Custom Cheerleading Uniforms: Then and Now

by Scott M. Affordable Uniforms Online

You might not know this already, but cheerleading has been around for more than a century. While there were custom cheerleading uniforms made for each school and team in the 1900s, they look nothing like the ones worn today. Are you a fan of cheer who thinks they know all there is to know about it? Let’s see if you know how custom cheerleading uniforms evolved through the ages…

Early 1900s

Already in the 1900s, there were girls cheering for their school’s sports teams. Their uniforms usually had the first letter of the school’s name, sometimes followed by the letters “H” and “S” (representing high school).

More often than not, their whole outfit was made of heavy, sweater-like material. Not only was it extremely warm, but it also itched the skin. However, cheerleaders did have a break from these painfully uncomfortable outfits: when the weather got hot, they were allowed to wear uniforms that resemble today’s polo shirts.

As it was to be expected, cheerleaders’ outfits weren’t racy at all. The girls would put on cardigans, heavy sweaters, and turtle necks to cover their shape, as to comply with the time’s moral code.

Then came the 60s and 70s.

The 1960s saw a lot of changes in the fashion department — not just for cheerleading but for the whole American population in general. With female liberation came shorter skirts and sweaters that revealed a little more skin.

Those uncomfortable, thick sweaters cheerleaders were made to wear died in the 1960s. As a replacement came fashionable crew-neck shirts. They still had the same letters sewn at the center, as well as the iconic megaphone emblem to symbolize the art of cheer.

Also, the long wool skirts were thrown out and replaced by shorter, knee-length cotton skirts. These skirts were pleated, which gave the 1960s cheerleaders some more movement.

As cheer became more and more popular, being a cheerleader was a matter of popularity. And so, the 1970s saw major changes to custom cheerleading uniforms. Fancy shoes were replaced by athletic sneakers, sweaters were made to fit and accentuate the cheerleader’s body, and skirts got shorter.

The result of this can still be seen today. Whereas cheer had been all about the vocal chants until the 1970s, after that decade it became all about acrobatics.

Where are we now?

You probably have a very good idea of what cheerleaders look like in their uniforms. Pretty different to how they looked in the early 1900s, right? Today, most custom cheerleading uniforms are made of a blend of polyester and spandex. The skirts are short, the top is usually sleeveless, and some schools allow their cheerleaders to show their midriff.

As time goes on, more changes are likely going to be made to cheer uniforms. What will the future bring the sport?