Have you ever asked yourself a question of what is the most important in professional basketball clothing?

Are the design and colour of clothing important? “Of course!” you will say.

And the material the clothing is made of? “No doubt!” you would say.

Are the model and silhouette also important? Yes, if you care about your look!

What about the size of clothing? Hm…mmm…Here you go…

Unfortunately it seems more complicated in everyday life.

Probably you have met such terms in clothing manufacturing as “ready-to-wear” (made in a factory in accordance with standard sizes), “made to measure” (made in a factory applying standard drafts in accordance with your personal size and desirable changes of the model) or “bespoke” (individually made in accordance with the drafts made pursuant to your measurements and your specific requirements). Most people do not know these terms or keep mixing them.

How do you choose new clothing?

Usually you go to the shop. Then you choose two or three sizes, which could fit into your measurements, of the model that you like. Then you go to a fitting room and try to fit into one of them. It is great if you are lucky and you choose something. If you are a little bit non-standard, you have to choose: to take the clothing and to mend it or to leave it. It happens very often that you cannot find the right size of the clothing.

And what do you do if you have clothes sewn individually?

Then you go to a studio or to a private dressmaker, for example. He measures specific parts of your body (depending on what you want to order). You agree upon the model, materials, other details and the most important (!), you agree upon fitting. Exactly – upon fitting which is crucial for the product sewn individually! And you agree upon more than one time for fitting, possibly two or three times depending on the product that you have ordered.

Where’s “where the shoe pinches”?

For some reason nobody remembers the process of choosing the clothing in the shop. However, if the individual ordered clothing is bought, everybody wants to get a ready and ideally fitting product right away without any fittings. There is a belief that if the dressmaker has body measurements, it should not be a problem to make clothing which fits well right away.

However, I have to disappoint you. If you have a slinky item of clothing made for you, it is problematic to make it without fitting. It is possible if the clothing is of “baggy” style. Also there are certain conditions. We must not forget that people are built differently: pot-bellied, fat, normal-built, athletic and skinny. It is difficult to make even clothing is of “baggy” style for pot-bellied people.

The ways to choose the size of sports clothing

How do the club or team managers select the sports clothing usually? They fit clothing to some standard-built players. Then they know what sizes to order. It should be remembered that different manufacturers may mark clothing of different sizes by the same mark, for example “XL”. They offer no more than four sizes (even only three sizes for women) which have to be adjusted. Thus, do not make a mistake and do not swear the manufacturers, if something is wrong. They may follow different standards applied in various countries. Also, attention should be paid to the silhouette of the clothing that you order: tight, slinky or free. Clothing of these different silhouettes shall be marked by the same label of “XL” size. Another way is to order more clothing of various sizes to avoid “non-fitting”. In such a case you spend more money. The third way is to order “made to measure” sports clothes and to expect that the manufacturer shall fit to make the clothing for you.

How can you do it without fitting?

First of all you should provide the manufacturer with as much information as you can – provide more measurements than usual. Then, what silhouette of clothing you expect and what silhouette you would like to have? Should the upper part of the clothing be of one size and the lower of another, etc. The more information you provide for the manager of orders about clothing “of your dreams”, the more precise your order will be (without fitting). Even then the clothing may be not exactly of what you have expected. Especially, if it is of tight or slinky silhouette. It is very important if the manufacturer agrees to fix it.

Can innovations help?

Thanks to the latest 3D computer technologies there are other ways to “make” virtual clothing in accordance with the desired measurements without any fittings. In such a case the client is measured not in a usual way but using the scanner. The measurements are transferred directly to the computer program. When the client is satisfied with the design and silhouette of the clothing and the virtual item fits good on a virtual model the “live” product is cut and sewn.

Of course, these technologies are not perfect enough. The author of this text had a chance to make sure of that. Although the producers of the latest technologies state that time for manufacture of clothing and materials could be saved, a lot of additional things are necessary to get a perfect result (I mean the ready product corresponding exactly to the designed virtual model). For example, if the characteristics of the materials are not exactly determined (additional testing of the materials should be made in laboratories), the product shall not correspond to the size and fitting on the body. And I am not talking about improperly “sewn” virtual seams or incorrect selection of gap between the upper and lower item of clothing.

How can you choose the best way to determine the size?

