In Praise of Real Jerseys

There was a post on one of the many hockey blogs I follow this morning on the "new" jerseys the NHL will be marketing to women this season.   After I got over my initial shock and immediate dislike for the design, I started posting it on my social networks online.  The reactions were less than favorable, for the most part, although in some cases for different reasons than mine.

Then one of my fellow Twitterites posed the question, "What would you like to see instead?"   And you know what?  I don't want a different option.  I want women to wear the AUTHENTIC jersey of their team, because that's the way it should be done.  So until the OFFICIAL team jerseys include tapered waists, the name of the team and not the player on the back, and sparkly stuff, I'm not wearing one with all that mess.  Here's why.

The tradition of women wearing men's clothing is as old as time.  Greta Garbo in a tuxedo.  Wearing your boyfriend's letter jacket in high school.  And the whole idea is that it ISN'T made for a woman.  It represents pushing the boundaries of how a girl is supposed to look.  Or in the case of the letter jacket, the affection of someone who likes you enough to give you something of their own so everyone else knows you belong to them.

Now some of my fellow female hockey fans may say, "But Meg, guy sized jerseys are unflattering.  I want people to see my figure.  No dude will think I look sexy hiding in an enormous hockey jersey."

I could not disagree more.  First off, I can't imagine Sandy accepting Danny Zuko's letterman sweater in the movie Grease and saying, "Oh Danny, I love this sweater as much as I love you, but we just have to take this in at the waist, honey..."


I've also gotten opinions straight from dudes.  Take Rusty, the Fox cameraman, for instance.  He spent a lot of time last season getting Nadine and I on highlight reels, so this is a guy that appreciates attractive women.  We were having dinner after a Saturday afternoon game last season and ran into him at ESPN Zone.  While he was hanging out getting some food before he shot the Clippers game later that night, he was telling us about growing up in New York, going to hockey games as a teenager, and marveling at all the sexy women wearing hockey jerseys.  Men's style jerseys!  "There's just something about a woman in a hockey jersey," he said.

And if you need more proof, here's actual photographic evidence of a real dude reaction from last season.

I rest my case.

I realize the world is changing, and I pride myself of being progressive about most things.  But on this subject I'm happy to work it old-school.  So ladies, show your love for your team the right way -- by honoring their OFFICIAL jersey design.  Your boys will love you for it.