Starting in the 1950's and continuing through the 1990's, gang sweaters were worn to represent gang membership.
In the 1980's, colors played an important part in representing a gang. Like in the 1988 movie "Colors" Gang members were
willing to die for their colors. There were actually two types of gang sweaters worn by Chicago gang members.
War Sweater...
The Gaylord sweater on your right represents war colors. When a gang sweater puts emphasis on it's darkest color,
this is representing WAR. War sweaters were worn when the member was out gang banging.
Captured Sweaters...
Look at the picture to the left. Notice the front contains two Imperial Gangster sweaters (Pink and Black). look at the Imperial Gangster sweater on
the first row leftside. It is mostly pink, therefore, a party sweater. The Imperial Gangster sweater on the far right. It is almost all black, therefore, it is an
Imperial Gangster war sweater. The Gaylord sweater in the middle on top is a Gaylord war sweater. Solid Color Belts are Pre 1977. Belts with Dual Colors became popular after 1977.
Lords of Lawndale
A Gaylord Lawndale and Altgeld war sweater.
Taking a gang member's sweater was not only an insult to the gang member who lost it, but to
the gang as a whole. Gangs would seek revenge on anyone who captured one of it's sweaters.
Captured sweaters were used by rival gangs in many ways. One of the ways was a rival would make
the sweater into a dummy and throw it up into some powerlines for the other gang to see. The gang whose sweater
was hanging from the powerlines would be forced to figure out a way of getting their sweater down, or live with
the insult of the public display that their rival created. They were collected like Scalps, and displayed at parties
for bragging rights. They also would be worn in an insulting way.
The practice of wearing gang sweaters as an army uniform started to die down in the 1990's due to:
1) the police started confiscating gang sweaters from gang members hanging out, 2) it made the gang member stand out
for a possible drive-by or police bust. Sweaters were still worn to gang meetings and parties, but they were rarely
worn when participating in gang activities.
Imperial Gangster Sweaters...
Two captured war, and two party sweater.
Almighty Gaylord Sweater | Cross is Boss
Click image to enlarge
Gaylord Patch used On Sweater That Wizard (R.I.P) Wore
Ringo's Sweater from the 1970s
SunnySide and Magnolia Sweater
Group shot of sweaters - Gangster70s
History of the sweater, I have collected sweaters for a number of years now and from what I have learned is that sweater and patches have been around since the early 60's, most clubs before 1960 wore all black sweaters, I would have to say that the first sweater that were worn with 2 colors would have to be from a white club, as there were more white clubs then Latino clubs back in the day, most clubs back in the 60's mimicked high school mascots and colors, case in point Spartans, Viking, Panthers, Counts.. High school sweaters all had 3 strips, hence one of the oldest white clubs Gaylord's I would have to say made there sweaters like that. I don't really know where the colors Blue and black came from, but I also know that the Latin Kings from the 60's were the first to have Chops on there sweaters. The late 60's witnessed an explosion of Gangs and sweaters. If you have a sweater with this tag on it more then likely it?s from the late 60's really 70's. There were only a few knitting mills that made sweaters back in the day: New Era, Southside knitting mills, Logan Knitting Mills, Collegiate, Ma & Pa Book store and of course Chicago Knitting Mills. This is just my view on the sweater. Also I talked to old man Bob from the mill and he said he's been making them since the 50's. By G70
1970sVintage
1980sVintage
1980sVintage
Cragin Park PVP Playboys and Spanish Chancellors
Sports Apparel and Gangs
The Simon City Royals did wear Royal jerseys in the 90's , Latin King's wore LA Kings also around then , but in the early 80's they wore anything Pirates , Latin Eagle's obviously Eagles , Gangster Disciple's wore George Town along with Detroit , Maniac Latin Disciple's wore Duke , Vice Lord's wore UNLV , Familiar P R Stones wore San Francisco , OA's wore Oakland A's
Sweaters
Vintage
Vintage
Vintage
Gang Sweater's Representing a Gang's Colors...
War Sweater...
Captured Sweaters...
Lords of Lawndale
Imperial Gangster Sweaters...