The way that soccer attire is worn has drastically changed from its beginnings in the 1800s. It was a time where teams weren't even wearing the same soccer shirts, they simply were in the clothes they could find and counted their teammates by their faces instead of by numbers. Through time the football's uniforms have seen a variety of distinct modifications. Colors, patterns and fabrics have changed dramatically since the beginning of the game. The original mob of ragtag footballers has developed into the sleek modern, high-tech styles that we see today.

The Early Days
When soccer gear first started to be designed and produced it was a surprisingly practical process. The players were required to buy their own kit, which meant the cost of materials was relatively low as there was no uniformity between teams. The modern day's creative and diverse football kits are a direct relic of the early days in which uniforms were acceptable for each team as long as it was distinct in its appearance. The use of bright colors meant that teams could instantly recognize their counterparts across the huge field, and the vertical stripes that were popular was mostly to distinguish teams in football against the stripes horizontally that rugby teams.

Post-War Woes
Following World War II, European soccer teams were not able to find the funds to design new football clothing. The rationing process during and following the war made fabric very scarce, so teams used whatever materials they had available. Teams wore cast-offs from other sports, including the sets of rugby jerseys which were donated. Sometimes, a football fan who was philanthropic would dress his favorite team with new equipment that he purchased and created by himself. In the end, the economy of Western Europe improved, and football teams were able to put on their unique fashions once again.

The Mid-20th Century
The soccer uniform went through significant changes after synthetic fabrics became accessible. One of the biggest distinctions was that players started with their initials on their backs, over the numbers. The adaptability of these materials allowed the designers of soccer shirts could come up with nearly any color and design they could imagine and also the shirts were also less expensive. The 1970s and 1960s were a time of minimalism and football kits were typically constructed from a single color for the shorts, shirt and socks.

Today's Trends
From the 1980s until today football attire has grown in the variety of intricate patterns and colors being used. Computer-themed designs are popular. Some of the latest designs suggest that players wear armor. Certain team shirts feature designs which aren't based on color however, they are based on the matte or gloss effects of the fabric. Commercialization has also altered the design of a lot of soccer shirt designs. The sponsor logo is very popular nowadays, with certain teams sporting the name that their sponsor's names appear in bold words over their chests. Some teams prefer an unpretentious display of sponsors by incorporating the sponsor's logo in their traditional shirt designs.