Fraternizing With the Jewellery: Odd Fellows, Etc.
Always coming across strange symbols and such on jewellry. A few years back, I used to wear a huge ring with three linked ovals on it. A friend, Craig Wallace, mentioned that it was probably some kind of fraternal thing, you know, like the Masons. And he was right: the ovals are the symbol of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows — a fraternal organization.
Since then, I’ve come across tons of fraternal jewellery, mostly because there is a ton of it out there in the world. Like the coin jewellery I wrote about yesterday signifies a certain amount of wealth, fraternal lapel pins, pendants and rings convey membership (why join a secret society if you can’t signal your standing to others?)
It’s not all a boy’s club. The arrow pendant pictured below is a symbol of the first ever sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta.
CORRECTION: Two things… The first ever sorority is Pi Beta Phi. And the arrow is the symbol of Pi Beta Phi.
I love this arrow necklace. I’m a Pi Phi alumna, and the arrow pendant pictured is a symbol of the first ever fraternity for women, Pi Beta Phi. Kappa Alpha Theta’s symbol is a kite.
Thanks for the correction! I’ll update the post.