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What Do You Think of the Team USA Uniforms?

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team usa sweatersI told you a while back that the official team USA uniforms were being designed by Ralph Lauren and the sweaters and other garments the team will be wearing in the opening ceremony were completely made in America, including using yarn from Imperial Stock Ranch.

The uniforms were officially unveiled on the Today Show this morning, and criticism started coming in immediately. A commentator for the Boston Globe likened the colorwork-heavy cardigans to ugly Christmas sweaters (a common comment on Twitter, too) and offered an apology to the free world for them, while Gawker called them “hideously ugly.”

I think that’s going a little far, but the sweaters could have been a little less busy. And some parts of the collection are really lovely (I still want one of the polo teams’ sweaters, but not enough to pay $395 for one).

Julie Chu, a woman’s hockey player who modeled the garments, told USA Today they “make a bold statement” and when you look at them you can “see the patriotic spirit.” Well, that’s certainly true.

You can see the whole collection — and even buy your own if you’re inclined to spend $595 on a gaudy sweater — direct from Ralph Lauren.

I’d love to hear what you think of the collection. I for one am thinking about a knockoff USA hat…

[Photo via Ralph Lauren.]

Comments

  1. I do not like the sweaters at all. They are way too busy, ugly, and awful to look at. They are just way too busy. I can’t believe the people in charge of approving them actually thought they are appropriate. I will be cringing during the opening ceremony.

  4. It’s a shame that this is what the world will see represented as America’s best design for our teams. One word – edit. Too much going on. It would have been much better understated than overstated.

  5. Looks like a candidate for an Ugly Sweater Contest, huh?
    Or, something you find hanging in a closet of an estate sale!

  6. My first thought, too, was that it looks like a candidate for an ugly Christmas sweater. Or, more harshly, that someone upcycled a patriotic throw from Wal-Mart… 🙁

    I LOVE the Olympics. I record it and watch it every year. This just frustrates me. Like the person above said, over-designed. Ralph Lauren knows better, and it just proves, yes, he can do wrong.

  11. Yes, way too busy, what was he thinking?! But the other thing that occurred to me was the comment I heard on the news about terrorism and visiting the Olympics – “Make sure you don’t dress American” – so as to stand out to terrorists. Wow. Pray for the safety of those attending the Olympics!

  12. Seriously, who thought Ralph Lauren could design, nothing designer about that ugly outfit. Well at least they’ll give the rest of the world a good laugh!

  14. They look like a bad Christmas sweater. No wonder they don’t want the teams to wear the sweaters out side the event. They will be the laughing stock of the Olympics.

  15. Would have been classier of Ralph to put the USA logo on the center front. At first glance it appears the players are competing for the country of POLO!
    FYI – the wool for the yarn came from Imperial Stock Ranch. The yarn was spun from that wool at Stonehedge Fiber Mill in Michigan.

  16. The good news: I can SO appreciate that they’re patriotic. The bad news: I have to concede &
    agree w/ all the above: way too busy, reminds me of an early 90’s outfit, and I guess I’m surprised at this coming from Ralph Lauren. Oh, and I sure can’t see ANYONE paying $595 online for one!! Otherwise, go team USA!!!

  17. Yes their a bit busy and yes their very pricey. But at least they are 100% made in the USA even the yarn. Go Team USA!!!!

  20. what were thay thinking? While I appreciate the attempt at patriotism it’s way over the top. I would not wear it. I feel sad for the athletes who are wearing them and the people who worked hard to execute the design. They could be appealing and attractive without losing the national flair. Wondering who approved the design… I love that the materials are made in the US.. We need to see more of that.

  21. It’s a shame that, instead of being able to clearly see the USA on the left breast, you see POLO. When the advertising brand is more pronounced than the name of the country, that’s a sad state of affairs and makes a mockery of the so-called patriotism of the rest of the design. It’s too busy, it’s too commercially-branded, I wouldn’t buy one of those sweaters at a garage sale for a quarter.

Have you read?

Classic Dishcloth Knitting Patterns

Fall will be here before we know it, and that means there are holidays coming right behind where we might be entertaining at home. It’s always fun to have a hand knit touch in your home for other people to see, and if you’re going to be in the kitchen all day you might as well have some nice knit dish cloths to use. 

I love this little plaid hand towel from Darling Jadore. Use a little bit of leftover cotton yarn from another project for the plaid portion. It looks like the horizontal stripes are worked as you knit and the vertical stripes are done with duplicate stitch, making this a quick and easy project even newer knitters can make. 

Combine garter stitch and an easy eyelet pattern worked sideways to make the Annette Dish Towel from Cluck Cluck Boots, which is meant to be reminiscent of flour sack towels. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can work it in one color or two (or even three!). 

Add a little more texture with this set of kitchen towels from Whileberry Creative. They’re mostly worked in garter stitch with borders in easy knit/purl patterns, and you can work them in sport or worsted weight yarn. 

Two of Wands Shop has another cute allover knit and purl pattern they call the Seersucker Textured Tea Towel. It’s an easy repeating pattern worked in worsted weight yarn, and there’s a chart in the pattern you can use, but don’t have to, if you want to practice knitting from a chart. 

The Classic Cloth dish towel from Handmade Home by Connie is another one that can use a little leftover yarn in a contrasting color, or you could color block it our use stripes throughout the pattern. This one uses worsted weight yarn and another easy repeating knit purl stitch pattern. 

If you like to hang your towel on the oven handle or elsewhere but it’s always falling off, try the Stay Put kitchen towel from Fancy Step Knits. This project is worked in garter stitch and includes a hole partway through so you can pull the towel through itself over a rod or handle. Stripes are optional but a nice addition.