Dress for Success tips

[Texas Aggie]

When I worked basketball, I was a firm believer in looking professional. I even gave lectures at my chapter meetings about dress. Some guys, particularly newer ones, listened with some interest. Many daydreamed while I talked. Oh, well. One thing I would say now if I was giving that same talk is to stay as far away from cotton as possible, like you were buying workout clothing.

Now that I'm doing football for the first time, I would like to get started right with the right gear. When I started working hoops, compression shorts had just come out and long lycra tights were new. I started wearing those and loved them, but other microfiber clothing wasn't in full supply like it is now. I wore, for example, a sleeveless cotton undershirt that was soaked halfway through the first quarter.

What I would like to do is wear skin tight shirts and tights, with the briefs and socks I already have. And I'd like to wear the lightest weight polyester official's shirt and knicks there are. With that in mind:

1. I've heard about some of the newer, lighter material microfiber striped shirts around. Who makes them and where can I get them? Are they worthwhile? Do they come in long sleeved as well?

2. Black or white undershirt? Short sleeved or sleeveless?

3. Any suggestions on tights? I'm obviously getting white ones, but for those that wear them, is tucking the shirt inside the tight sufficient to keep the black from showing through the knickers?

4. I'm afraid to ask, but are there any lightweight knickers? If not, what's my best bet?

5. What material are the one piece socks made of? How thick are they? (I realize that may depend on supplier)

6. Talk about hats as well. If I get a wool hat, it will last maybe two assignments. Perhaps three. I sweat so much that the white residue will be all over it like on my golf caps. Are there any newer material hats out there?

Any input appreciated.

[Snake~eyes]

Originally posted by Texas Aggie
1. I've heard about some of the newer, lighter material microfiber striped shirts around. Who makes them and where can I get them? Are they worthwhile? Do they come in long sleeved as well?

All my shirts are polyester. You can get both long sleeve and short sleeve, I ordered mine from honigs. There is also a weather beater shirt which appears to be pretty nice, I do not own one but have heard many great things about it. It is a long sleeve shirt with a material sewn on the inside. I'm sure someone else cna comment on this.

Originally posted by Texas Aggie
2. Black or white undershirt? Short sleeved or sleeveless?

Depends on your crew, you should all wear the same color. My experience has been black but I don't know about other areas. I like to wear black Underarmor, but a noname brand which is cheaper but the same stuff.

Originally posted by Texas Aggie
3. Any suggestions on tights? I'm obviously getting white ones, but for those that wear them, is tucking the shirt inside the tight sufficient to keep the black from showing through the knickers?

I'm not sure about white, I know guys who wear black ones. I don't wear tights, I wear white underarmor spandex. When I tuck my shirt in the stripes still show through so I have to use thin white shorts to cover up my tights. I think it all depends on the knickers you get, cliff keen are really thing(that's what I have). I want to get a pair from honigs to try them out, I have heard they are thicker and better material.

Originally posted by Texas Aggie
4. I'm afraid to ask, but are there any lightweight knickers? If not, what's my best bet?

Not really sure as I only own one brand of knickers.

Originally posted by Texas Aggie
5. What material are the one piece socks made of? How thick are they? (I realize that may depend on supplier)

It does depend on the supplier, some brands are really thick and some are really thing. I have different pairs, some I have to wear two pairs of socks and for some i don't.

Originally posted by Texas Aggie
6. Talk about hats as well. If I get a wool hat, it will last maybe two assignments. Perhaps three. I sweat so much that the white residue will be all over it like on my golf caps. Are there any newer material hats out there?

From my experience, the newer hats don't do this but I'm not sure, the flex type hats. They are great, make sure you get a fitted or flex hat instead of a adjustable.



Hope that helps a little.

[Texas Aggie]

>>I don't wear tights, I wear white underarmor spandex<<

That's what I'm referring to. When I did basketball, Nike had lycra (what I call) tights that are 80% lycra and 20% spandex. UA's product is similar, and other manufacturers make similar products as well. They are essentially full length lycra compression shorts similar to bike shorts.

[ABoselli]

Black tights do a better job of covering the tucked in stripes than do white, in my experience.

I use the micromesh shirts in the heat - they work quite nicely.

[Ed Hickland]

Originally posted by Texas Aggie
...

1. I've heard about some of the newer, lighter material microfiber striped shirts around. Who makes them and where can I get them? Are they worthwhile? Do they come in long sleeved as well?

