The 30 Worst Uniform Ideas Ever

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There are uniquely ugly uniforms, and then there are the tragic ideas that multiple teams have attempted...and failed.

Between bad color choices, poor designs and trying too hard to look cool, some uniform ideas are just one mistake teams can't seem to avoid making at some point in their franchise history. 

So here is a list of 30 of the worst uniform ideas of all-time. 

No. 30 Futuristic Uniforms

More specifically the "Turn Ahead the Clock" uniforms the MLB used in 1999.

No. 29 Super-Short Basketball Shorts

Photo courtesy http://www.grayflannelsuit.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/washington-bullets-uniform.jpg

These are just too funny to look at now.

It made sense then for maximum movement ability, but the shorts worn by players today look so much better. 

No. 28 Patterned Golf Pants

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

They may be part of the golfing world now, but these are still a horrible uniform choice for any golfer–whether they are acceptable or not. 

No. 27 Checkers

Photo courtesy http://www.goducks.com/PhotoAlbum.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&PALBID=4213

Especially when they are nearly invisible on the uniform, or just put in odd places. 

No. 26 Baggy Baseball Jerseys

Photo courtesy http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/joe_lemire/06/18/manny.returns/index.html

These are more t-shirt than jersey in design and look really sloppy on the field. 

No. 25 Cartoonish Mascots on the Uniform

Photo courtesy http://www.pepperrodgers.com/images/wpe77890.gif

Huge cartoon-like mascots plastered across a uniform are not only NOT attractive, but they also take away some of the credibility of the team.

Who could take someone wearing this jersey seriously? 

No. 24 One-Pieces in Tennis

Photo courtesy http://espn.go.com/endofcentury/gallery/panel24.html

Most women who play tennis tend to pick cute little dresses to wear during their matches, but Anna White decided she would rather wear this awful one-piece instead.

No. 23 Camouflage

Photo courtesy http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2010/11/07/gal_utah_jordan_wynn.jpg

Unless it's the army or the navy, when sports teams incorporate camouflage into their uniforms, it's usually not done in a very well-thought out way–and ends up looking cheap and tacky. 

No. 22 Light Childish Colors

Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Not as bad as neon colors, but these super-light pastels don't make any team look tough during a game. 

No. 21 Pink Uniforms

Photo courtesy http://undergroundsoles.com/2010/10/nfl-kicks-the-league-goes-pink-for-breast-cancer-awareness/

Like some of the other uniform ideas on this list, the idea behind adding pink to a uniform is noble, but the way it's been done for most of the uniforms is just tragic-looking. 

No. 20 Neon Color Schemes

Photo courtesy http://espn.go.com/blog/sportscenter/post/_/id/9427/seahawks%E2%80%99-green-jersey-initiative-tossed-like-yesterday%E2%80%99s-coffee-grounds

Having bright colors isn't necessarily a bad thing. But when people have to wear sunglasses to look at a team's uniform, that's when neon colors become a mistake. 

No. 19 Zig Zags

Photo courtesy http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2010/06/18/gal_uniforms_charlie_brown.jpg

These design patterns tend to make the team look they are paying tribute to Charlie Brown. 

No. 18 Poor Color Combinations

photo courtesy http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/908/367/KansasCityAthltics_display_image.jpg?1304336056

Team uniform designers sometimes make horrible decisions about which hues of the teams colors will go best together. 

No. 17 Stripes of Different Colors

If your going to put stripes on a uniform, at least make them look cohesive by making them all the same color and having them cover the entire jersey equally.

No. 16 The Vest Look in Baseball

Photo courtesy http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/featured/8015/index.htm

Is it one-piece or is it two that make up these vested MLB jerseys?

The look is odd and hasn't been successfully executed by any team that's tried it. 

No. 15 Patriotic Uniforms

Photo courtesy http://files.brobible.com/images/brommunity/gal_derek_jeter.jpg

The idea behind these uniforms is noble, but the execution never looks as good as it sounds.

