The Australian Olympic Team's opening ceremony uniforms!
On Friday night I dragged Blane down to our local bar to watch the Opening Ceremony. I'm not ashamed to say it's my favourite part of the Olympics. I find it so fascinating; it's just such an overt show of nationalism (or 'fascism', take your pick) that would be embarrassing in any context other than the seemingly politically and socially mute arena of SPORT.
Anyway, I promised Blane we'd just enjoy one drink, watch Australia march out at the start of the parade and then leave. Unfortunately the Chinese alphabet mixed things up and Australia came out at the end, so we ended up sitting through the entire spectacle.
I loved the uniforms. I loved the conservative blazers and caps, I loved the kaftans, I loved the colours.
The American team won the preppy award...However, I didn't love the Australian uniform...
My first reaction was, like 21 million other people, 'They're wearing the wrong colours!' Athletes' uniform 'Un-Australian' and The French and Italians were chic, the Americans went for classic... and we looked like volunteers
I didn't think too much more on the topic (because doesn't everyone EXPECT to be un-impressed by the Australian Olympic uniform?) until I watched the New York Times 'Opening Ceremony Fashions' video. See it here.
Eric Wilson's commentry is astute and then... hilarious!
Spoiler alert (quick, watch the video!)...
Wilson basically takes a look at the blazer trend and finds it 'traditional' and 'poorly made' and, at best, 'decent looking'. However, at the end of his overview of Olympic fashion he turns his eye to a less formally dressed nation and remarks, "As far as I'm concerned the team with best style this year came from Australia."
!!!! ?
Wilson goes on to say the Australian uniform was so "completely eye-catching and it made you want to find out who made these jackets."
It was Sportscraft! He'll get a surprise.
WILSON THEN COMPARES THE AUSTRALIAN UNIFORM TO PRADA: "Miuccia Prada really used this degrede style in her 2007 acessories collection." He concludes, "Who ever made these uniforms really has their finger on the pulse of what's happening right now in fashion."
Gosh and golly. Plain and pedestrian Sportscraft being adulated next to Prada. Now THAT makes me proud to be Australian.
10 comments:
Am I the only person who thinks the uniforms look like they've been dipped into a toilet with one of those blocks that colors the water blue??
I am not a fan.
Jen, you've now got me thinking of those old old tv ads where the lady dips some white chalk in blue water. The memory is... not... quite... whole... and I can't remember what the ad was actually for. Anyone?
Anyway, yeah the uniforms look like they are soaking up blue water from the bottom while the sun is fading them from the top.
it was for toothpaste! and that lady was Mrs Marsh! hee
The best quote I heard was that it looked like those ads where they test the absorbency of nappies and pads.
*snicker*
But I remember those chalk adds - they still make my teeth quiver!
who puts those blue blocks in toilets these days?
toothpaste! what does chalk and blue water have to do with toothpaste?
actually, what does blue water have to do with wee and menstruation?
kiki, the blue toilet cubes are so old fashioned but Mars sometimes used to do it when we lived together. i think she thinks a blue toilet is a clean toilet.
I think blue water is less offensive than red water....
Argh! You're right! The Australian team have been attacked by Toilet Duck! Makes me proud to be an Australian, it does!
i like the blue loo!
I think it's always a worry when the uniforms make your team look pudgy. These are the fittest people in the world - if they don't look good in something, what hope do the rest of us have?
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