2. Black or white undershirt? Short sleeved or sleeveless?

As stated before Honigs has a great microfiber shirt. For temperatures 65 and above my combination is the microfiber shirt with a black Underarmor sleeveless shirt. In training I found shortsleeve shirts make me feel just a bit warmer. By all means black is the preferred undershirt.

If you choose to go with another brand of shirt be sure it will not ride up the abs since football requires a lot of raising of the arms.

For cooler temperatures I prefer the MacDavid sleeveless shirt. Below 50 especially with wind the UnderArmor Heat Gear mock turtle makes an appearance.

3. Any suggestions on tights? I'm obviously getting white ones, but for those that wear them, is tucking the shirt inside the tight sufficient to keep the black from showing through the knickers?

I have to ask why officials wear those compression shorts?

Now I do train all year and have built my quads to support my on-field activity but still cannot imagine an official who is so out of shape to need them.

I did try them once. White is the correct color for undershorts or tights. My choice is a pair of simple white gym shorts which Honigs carries. The elastic band is sufficient to hold the shirt.

6. Talk about hats as well. If I get a wool hat, it will last maybe two assignments. Perhaps three. I sweat so much that the white residue will be all over it like on my golf caps. Are there any newer material hats out there?

Honigs has a new hat they introduced last year that is suppose to handle the sweat. I have heard mixed results.

Any input appreciated.

[ref18]

I was just on the officials choice website, and saw that they have short sleeve football officials shirts in their micro-softer material. This shirt is awesome for basketball and should work even better for working a long football game in the hot sun.

[Dommer1]

1. AFAIK, Honig's do not have any microfiber shirt, but they do have a cotton/poly (30/70%) blend. This makes it comfortable to wear even without an undershirt. Color is just a little bit different, but you really can't tell from a distance.

http://www.honigs.com/detail.asp?Cat=2&Sub=28&Item=216

Then they have a micromesh shirt, but there might be a rule in your assn. requiring the whole crew to wear solid shirts or mesh.

http://www.honigs.com/detail.asp?Cat=2&Sub=28&Item=211

2. Black undershirt. There are so many to choose from, and new ones appear all the time. Just stay away from cotton, but you know that already. This is the one I wear for warm weather: Ah, crap. Just some fancy flash site that makes it impossible to link directly to the product. Well, I'm sure you'll find something that works.

3. I wear McDavid compression shorts, 'cause I like the feel. When I tuck my shirt in, the stripes does not show through the knickers.

4. Generally, the more lightweight they are, the poorer the quality is. This is the ones I use, and they are the best I've tried: http://www.honigs.com/detail.asp?Cat=2&Sub=32&Item=535

The regular ones are probably more lightweight:
http://www.honigs.com/detail.asp?Cat=2&Sub=32&Item=219

5. There are two different types, tube socks made of nylon and the fitted one which I believe is a nylon/cotton blend. The tube socks are the thinnest of course.
Tube: http://www.honigs.com/detail.asp?Cat=2&Sub=30&Item=229
Fitted: http://www.honigs.com/detail.asp?Cat=2&Sub=30&Item=230

6. Choice of hats has grown the last few years. I really like the "promesh" hats:
http://www.honigs.com/detail.asp?Cat=2&Sub=29&Item=698
Sounds like the promesh hat might be the one you should get.

There's also a new "flexfit" hat with something called "Cool Dry". Don't know if that's just a fancy name or not: http://www.honigs.com/detail.asp?Cat=2&Sub=29&Item=871

Considering how much the actual size of a hat can vary (even if you order the same size every time), it could be a good idea to get one of those flexfit hats.

Good luck!

[Texas Aggie]

Ed: the use of compression shorts or tights have nothing to do with being in shape. Some people sweat at their brow and under their arms, and that's it. I envy you. I sweat entire body, and the tights are the first line of moisture management against the skin similar to the fitted shirt.

In basketball, they served the dual purpose of that and being black so if your pants ripped, no one could tell the difference. I never had any rips, but everyone I worked with seemed to. After a game once, my partner and I were walking into the dressing room and he said, "boy, did I rip these things good." I looked, and it was like someone had ragged slashed them from the lower butt down halfway to the knee -- about 6 inches. I never noticed the rip before then as he had black tights on. I doubt anyone else saw them either.

Not to mention the fact that sansabelt slacks against my hairy legs ain't that comfortable. Thanks for the input.

[Edited by Texas Aggie on May 3rd, 2005 at 10:08 PM]