No. 14 Outlining a State on the Uniform

Photo courtesy http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2009/01/29/gal_uniforms_warriors_2.jpg)

Another odd detail some teams have tried, unsuccessfully, to add to their uniforms is the outline of their state.

These uniforms always look a little odd, and usually baffle fans as to why someone wanted so badly for the world to know the exact geographical shape of the team's state. 

No. 13 Pinstripes

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Uniforms with pinstripes, especially then ones in basketball, always seem to look more like pajamas than sports uniforms. 

No. 12 Flags on Uniforms

Photo courtesy http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2011/09/06/gal_maryland_miami.jpg

It doesn't matter which team is trying to do it or how they place the flag on the uniform, it always ends up looking really odd.

No. 11 the Single Color from Head to Toe

Photo courtesy http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/08/georgia_bulldogs_to_be_decked.html

Did anyone else see Gerogia's imitation of a Canadian Tuxedo at their home opener?

These monstrosities were one single shade of red from top-to-bottom, minus the nice, sparkly silver helmets. 

No.10 Shorts in Baseball

Photo courtesy http://mopupduty.com/index.php/worst-uniforms-chicago-white-sox-shorts-1976/

Did anyone really ever think this was a good idea?

Besides the obvious greater potential for burns from sliding, the shorts worn by the White Sox were just such an awkward length and looked really goofy on all of the players. 

No. 9 Holiday Themed Uniforms

That's nice! Your franchise is looking for another way to promote the team and make more money, but at least try to make the special game uniforms look professional so people can take the game seriously. 

No. 8 Color Faded Letters

Photo courtesy http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2009/01/29/gal_uniforms_devilrays_2.jpg

These aren't ever a good idea on a uniform, especially when they look like they were created in Microsoft Word before being ironed onto the uniform. 

No. 7 Corporate Logos on Uniforms

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

This just screams, "Look who paid us to make this jersey look really ugly for advertising purposes!"

No. 6 Pictures on the Shirts

Photo courtesy http://espn.go.com/endofcentury/gallery/panel25.html

This has to be one of the worst ideas of all-time in golfing fashion.

During the Ryder Cup, some of the U.S team members wore this team shirt that had different ugly pictures of people golfing and various golf teams on it.

It's nice to have pictures of the past...just not on your shirt. 

No. 5 Anything Oregon

Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

Let's be honest, Oregon consistently has one of the most obnoxious and hideous uniforms in college football.

Between the ugly pee yellow and either oddly dark green or black uniforms with the highlighter yellow–their uniforms make people want to turn-away and shield their eyes from the bright light rather than watch the game.  

No. 4 Fringe

Photo courtesy http://backpost.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/new-nasl-admits-san-antonio-franchise-provides-excuse-for-us-to-look-back-at-old-nasl/

Was there seriously someone out there that thought putting fringe on a soccer jersey was an amazing idea?

Maybe it was ideas like this one that caused the Colorado Caribous to go defunct after only one season. 

No. 3 Using the Color Brown

Photo courtesy http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/sports/falcons/nfl-uniforms/3.html

Why anyone would chose brown as part of their team's color scheme is beyond me, but if they did they surely shouldn't incorporate it into the uniform.

No matter how high-tech or cool the design of the uniform may be, brown makes any uniform it's on look drab and boring, .

It's especially bad when mixed with mustard yellow...

No. 2 Nike Pro Combat Uniforms

Photo courtesy http://www.nikeblog.com/2009/11/17/nike-pro-combat-football-uniformsslogans-revealed/

What Nike rolled out as the newest in high-tech uniforms for several college football teams, turned out to be more like the ugliest uniforms instead.

No. 1 NFL Nike Uniforms

Not the real deal, but a rendering of what someone thought the Nike NFL uniforms could look like for 2012.--Photo courtesy http://phillysportsdaily.com/eagles/2010/11/19/eagles-2012-jersey/

And the worst uniform idea ever is letting Nike have at the NFL uniforms for a "re-haul."

By looking at what Nike did for college football uniforms, one can only guess what monstrosities they will come out with for the professional teams.

And it looks like there will be more and more of these to come.