Bowling Shirts Remain Fashionable Although Bowling Is Not

Vintage Bowling Alley via WaterWinterWonderland.com

Many bowling alleys in the U.S. that have been in business for decades are gradually shutting their doors as bowling loses popularity as a sport.

Vintage Bowling Shirt from AMERICANA Classic Vintage

One such bowling center is Fairway in Massachusettes, whose faithful bowlers, nearly all in their 80s, are saddened by its closing.  “When we opened, everyone bowled,’’ said the 84-year-old owner of Fairway.

Within five years of opening in the 1950s, Fairway expanded from 16 to 32 lanes. In those days, there was a $1 charge for three games.

Bowling alleys have had a slow demise since the 1980s along with roller-skating complexes which also had their heyday in the 1950s.

All the while, the nostalgia for days gone by is seen everywhere through bowling shirt fashion.  The sport may be dying, but the fashion lives on!

Source: “Lane Closings,” from The Boston Globe, May 6, 2011.

Ypsi-Arbor Vintage Bowling Alley - Photo via WaterWinterWonderland.com

Sherman Bowling Center - Photo via WaterWinterWonderland.com

Star Lanes Bowl - Photo via WaterWinterWonderland.com

Sunset Lanes Vintage Bowling Sign - Photo via WaterWinterWonderland.com

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No Matter What the Trend, AMERICANA Keeps You in Retro Bowling Fashion With Lanes & Lanes of Vintage Bowling Shirts!

The Bowling Shirt

Bowling Shirts from AMERICANA Classic Vintage

From AMERICANA’s book A-Z of Classic American Clothing…

Bowling shirts are short-sleeve shirts that are loosely fitted with a straight hem so that they can be worn un-tucked.  The collar of a bowling shirt often has a loop fastener that secures the top button, although this button is never fastened.  The shirt was designed with these specifications so that it would not interfere with the bowler’s movements.

Bowling Shirts are usually solid in color and can be decorated with a contrasting color, which made bowling teams easily identifiable in the lanes during competitions.  They can also have an embroidered bowling club insignia on the back and name of the wearer on the upper front.

Men's Bowling Shirt from AMERICANA

Bowling shirts have been popular since the 1950s in the United States, when youth began wearing them as a cool look outside the confines of bowling alleys.  In the last several years, bowling shirts have become a status symbol amongst urban street gangs in the US, although seeing a person wearing a retro bowling shirt usually makes others smile.

Classic brands of bowling shirts to look out for include Hilton, King Louie, Pin Splitter, Service Bowling Shirt, Imperial and Da Vinci.

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