You might be familiar with the expression ‘it’s what is inside that counts’, and there is a lot more to a hockey jersey than meets the eye. From the outside the jersey might not look like much, but believe it or not, the inside can say a lot about a person. For example, did you know that in Canada, the colour orange is associated with patriots, while in the United States, orange is associated with anarchy? And what about the English association of red with blood and violence? There are even some European teams that have adopted the colour green as their official jersey colour.
These are just some of the cultural differences that come with customising your hockey jersey. This being said, there is still one rule that applies to all hockey jerseys, and that is; the C must always go on the chest. Why? Well, it all started in the 1920s when the Montreal Canadiens decided that they wanted to have a stylised ‘C’ on their chest to represent the French-Canadian community. From that point on, other teams followed suit and now we have ‘home’ and ‘away’ jerseys that prominently feature a ‘C’ on their chest.
So, how does the ‘C’ represent Montreal or French-Canadian customs? Let’s take a look…
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The French-Canadian Connection
The Montreal Canadiens started the chest ‘C’ fashion trend back in the 1920s and it caught on rapidly. Soon, other hockey teams followed suit and before long, we had a full array of hockey clubs sporting the distinctive symbol. The list of hockey teams that wear a ‘C’ on their chests includes the Canadiens, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the New York Rangers and many more.
Well, it’s clear that the ‘C’ represents Montreal and its connection to French-Canadian custom but how did it start? Legend has it that the ‘C’ originated with the Habs’ manager Frank Selke when he created one particular uniform in the shape of a ‘C’ to honour those players who were born in or had parents from Montreal. This practice was later adopted by other hockey teams. The explanation for this is that Frank Selke was a German-Canadian and he was making a point to honour Montrealers and their unique culture. It wasn’t long before people outside of hockey started wearing the ‘C’ as a symbol of solidarity with Montreal.
The British Association
Red is the universal colour for blood, violence and passion. It’s what drives many British people and it’s perfectly represented by the English association, the ‘Hockey Association’. So, it is no surprise that red has become one of the most popular colours for hockey jerseys. In fact, the teams that play in the United Kingdom call the colour ‘robin’ because it is traditionally associated with the red and blue of the ‘Robin Hood’ clan. This is also the reason why the Scottish people are often referred to as ‘the Red men’.
Hockey in the United Kingdom started back in the 19th century and the first game was played on December 4th, 1863 between the Red Riflemen and the Black Riflemen. The rules were the same as they are today with two teams of 15 playing a two-game series on a rink that is 80 meters long by 48 meters wide. This year, you will likely see a fair isle red tartan around the necks of the men in red, as well as a kilt worn underneath the jerseys. The tradition continues with the British national team even today.
Design Elements
Hockey is a sport that is based on teamwork and collaboration. This starts with the designers who create the jerseys and it continues with the players as they work together to achieve success on and off the ice. When designing a jersey, the first thing that you want to do is make it look cool. This can be difficult when you are working with limited resources, especially considering the fact that you are representing a team that actually plays sports. It’s a tight squeeze, but if you want your jersey to look unique, you will have to play around with the traditional colours and styles. There are a few different ways in which you can do this, but you will have to decide on your own what makes the most sense for your team.
One of the simplest things that you can do is to replace the H on the front with your team’s nickname. For example, the Edmonton Oilers go by the nickname of ‘The Oiler’, so you could put an ‘O’ on the chest of fans that support that team. Other options include adding extra colours or designs onto the jersey or swapping out fabrics. You could even go the extra mile and add a logo or some other design that is unique to your team. Essentially, the sky is the limit with what you can do with a hockey jersey, as long as you keep the basic design elements and colours that are associated with the sport.
It is important to note that the designer of your jersey will also influence its visual appeal. After all, they will be the one that puts it on your shoulders every day, so they want to make sure that they are proud of what they have created. This is why it is so important to work with a company that you can trust and who have a good reputation. With a little bit of luck, you will end up designing a unique jersey that will become popular and make the wearer look like a pro.