Fashion is not my forte, so I’ll get that right out of the way.
However, I have been designing presentations, proposals and newsletters for some time and used to dabble in race-car graphics, so I do have an understanding of what looks good and doesn’t. I’ve also owned a restoration business and did quite an extensive amount of paint mixing, matching and blending along with developing an eye for what colors do with each other.
With all of that said, the uniform craze of multiple looks that arguably was started a decade or so ago by the Oregon Ducks football team has gone into hyper-drive. I’m guessing that Nike had something to do with it based on the fact the founders of Nike are graduates from the University of Oregon (here’s a look at the “uniforms”).
On a side note, I’m happy that the only arguments they have for uniforms with the USC Trojans are whether the socks should be black or not — which, by the way, isn’t a big deal because they’ve had the black socks in the past.
Anyway, first off, I did a mini survey and asked people I knew what they thought of these wild and peculiar get-ups. This anecdotal research is unscientific but gives me clues to what is going on. Generally speaking, nobody likes them — if they’re adult and a bit older. I wasn’t surprised. But these same people, who have children, stated their kids loved them.
It’s marketing, baby!
OK, I get it — sort of. Will it change how we watch our teams? No. Will having more and different uniforms to sell help push clothing sales in sports stores? Maybe. Will kids want their parents to buy them this new trick-looking attire? Yes. And you can throw in teenagers, too, who love this fresh and novel stuff.
So I’m perplexed. I’m now watching my favorite sport — college football — with atrocious garb for uniforms. I mean, did you see what Under Armour (its CEO is a Maryland grad) did to the Maryland Terrapin team’s new duds? Yikes! Check them out here with the state flag plastered all over.
I have to admit, I’ve thought the newer Ducks uniforms have all been dreadful, but you have to acknowledge that green and yellow are hard to make look good. Shock value is there. Looking good or sharp? No. If the young folks think it’s cool, that’s all that businesses like Nike and Under Armour care about.
And in the end, does my opinion matter? Not really. Retailing is aimed at the young — that’s been a given in the advertising and marketing world for some time now.
Alabama or Penn State uniforms these aren’t. And I hope USC doesn’t lose its mond and go away from traditions. The traditional wear will always have a place but among the younger crowds, gaudy is in.
One news blog asked the question: “Fresh or Fugly?”
Regardless, these uniform changes have run amok, but it’s made news and is all the rage.
New college uniforms are ugly — and that’s bad. Wait, I don’t mean bad as in good. Never mind. But what do you think?
Sources – NCAA, Washington Post, Yahoo! Sports
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I lived in Los Angeles Ca. most of my life and have been a longtime fan of USC, having followed the Trojans since I was a youngster. Fight On!