Women Finally Get Their Own World Cup Soccer Style.

Nike

For decades, women’s uniforms were just derivations of men’s. Now, taking specific design cues, like ponytail-friendly necklines, comes the good stuff.

The United States women’s soccer team has been fighting for gender parity not just in the courts — suing the United States Soccer Federation last week for discrimination — but also in their uniforms, known as kits. And at least when it comes to the clothes and the Women’s World Cup, they have won.

On Monday, at a global event in Paris, Nike revealed the new home and away uniforms for 14 out of 24 competing teams, and for the first time since the brand began working with the WWC tournament in 1995, each one of them was made specifically for the women’s teams, not as derivations or extensions of kits made for men. Three days before, to coincide with International Women’s Day, Adidas released its new designs for four WWC teams.

In the larger picture of gender issues and sports, this may not seem like a big deal. But the clothes athletes wear speak loudly about identity and allegiance, and have the power to help instill confidence. Clothes are also the easiest way for fans to assert their own allegiance, aspiration and personal connection. They are, above all, symbols. And now they are finally symbols of parity.

By Vanessa Friedman.

Full story at NY Times.