State Traditions

College Students can be tough to buy gifts for. State Traditions will make it easy this holiday season with a few hand picked items that every college student will love. 

Gameday Hat - Walk into any college classroom and you'll see someone who clearly overslept. A go to gameday hat for your school is the perfect way to hide the fact that you hit snooze a few too many times. 

Long Sleeve T-Shirt - It's the time of year for heading home and watching bowl games for days on end. A long sleeve t-shirt on the couch by a fire is makes for a perfect afternoon. 

Fleece Pullover - A classic outerwear piece that can be worn to class, to the store, or to grab some coffee it's our most versatile pullover yet. 

Key Fob - It's time to get rid of the high school lanyard. Keep it classy with a State Traditions key fob. 

Need a little inspiration for a gift for your pops? We've got you covered. Whether your dad is into golf, or just needs a wardrobe overhaul, we have something for every dad on our list. 

State Traditions Neck Tie - Your dad's Christmas ties from the 90's probably need to be thrown into a fire. An ST necktie is a great tie for the office or formal events. 

1/4 Zip Pullover - Winter in the south means layers. Our 1/4 zip pullovers are perfect to throw over a button down for work or a t-shirt to wear to a family get together. 

Throwback Headcover - You've probably seen some throwback pictures of your dad on the links in the 80's and 90s. Get him a headcover that stands out on the back of the cart and reminds him of the good ole days. 

Traditional Golf Visor - It's not just for Spurrier, get your dad a visor that will make him the best looking guy in his group. 

1.  Florida Tallahassee Belt 

2. Auburn Traditional Hat Orange

3. McDowell Woven Red

4. America Traditional Swimwear 

5. Texas College Station Bow Tie

6. Georgia Flag Patch Trucker Hat

7. Kentucky Louisville Key Fob 

8. Navy ST Croakie  

9. Virginia Charlottesville Koozie 

10. Green 19th Hole Cup

11. South Carolina Clemson T-Shirt Purple

Throwback Thursday Chapter II –

I was born in Macon GA, raised in Rome GA, went to college in Tuscaloosa AL, spent a year post college in Jackson WY, and now I reside in Birmingham AL, with my wife and two children. 

I have a couple of products I am excited to share with you, some are coming out of retirement while others are some of my personal favorites.

To continue our Throwback Thursday blog check these out:

This is one of the first hats State Traditions ever produced – almost 10 years ago.  We were starting to build the brand name and wanted to make sure everyone knew we had a website where you could purchase our products.  So, we decided to put www.statetraditions.com on the back of all our headwear. It didn’t take long to shorten this to State Traditions.  If anyone is still wearing one of the “original” hats, please send us a picture of the back and share your story for a 20% off code for any future order.

Being born and raised in the state of GA gives me a great sense of pride for my home state.  These hats represent that connection I have.  One is a custom hat from the Member Guest golf tournament from my home course, Coosa Country Club.  The Navy GA Flag Trucker is one of my new favorites and was well worn during the summer of ’16.

One of the first custom items ever produced. Original cut polo. GA horse race design for the McHorto Turn.  The McHorto Turn was a fantastic event we hosted for the Atlanta Steeplechase horse race.  The race brought folks from all over the state but mostly from the Atlanta / Rome area. We had a tent location on the inside of the back turn and made these shirts for all of the event hosts and also sold them during the event. 

This GA Golf polo featuring the flag, hole and ball in the state was an original design we used when we started the company.  This is one of my favorites and I would like to bring it back.  We're thinking a spring ‘17 delivery in honor of our 10 year Anniversary!

This hat is a favorite of mine – the Wyoming Traditional.  I moved to Jackson, WY after graduating from the University of Alabama.  While in Jackson we skied during the winter months. When the weather turned I joined the team at Jackson Hole Whitewater and enjoyed going down the Snake River all summer. This hat reminds me of my western adventure.  

