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Eleven years ago, top ten lists for the best college football uniforms in America didn't exist. Now they are plentiful and popular, with everyone from teenage bloggers to NFL.com ranking their favorites.
What has changed in such a short period of time? Big brands have redefined what the uniform is, in both looks and symbolism.
Take Nike for example.
In 2014 Nike designed the uniforms for the top four college teams in the country and did so in a way that underscored the importance the uniform has taken on the playing field. "Nike put thought into every detail of the playoff uniforms, with a story for nearly every stitch." wrote Forbes contributor Jim Stengel in a January 2015 essay about the uniforms of powerhouses Alabama, Oregon, Ohio, and Florida State.
Each uniform featured diamond swoosh on the front symbolizing the ultimate goal of the team: winning the national title and returning to campus with the diamond championship ring.
The "best" uniforms have become synonymous with the "best" programs and the "best" programs bring in the most wins, fans, and top recruits.
This is college football, though, you might be thinking - this doesn't apply to my program; my high school. You may want to give that thought a replay.
High school football uniform trends are created on Saturday afternoons when the nation's college teams take to the field and every day on social media when players and fans critique what their favorite teams wore.
The high school uniform - just like the college football uniform - is no longer just about covering and protecting the body, but uncovering and promoting the strength, legacy, and uniqueness of the program.
From the colors, patterns, decals and threads of high school uniforms comes a statement: we are relevant; we are timely; we are winners.
And just like in college football, rankings of the top high school uniforms in the country now exist all over the web and on popular websites like MaxPreps.
Times are changing, and the way players, fans, prospects, and opponents look at uniforms are changing.
Every stitch tells a story. What will your team's story be?
