U.S. Women's Nursing, er, Soccer Uniforms
Their 2011 World Cup performance shone a spotlight on the athleticism and tenacity of the U.S. National Women's Soccer team, who were runners-up to the winning Japanese team in a dramatic final game. But the squad's new uniforms left some critics wondering if the players were in the right field — career-wise, that is. The all-white kit, which was designed by Nike in early 2011, stepped away from the traditional approach of the women's team wearing scaled-down men's jerseys and instead added feminizing details, such as a slimmer fit, capped sleeves and a black line down the center. While this was meant to distinguish the women's team from the men’s, critics claimed that the uniforms instead resembled sexy nurse outfits. A spokesperson for Nike responded by saying that the uniforms were designed for comfort and mobility that would allow the team to play at its best — and with its performance throughout the series, no one can deny that it did just that.