Winter Olympic Parade of Athletes: Everybody Looks the Same

Like halter tops and flip flops in the workplace, the 2010 Olympic Winter Games Parade of Athletes illustrated the casualization of the world. Is this a good thing? While we marvel at the thousands of athletes marching into the stadium, it is still a relative few who ever have the honor of being in this parade. Athletes marching in the Winter Olympic Parade carry the flag of their country, wear their nation's colors, and stand as representatives to the rest of the world.

Watching the Winter Olympic Parade of Athletes used to be fascinating for two reasons. First, the best and brightest athletes in the world tend to be an attractive, inspiring bunch. Seeing handsome men and beautiful women marching down the field dressed to the nines, their heads held high, looking strong and honorable and perfect--well, what could be more impressive?

The second part of what made the Winter Olympic Parade of Athletes great was the sight of so many different nations and cultures in one place. As both kids and adults, we loved to see how the other nations looked and dressed. Would they wear fur hats or berets? Would they choose to wear the most neutral color from their flag, or the brightest? Or all the colors? Would they be wearing wildly printed trousers, or plaid scarves around their necks, or fringed jackets? This was all part of the fun, to see what was different and celebrate the unexpected.

Along with the awe and fascination the Winter Olympic Parade of Athletes provided, was a sense of honor and formality. Athletes walked together in even lines, side by side in several rows, marching as a group around the stadium. It was one more indicator of their ability to be strong and disciplined, and to work together. Athletes smiled and waved and were happy to be there, but there was a sense of respect and decorum upheld for the Parade of Athletes.

Go back even just to the 1992 Olympic Parade of Athletes, and you'll see a lot of trench coats, dress coats, and fedoras. Go back further, and you'll find women wearing skirts and heels, men wearing blazers and shiny dress shoes. It has long been a part of many cultures that neat and formal dress is a sign of respect--for the institution, the location, the person, and more.

That was then. I was awestruck during the 2010 Winter Olympic Parade of Athletes in Vancouver for a totally different reason. From a distance, all the athletes looked about the same. It seemed they all went to the same ski shop and ordered the same bulky parkas and track pants, and just had them done up in their country's colors. Most of the athletes were wearing stocking caps or baseball hats.

If they weren't wearing a hat, many of them looked like they'd recently been wearing one--or had woken up on the wrong side of the bed. Girls with messy ponytails and guys with hair standing on end shambled into the Olympic stadium in complete disarray. There were no lines, no columns in this parade of athletes--just ambling. Most of the Olympic athletes held video cameras up and were filming, and sometimes stopped to take a picture of themselves in the Vancouver Olympic stadium.

Some of the Winter Olympic Parade flag bearers were chewing gum. Perhaps this had something to do with altitude and popping the ears, but there's still no reason to chew with your mouth open. You're on national TV with your parents, friends, and the whole world watching. A little etiquette would be nice.

Very few of the countries in the Winter Olympic Parade of Athletes looked any different. The Brits and Italians had more formal coats, while India and Iran added touches of traditional clothing and accessories. Bermuda amusingly wore Bermuda shorts with their blazers and black socks. There were some wild print pants, some great fur hats with ear flaps, and a few retina-burning color choices. Other than that, however, I can't remember what the countries wore in any great detail. It was pretty much just a sea of ski parkas, even though the Olympic Parade announcers said the stadium was 70 degrees inside.

According to The Art Institutes website, a big part of the Winter Olympic Parade of Athletes apparel now is marketing the clothing to the general public. Therefore, it stands to reason that more casual sports attire is going to sell better than formal clothing that people rarely embrace anymore. Ralph Lauren designed the US team's Olympic wear, and we at least got some little touches of preppy style with a nod to winter in Canada. The ski hats had tassels and a moose print sweater design; there were nice turtleneck sweaters peeking out of those ski jackets; the pants were white cotton instead of windbreaker material.

I had been originally disappointed because early previews of Ralph Lauren's Olympic Athlete collection showed a turtleneck, cardigan, and a streamlined newsboy cap. A little East Coast prep school for everyday wear, but I thought it would look smart for a Winter Olympic Parade of Athletes. Turns out the US Olympic team is saving that outfit for the closing ceremonies, so we'll still get a chance to see it.

Those who have contributed to the casualization of America, and the world, would say that individuality and athletic skill is more important that formality. Perhaps a gold medal winner doesn't have to worry about their hair or about wearing makeup. Maybe they don't want to tie on a plaid scarf or button their coat, or walk in a straight line. While some Olympic Parades have featured some less than stellar behavior from the athletes, this year in Vancouver seemed fairly sedate. So why complain?

In the greater scheme of things, perhaps this isn't a big deal. Sometimes, however, those little things add up. If the Winter Olympic Parade of Athletes isn't important enough to dress up and walk in a straight line for, then what is? The young women's lacrosse team that infamously visited the White House wearing flip flops may be the answer to that question.

As Stacy and Clinton of TLC's What Not to Wear frequently stress to fashion disaster victims, putting on a nice pair of shoes isn't any more difficult than putting on a pair of crappy shoes. Are tailored cotton pants less comfortable than those nylon pants that make swishing sounds when you walk? If you can't be bothered to comb your hair for a once in a lifetime event like the Winter Olympic Parade of Athletes, doesn't that mean you don't care about it? Do you care about anything?

Disrespect in one area can potentially lead to disrespect in others, illustrated by the athlete talking on a cellphone while k.d. lang was singing during the Vancouver Opening Ceremonies. Is it enough to be good in your sport, or should we expect more from our Olympic athletes? Thousands of dollars are spent on the athlete's training, facilities, coaches, and travel. It doesn't cost a dime to teach someone to close their mouth when they're chewing gum, to be considerate of those around them, and to respect a performer who's been practicing just as long as that athlete has to be the best they can be on a world stage.

If you can barrel down a hill on skis, weaving between flags with precision, or skate across the ice on thin strips of metal without falling over, you can certainly walk in a straight line for the Winter Olympic Parade of Athletes. Will the world fall apart if you don't? Maybe not. But these small things can add up to one big show of respect to the importance of what you're doing. Lack of respect between people, between countries--well, now that can make the world fall apart.

Visit the official Vancouver Olympics website to learn more about the athletes that appeared in the Opening Ceremonies and Parade.

Visit NBC's official Olympics website to keep up with the Opening Ceremonies, Parade, and events coverage.

Buy official US Olympic gear featured in the Parade of Athletes at RalphLauren.com.