For the eight of you regulars who visit the site (the old six, please make the new two feel welcome), we try to convey that we are football nerds first, kit and crest nerds second. And sometimes, it's the other way around (had anyone here actually HEARD of the Kansas City Comets before they came here?).
Recently, I have become engaged and part of the preliminary wedding planning talks has involved a heavy 'footy' theme. Scarves, songs, colours, the whole bit (honey... is there room in the budget for a tifo?). Part of that included customized soccer jerseys. I began my research by looking into a few companies and decided that they only way to know what kind of quality we're getting is to order a few 'tests'.
The first test was to recreate a jersey of my first football love : my local beloved perpetual silver medallists, the Hamilton Steelers. Below is a kit from 1986, when they won the national amateur championship.
After rebuilding the old logo into something modern and artistically balanced, I laid out the jersey and sent it off to the manufacturer. The cost of this shirt from the manufacturer was $85, $30 of it was shipping. So if we were to do more than one, the costs should come down I suspect.
Upon receipt of the kit, I showed @theyorkies1812 and his wheels started spinning : We should make a TFC retro kit!
The first thing we agreed on was that it wasn't or couldn't be the Blizzard because it's already been done. Or Metros-Croatia. Or City, or Falcons or any of the old ECPSL clubs. It had to be a re-imagining. Obviously, if anyone wanted a true 'TFC retro kit' and you looked around discount warehouses, you'd find the first kit issued in 2007. But we were thinking more of a period piece. A bygone era.
Pre-1960s wouldn't work for what we had in mind. Everything was simple. Designs didn't exist, but rather "you wore this because this is what the manufacturer made" types of shirts...
Check back tomorrow where we show the results of our retro-inspired TFC crests in The TFC Retro-Fit, Part 2.
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Aahhh!!! Want - without even seeing the finished product I want!
ReplyDeleteAlso, Mari is awesome - and yes, you need a tifo!
Yes, I ABSOLUTELY want one: sight unseen! Gotta be 1960s to mid 70s. After that everything gets too weird, and I don't know if I could pull off the matching short shorts (where's PM when you need him.
DeleteC.
No pressure then.
DeleteFor the record, I'm the genius who decided to spread this out over three separate posts. Build all of you up for disappointment.
I blame you for my anxiety attacks! I want to see it now!! I will find you on Sunday if this ends in disappointment...
DeleteDudes is that an actual re-made Hamilton Steeers jersey? Holy shit that is random assed.
ReplyDeleteYes it is. I didn't live too far from the ground, and the old CSL team was my first football love.
DeleteAnd no 12 yr old has $50 to spend on a jersey then. So I made it now.
I'm planning to recreate other kits too, research permitting.
so, are you going for something north american goofy retro, or more classic european retro?
ReplyDeletethough given that part 2 comes tomorrow, you've already figured it out and aren't actually asking for help? or are you? I followed a tweet here that suggested you were looking for help. misinformation!
anyway, interesting project, I'm intrigued.
also, hamilton sucks!
1) not asking for help, but constructive feedback will be welcomed.
Delete2) hope the results match the lowered expectations, but we're pleased.
3) you hate which you do not understand. Hamilton rules, sir.
There's eight regulars now??!?!?!
ReplyDeleteJA we have to share! Apparently there's two newbies floating about and we're supposed to be nice to them..umm, hello new people!
DeleteMargin of error is +/- %25.
DeleteI'm thinking more the minus, but traffic tells me I could be wrong.
I only visit multiple times a day to inflate the numbers for you - not at all because of the content.
DeleteDon't sell yourselves short! TFC are not even my team (Revs) and I visit here regularly. One of the funniest MLS sites anywhere. Keep up the good work - hope this retro kit looks like USA '94 for Canadians
ReplyDeleteThank you sir.
DeleteThe retro kit look goes a little further back than that era-wise. And though I could do without the squiggly lines of the home red/white kit of USA 94, I did completely dig the 'denim' shooting stars blue kit.
Up the Revs!
You may be aware of this (or not) but a designer took a swing at a reboot of the Revs. If the Minuteman kit existed, I would own it, it's that nice.
http://mwillis.com/post/4443011267/rev-reboot-part-ii-uniforms
I know I'm late to the party but, I'm Excited!!!! The Idea is awesome!!!!
ReplyDelete