe across the front, fashionably paired with navy blue shorts. Though these uniforms were stylish, they were not as aerodynamic (or stretchy) as they are today. Current Upper School athletes wear similar white jerseys, now that now feature gold and blue stripes across the front and a blue P in the corner. Men now wear similar synthetic navy blue shorts, while many women have transitioned to dark-colored spandex instead. 

Cheerleading is a colorful thread in the tapestry of Principia’s athletic history. In the 1970s, half the College cheer or pep squad members were men. In 1984, cheerleaders carried navy and yellow pompoms on white plastic wands. By 2024, when the Upper School varsity cheer team won first place in the NCA Regional Championships, those props had evolved into solid gold and blue hand-held pompoms. The uniforms have changed too, now consisting of a matching blue, white, and gold set, with a white and gold hair bow. 

Like the uniforms themselves, Principia's lettered athletes’ jackets have evolved in a century of sports styles. In 1948, lettered athletes wore off-white wool cardigan sweaters. Their numbers were hand-stitched onto the sleeves, with additional patches for each sport. On the Upper School campus in 1987, the garment had evolved into a golden-yellow wool-and-synthetic blend jacket with navy blue leather sleeves and navy metal buttons. Athletes’ numbers had moved to the front of the jacket, next to a stitched P adorned with pins representing their sports.  

Principia athletics has come a long way since the first interscholastic competition in 1901. Leather helmets have given way to plastic shells, wool has yielded to synthetic fabrics, and belts have disappeared from swimsuits. No matter the uniform’s material, look, or style, the dedication, sportsmanship, and excellence of Principia athletes have remained constant. 

All images courtesy of The Principia Archives. To learn more or explore these historical materials, visit The Principia Archives.