If you want to have exceptional sports clothing, explain all details of the vision of your clothing to the representatives of the manufacturer. Of course, to those who work in such way. However, there are very little of them.

Pay special attention to the silhouette that you desire and, of course, to the description of your body shape. It is even better, if you have a possibility to come for fitting! You should come because this would ensure that your product complies with the requirements of “made to measure” manufacturing and suits you.

When a former basketball player, captain of women basketball national team – former Champions of Lithuania and Europe, now employed as the Second coach for Lithuanian national women team, Dalia Kurtinaitienė told me that women seek beauty even during struggles for awards and “put mascaras or other beauty products every time they get on the basketball pitch” – I was sincerely surprised. Or better say, I never thought of this in this way, whereas make-ups and hair dos are not as essential as the game…

„We wear make-up for ourselves. Any woman prepares for work like this, so we do the same – basketball is our job” specifies Dalia.

However, during my visit to training camp of the current Lithuanian national team in Druskininkai and after some chit-chat with players (Sandra Valužyte, Gintare Petronyte, Giedre Paugaite, Aurime Rinkevičiūte and Egle Šulčiūte) opinions were varied. Some girls wear make-up and perk themselves before games; others better refuse any face-do and avoid running make-up marks after sweating. It is much simpler in this way.

And what about clothing? Isn’t it one of the most important matters for any woman?

„Here the problem shows itself“, says Dalia Kurtinaitienė. „We get new sports wear before a new season and earlier ago many sports suits were to be mended or suited to the size of every sportswoman. So, we would engage into fitting and sewing ourselves. Any completely unsuitable suits having no chance of mending were given out to our relatives: there are woman of various sizes and constitutions among them…”

According to the book “Basketball Game – Official Basketball Rules”, published in Lithuania in 1926, book author – famous Lithuanian pilot Steponas Darius revealed his opinion about the importance of clothing in sports: „Suits cannot in any way discomfort the body, especially neck, arms, chest and stomach. Many players abandon their full value in matches because their suits hinder the use of their true powers in game. “

Basketball outfits, just like those of any other sports, experienced evolution. Initially they were less wide or loose. And only later turned into formless suits reminding of large potato bags. The tendencies unfold themselves best in women games…

Why so?

There are different reasons. Firstly, large global sports wear makers made a “skilful” job and fitted the most simple methods of mass production usually used in manufacturing stage in “cheap costing” Asian countries. Even the elite teams receive “sizeless” suits suitable for sportsmen of approximately three different constitutions. It is much simpler to “get” a suitable size. Some sportsmen receive too large suits, but “no matter”.

The process needed the “prophet” who would demonstrate such clothing and foster others to do the same. The job was most suitable to be served by the legendary Michael Jordan. And as the story goes, anything else is the “technical matter” – so this method gradually turned into „common rule“, and eventually into fashion. Team managers got sick of suiting and changing the clothing, while factories did not even have other sizes. Fashion of outgrown basketball suits was soon “caught” by the black Americans because they constituted the largest numbers of manufacturers and clients.

Eduardo Cota, former ŽALGIRIS player, used to ask us for making suits in two sizes bigger. He would get his already loose player’s shorts down on the hips to reach the middle of the shin on the bottom part. This looked like shorts-breeches… The same process was also repeated by other players of the team – namely Dejuan Collins and Marcus Brown. Probably it’s what they all do in the US.

Former head-coach of the champions of Lithuania and Europe in men basketball, Antanas Sireika remembered his experience as a coach in Russia when one of the famous global sports wear brand dressing the team offered the search of lacking sizes at … stores. Who wouldn’t like to watch the scene with players and coaches “fishing” for the suitable sizes in the shop…?

Can we avoid this?

Means are abundant: modern „high technology“ materials and their processing methods allows making products fully tightening on the body and unshackling sportsmen’s moves (such basketball shirts were used by USA’s, Lithuanian and Chinese men teams as well as Australian, Belorussian and Brazilian women teams in the Beijing Olympic Games). Unfortunately, production of the best clothing is hindered by strict and stiff sporting regulations. For example, current FIBA regulations for basketball shirts, even those for women basketball players, prohibit the wear in other way than stuck into shorts. Manual guidelines prevent manufacturers from showing their technical possibilities and their wish to create a more esthetical image. Good news is that the wind of change can suggest some change in the clothing rules of European women basketball and the transformations are soon to come – promises FIBA Europe.

