Aussie GC 2018 uniforms are yet another Games fashion fail

AT BEST it looks as though the colours ran in the wash, at worst it resembles the short-lived Hypercolor fad all the rage last time Queensland hosted a Commonwealth Games, writes Belinda Seeney.

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OUR sportspeople frequently soar alongside the best in the world, but when it comes to their fashion, Australia faces an ugly uphill battle.

Our national colours are green and gold, the latter all-too-frequently interpreted to mean a gaudy canary yellow that flatters approximately 3.7 per cent of the population.

Sadly, with the eyes of the world — or at least the greater British Empire — trained on our fair shores this year, this garish path is the one our Commonwealth Games uniform designers have elected to traverse.

Chris Goulding, Mack Horton and Melissa Tapper unveiling the uniforms Australians will wear at the Commonwealth Games. Picture: Jason Edwards

A common theme among the competition uniforms is a block of shocking yellow up top, fading to a turquoise midsection before deepening downwards to a darker green.

At best it looks as though the colours ran in the wash, at worst it resembles the short-lived Hypercolor fad all the rage last time Queensland hosted a Commonwealth Games.

To add insult to retinal injury, athlete uniforms appear to embrace a design aesthetic last in vogue almost 30 years ago.

I’ve not seen such love for deck shoes with beige chinos and sensible skirts, or boxy blazers teamed with silk scarfs since Brisbane’s rugby-loving private school alum claimed Ballymore’s hill in the 1990s.

Not sold on the frumpy women's formal #GC2018 uniform but 100% would wear that netball getup in a heartbeat. https://t.co/wX9gk2tLJh pic.twitter.com/Zz9L7NdTMS

— Belinda Seeney (@BelindaSeeney) February 2, 2018

Likewise, the equally dated ensemble of belted knee shorts with spiffing polo shirts leaves me baffled.

Trends like parachute silk tracksuits, polar fleece vests, matchy-matchy belts and coloured suede moccasins were deservedly killed off decades ago yet uniform designers have doggedly resurrected them all.

Amid the flashy fashion field there is one glorious bright spot: that super-cute retro netball dress is enough to tempt any athlete to switch codes.

Originally published as Aussie GC 2018 uniforms are yet another Games fashion fail