These two pieces are my new favorites for Fall ‘16  This fleece is perfect for a crisp Fall Saturday football game.  They are available here  Hat, Fleece .

Co-Founder, John McElrath

10 years ago, when we first started brainstorming on what would become State Traditions, John and I hoped  this entrepreneurial creative pursuit would make enough money to treat ourselves to lunch. We thought it could be a business but you just never know.

The rest, as they say, is history. 2 more partners, 5 different offices, 30+ employees, 200+ campus reps, 500+ different retail partners, the initial 4 states to 50, only polos and shirts to a diverse catalog…it's been a wild run. We see a fair amount of state-inspired product out there these days, and believe it or not, it's exciting and a compliment to know that we were a primary player, if not the prominent group, that launched this concept into popularity years ago. Today we're proud that our customers support us so well and that we reach new people every day that are fired up to show where they're from, and what it means to them.

With next summer marking our official 10 year anniversary, we're planning a few fun things this fall to gear up for that. One is Throwback Thursday's. In these we'll share photos of some retired products - and some personal favorites. Maybe we'll bring some out of retirement? Another is State of the Day. We plan to sporadically feature different states and when we do, we'll encourage you to share a pic about it, with opportunities for rewards with your responses.

 
To kick off our first throwback Thursday check these out:

We made these to take to our first Charlotte apparel market in 2010. They were supposed to be light blue and white. They came back teal! In honor of the at-the-time defunct Charlotte Hornets, we called them Charlotte Throwbacks. We sold the only 50 ever run in about a week. I don't know of another anywhere besides mine.

I traveled to the Baltimore-DC area for work for a few years and always liked Maryland's state shape and flag (and people, baseball and food, but that's another story). I used to wear this visor around town, but at some point it turned into an office only visor. I wear it on days I need to dial in. I eventually put my initials on it when we bought the embroidery machine.

One of the first items ever produced. Original cut polo. Original TN fish design. I'm a big fan of the state. My wife's family is from a small town near Knoxville and we go up there all the time. I wore this shirt on one of our first photo shoots. During a Christmas package push in 2013 I tore a hole in the shoulder on a rack in the warehouse.

 

Our belts are still one of my favorite products. Just enough color. Well made. I've had this in my rotation for I'm not sure how long. Has it been Saban bringing Bama luck all these years or the belt? I'm just saying. Well, probably Saban.

We once coined the phrase the places we come from and things we choose to remember make us who we are. I think that holds up. These items to me have a story and also take me back to all the things happening around them that are part of my story. Whether you've known us the whole time, or just last week, thanks! Thanks for being a part of the story. If you're feeling it, share yours with us, and stay tuned for more throwbacks and state shout outs. It's gonna be a fun fall!

Co-Founder, Keith Brown 

It's gameday season. College football every weekend, tailgates every Saturday, winners and losers every Saturday night.

He's the man of the hour, and your dad deserves to be gifted with something he'll actually love. Whether he's an outdoorsman, a golfer, or just likes to wear his state pride, we won't steer you wrong.

Coolers

Our newest items for the summer, State Traditions branded Lit Coolers, are a gift that keeps on giving. Perfect for the lake, the beach, the tailgate, the campsite, or whenever your dad needs a cold beverage, these coolers are built to last and light up the night with their patent-pending Night Sight® that illuminates the interior of the coolers with a removable and rechargable LED liner. Sure to be a winner, your dad will love this gift. 

Seniors are counting down the days to graduation when they can don that cap and gown, get their diploma, and move on to the next exciting chapter in their lives. Celebrate them with something that reminds them of their alma mater or favorite tradition. State Traditions accessories, from cuff links and lapel pins to glassware and key fobs, are a perfect gift for graduates.

SHOW YOUR MOM SOME LOVE

She made you lunches, washed your clothes, and put up with your teenage antics. Show your mother some love this Mother's Day, and say thank you for all those times she's been there for you. We've got some great ideas that will be sure to wow her.