The New USWNT Jerseys Go Crazy Hard

In recent years, the United States’ national team kits have felt uninspired. Save for a black colorway in 2016, the shirts have remained formulaic and predictable, even as they drifted toward a more abstract aesthetic. A stripe here, some stars sprinkled in there, and the USMNT and USWNT kits were more or less set.

There’s not much of a legacy here. The most iconic jersey worn by a U.S. national team is the infamous 1994 faux-denim shirt, a concept that has been derided since it came out but has actually aged incredibly well. While you can occasionally find a good-quality replica from 1994 on archive sites like Classic Football Shirts, they sell for well over $500. 

When the men’s team failed to qualify in 2018, a meaningful design overhaul got bumped a year in order to outfit the USWNT. And finally, we’ve got a hit.

The red colorway is straight up hard. While the design borrows the maximalism of recent shirt designs, it’s not as much of an eyesore. The red helps—God, it’s so red. The shirt’s print is almost imperceptible from a distance, but up close it reveals a kind of zany flag collage that recalls—yes!—the denim shirts of 1994. While Nike and Adidas tend to go a little too extra with the typeface situation, the modern-looking font pops, which is an accomplishment in an era when sometimes the names and numbers are an afterthought. 

One can hope the success of this design will help push the American aesthetic. In a time when Americans’ relationship with the flag is a major anxiety, there’s a window to just get weird with it. Luckily, Nike tapped this energy with aplomb. Also, the three stars above the American crest, symbolizingUSWNT’s three World Cup titles, will never find their way onto an American men’s jersey, no matter what happens. Roll with the winners.

In conclusion, this kit slaps. You’ve got 25 more days until the Women’s World Cup starts in France. What on earth could you be waiting for? 

You can cop the kit here.