The NWSL Is Stepping up Their Kit Game – Here’s How They Rank
This season we have gotten some of the best NWSL kits. Teams are slowly moving away from standard stock kits and incorporating themes of their cities into their designs. As fans, this shift in kits is really exciting and long overdue. But some NWSL kits stand above the rest; here’s how we ranked them:
1o. Kansas City
new kit who this pic.twitter.com/uGExMNuZ1D
— KC NWSL (@KCWoSo) May 20, 2021
This one is probably the plainest of them all, although the teal socks are a nice touch. It doesn’t have much creativity surrounding it, but Kansas City took over the Utah Royals with quick notice, so I would expect their kits to get better next season with a bit more time to plan. That said, the red and teal color combo is reallllll nice.
9. Washington Spirit
Heard the #NFLDraft is on…quick little reminder of our top picks ? pic.twitter.com/embJMWPOfZ
— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) April 30, 2021
The Washington Spirit is using the same blue and gray striped home kits and white away kits as last year. The blue and gray kits are nice looking, and the colors go well together, but it would be nice to see the Spirit incorporate something related to the greater D.C. area. Cherry Blossoms, maybe?
8. NJ/NY Gotham FC
Colossal/Black ‘21 https://t.co/tSxerjKVLM pic.twitter.com/KwoF2wbDWZ
— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) April 8, 2021
Their colossal kit is black with a sky blue slash that represents the Hudson River. The colors work nicely together, and it’s a very clean look for their new kits. The away kits are the same, but instead of black, it’s white.
7. North Carolina Courage
Have you purchased your 2021 kit yet?
You are going to want it when the NWSL Challenge Cup starts in April! ??
Buy Here | https://t.co/5Ej46oAKy7 pic.twitter.com/3elplJ14m6
— NC Courage (@TheNCCourage) March 2, 2021
Since joining the league, the Courage hasn’t had the best kits. But in 2021, they really stepped up their game. The home kit is blue and represents the ocean with nice water-like designs all over. The away kit is white with a mountain design to represent the Appalachian Mountains. An added detail is that both kits include the North Carolina state flag and motto. Bonus: Naomi Osaka helped them launch their kits by wearing the blue one at the Australian Open.
6. OL Reign
? our new kits that spotlight our support for @BlackFutureWA and celebrate our supporters ?
Order now: https://t.co/8Kk8kJkb9z#olreign #bebold pic.twitter.com/zvwKmq5omK
— OL Reign (@OLReign) April 18, 2021
Both kits feature the Black Future Co-op Fund to raise awareness for and support the organization. The primary jersey is a bright blue with a dark blue claw symbol throughout. The secondary jersey is a white body, but what makes it special is that it includes the names of the 2021 OL Reign season ticket holders. It’s a nice touch to show appreciation to the fans.
5. Portland Thorns
We're using the same kits as last year since they are dope, but didn't get to be used very much due to the limited season. pic.twitter.com/LfOy516xTw
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) April 8, 2021
Their kits came out with a bang last year and were a great nod to the Rose City. The fact that their primary kits are black is also a plus; there’s just something about black jerseys that’s so satisfying. The dark roses and the red lettering and crest make for a great kit. The secondary kits are a white and gray combo with thorns all over it – another nod to the fans and the city.
4. Chicago Red Stars
We have a map, we have a city that supports us, and now it's full steam ahead.
Introducing the third jersey in our trilogy: the Momentum Jersey.
SHOP NOW: https://t.co/XLvg5Z1BR5 pic.twitter.com/F8qllvBg6a
— Chicago Red Stars (@chicagoredstars) May 23, 2021
Chicago was the first club that started representing their cities in a big way with their kits. And they’ve made even more NWSL kit history by releasing a THIRD jersey in 2021. The Elevate kit has the map of the city and represents the “L” train and the skyline on the back. The Neighborhood kit quite literally has the Chicago neighborhoods written on it in the shape of the Chicago flag. The Elevate and Neighborhood kits have been around for a couple of years, and the 2021 Momentum kit completes the trilogy. It features an L train and Chicago’s famous six-pointed stars.
3. Houston Dash
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The Dash has a unique color combination, really unlike any in the league, so they played off of that. The bright orange and black lettering on the home kits work really well together. The Space City away kits (above) honor Houston and NASA. The star-like design is a fun look for the kits.
2. Racing Louisville FC
Y'all want to see the full team in the kits? ? pic.twitter.com/s9DlU2ubaS
— Racing Louisville FC (@RacingLouFC) April 8, 2021
The expansion team did a great job with their inaugural kits. Specifically, the home kits feature lilies, butterflies, and bees, all unique homages to their city. The lily is the city’s flower, while the butterflies and bees are a tribute to hometown legend Muhammad Ali, who famously said, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee – his hands can’t hit what his eyes can’t see.”
1. Orlando Pride
View this post on Instagram
The “Ad Astra” kit is great in a lot of ways. The nod to the women in space and NASA and the design works perfectly. The purple that fades into black with the stars is just chef’s kiss good. It’s just an all-around knocked-out-of-the-park kit design. As part of their launch, they literally sent a kit and a ball to space. I mean, c’mon – it doesn’t get better than this.
Featured Image via @ChicagoRedStars on Twitter
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