Women’s sport uniforms have been showcasing white shorts as part of their attire forever. Canada, the United States, and England were all known for their all white uniforms in sports such as soccer and volleyball.
Wimbledon, the most prestigious grand slam tennis tournament, has had an all white dress code since the early 19th century. However, in the most recent Wimbledon, women were allowed to wear darker pants. US player Shellby Rogers showcased her darker shorts under her tennis white.
The World Cup also had fewer teams wearing white shorts. The reason is, some women don’t feel comfortable wearing white shorts due to their period or other concerns. This global shift towards darker shorts can be at- tributed to the growing support for women’s sports. The growing popularity has allowed discussions that wouldn’t have been welcomed before.
Some recent successes in women’s sports can be exemplified by the Nebraska women’s volleyball team. The team played in Nebraska’s outdoor football stadium where they beat Omaha. The women brought in a whopping 92,003 fans, setting a record as the highest world attendance at a women’s sports event. Neither team wore white shorts.
However, some people don’t find this change needed. When asked about white shorts Alex Jerdee ‘24, a former Minnetonka soccer player said, “I have never experienced an issue with white shorts. I like them even better because I think they look cooler than darker shorts”.
While to some it doesn’t seem important, many women athletes have struggled with feeling comfortable in white shorts for a variety of reasons.
Soccer player Allison Elrod ‘24 says that removing white shorts is worth a conversation, “In my experience white shorts haven’t always been positive. Multiple times I have been distracted while playing because I was scared my white shorts were see-through. If given the choice, my team would choose darker jerseys and I think that dark shorts plays a role in that”.
It’s a positive change in women’s sports and can be thanked by the growing success women have accom- plished. It’s up to the team and players to decide what’s best for them and that’s something women haven’t had the opportunity to discuss before.
“I know many of my teammates have had similar experiences so I think it affects women enough in sports where it’s worth a conversation”, said Elrod