Many of us consider that production „made to measure“ is possible for the “elite” clothing, but not sports wear. Global manufacturers consider the idea a “closed book” or even an unremarkable stuff. Isn’t it simplicity itself to do mass-making with standard sizes that can be “selected” according to measurements. Process is the same as in general store: you fit cloths one after another (if the assortment exists) until you “catch” your size. This “method” still survives in several countries and others try to choose clothing “by their size” they know from size scale of “Nike” or “Adidas”. Maybe not everybody knows the XL (or other) size is manufactured according to different measurements and can vary from company to company.

Still there are more and more appearing companies, specializing in basketball clothing production made-to-measure. These are usually small, flexible, but ambitious companies looking to the future and designing new generation basketball apparel.

With cooperation of innovative companies, FIBA Europe pursues a second-year project with a goal for women basketball uniqueness and identification by their apparel.

However, difficulties in this respect appear firstly among woman basketball players themselves as well as with the conservative basketball community and certain private benefits. The greatest European women basketball states, especially Russia, still use the principle of a “bulldozer”: they “purchase” best players of the world, mostly from the USA, who dictate game style and “baggy” clothing fashions too. They would always upholded the manlike style of the game and male wear. However, the idea of exceeding our men does not come true and never will… But the influence on other players, especially young ones, is still deep rooted.

The earlier mentioned six Lithuanian national team players each had their opinion regarding basketball clothing. Although they all were strongly positive about the Belarus national women team’s game uniform in Beijing Olympic Games. The good innovation was that game shirts highlighted the body of the athlete, had narrow shoulders which helped during shoot at a basket. Unite, but negative opinion was revealed about elastic body-tight suits of Australian players.

Severe discussion opened up about the width, length and other measures of the shorts. Some players spoke for loose and below-knee shorts, others for shorter and narrower shorts, others for wider and shorter, etc.

The similar opinion regarding Australian wear type was expressed by the famous Russian women national team player Ilona Korstyn on her blog. The major reasons for such discontent – the inconvenient feeling players have in front of the audience. It is a huge psychological issue. She offers finding a compromise satisfying both the players and audience. In my opinion, such clothing compromise was already demonstrated by Belarus national team in Beijing.

I implicate that the satisfaction of women basketball players and their persuasion is a difficult process. I believe European women basketball awaits a long road creating more female-like apparel, embedding women’s basketball position in the minds of basketball community as well as in their understanding what is the most important in basketball clothing for women.

Olympic Games stand for the highest sports achievements and winnings of the athletes as well as are some kind of sports fashion demonstration. To some purpose the largest (and some smaller) sports industry companies “lay” huge funds to the newest technologies of sports products and their design in order to “glow” with exclusiveness in the most important sports event as well as show millions of potential clients what they are able to make.

Fastly forward striding newest nanotechnologies for the production of materials enable creation of materials with any desirable feature; various seamless sportswear production technologies guarantee freedom, comfort and good look of any athlete – these are the major reasons of this progress.

But let’s leave this “voodoo” to other sports such as track-and-field athletics, swimming and cycling where sports results are destined by the hundredth or even thousandth part of a second. (Although, in my opinion, whatever the “miraculous” clothing the sportsman wears, he cannot win without good preparation for competition). Let’s better talk of basketball fashion.

What was new and fashionable in these Olympic Games? What was tasteless this time?

Athletics wins
The USA, Lithuanian and China national teams appeared to the spectators with basketball sportswear of a new cut for the first time, although the premiere already happened in the end of last year. Sports suits of this style were firstly tried by college students in the USA, but the other world did not know of such until now. Sportswear mainly consist of figure-hugging T-shirts and much wider and longer than usual shorts below the knee line.

In fact, such sportswear looked different on the players of each different team, because in my opinion, they are designed and better suit athletic black basketball players. Americans appeared looking like “cyborgs” from science fiction movies with extremely highlighted upper body lines which made them look psychologically even more frightening to the audience.

Most of other national teams avoided the “demonstration” of their figures by choosing a little bigger T-shirts and little smaller shorts in order the former would not look very wide and long. As far as I can tell, Lithuanian players from the team specially chose the outfits and suited them to their body to look like usually, but not in extravagant way. However, our most athletic-like Lithuanian player Linas Kleiza chose the suit for his “size” and looked quite impressively.

I had an opportunity to see these suits and touch it at close range. I must confess their picture on the basketball court is much more striking than their real quality.

Idea famine?
Other men’s basketball clothing brands were “lazy” and did not present any new models or design solutions. I would say, on the contrary – we saw usual, boring to death and well known suits of a “classic bag-type” which would fit to the basketballer of any size and in the end, it would look poorly.

I don’t think of the suits Spaniards and Argentineans wore – their design simply whiffed of “naphthalene” and cut as well as functionality of materials felt of the “Chinese brand” quality. Russians kept up with the above named too as they wore completely design-free outfits, although the idea was quite fetching.

Russian sports clothing was patterned with a stylized “miraculous bird” so popular in Russian folklore, but it looked similar to the Chinese dragon, at least from a distance. By the way, Russians themselves wrote in their press of the bad quality, function lacking materials and also of the “ancient” suits Russian delegation wore in the presentation march.

Australian style
Perhaps a more refreshing wind blew out in women’s basketball suits. Women often surprise with outfits (regrettably not always with basketball playing quality).

This time wasn’t exception too: although we all are used to the style of Australian women’s national team, but it was still once more enjoyable to watch the star-players Lauren Jackson, Penny Taylor, and other players in body-tight suits (actually, they looked great). It did not fit all the women as suits showed the advantages the same as disadvantages of their bodies.

However, salute to Australian national team for their boldness and individual style they are known for many years. I would like to ask Australian team managers how they persuaded these stars to play in such suits? None of sports managers can contradict that not every star player is easily persuaded to do what’s best for the team and sponsors.

How long does the masculine style dominate?
We don’t have to go far: this spring, woman’s basketball players, mainly Americans, who played in the Moscow-held Eurolygue woman’s star day match between the World and European teams, refused to wear body-tight and well shorter shorts than before.

It is good that organizers had an extra plan and changed the stylish, but still unusual suits that did not satisfy whimsical star-players into the old and satisfying suits of „bag type“. Otherwise, scandal would blow-up and competition would fail.

In my opinion, this is a typical example of a fact that playing style of American woman players imitates the men’s basketball playing style and it reflects itself in their suits. We had an opportunity to assure ourselves in that during the games in Beijing: the USA, Chinese, Czech Republic and other teams were similar to masculine.

Then let’s raise the question: are we going to watch woman’s basketball or to see “unisex” players trying to look like men? During volleyball competitions one does not have any doubt who plays where. And the famous rephrased slogan does not fit here: “…made for men, but suits women too”.

Imitation never had any luck, therefore I dare say that woman’s basketball will never excel the men’s basketball by the speed, power, slamdunks, but it can “buy” the spectators and sponsors by elegance, femininity and specific spirit of a game.

Women want to be women
Some companies have already tried to go that way and design stylish woman’s basketball suits, but they did not have determination to manufacture such on a wider scale. In Olympic Games, we could see the Brazilian national team players with similar good style, who looked quite good except for some tall and stout players.

But such suits were not universal as only some of the players looked equivalent (I mentioned this during the description of Australian team). What fits slim figure, does not necessarily fit stout figure.

This problem, in my opinion, was well solved in the suits of Belorussian team players where they had an original design of a neck and shoulder of a T-shirt: suits where tightened to eliminate any embarrassment of moves and did not prevent women from throwing to the basket. None of the players (I emphasize) was with curled T-shirt shoulders because it was simply nothing to roll over.

By the way this “fashion” of shoulder sleeve rolling is prevailing among usual basketball suits in woman’s competitions, because wider shoulders of the shirts bother the players and is not esthetical.

I noticed that the shorts of Belorussian woman’s team looked like tailored for every player separately: some of them were fitted “tightly to the body”, others had more loose, longer or shorter suits. I guess wishes of the players to look stylish, comfortable and feel like that, were creatively realized.

Will individuality win?
The above mentioned fact is confirmed by the player in the USA woman’s basketball national team where the masculine style is propagated. Superstar Lisa Leslie distinguishes herself by feminine clothing, no wonder this player fosters femininity and demonstrated clothing as a model in Giorgio Armani shows.

In conclusion, I could say that basketball outfits will be more individual, fitted to every sportsman in the future. I would especially say that of woman’s suits. Every woman wants to be distinguished and wear outfits only she has. Why not apply this in basketball?