Details matter

USC is my favorite football uniform. They have a great old school look that stays fresh and clean and relevant even in this era of the NIKE Frankenstein machine. BUT, once again NIKE decided to tinker for tinkering sake. They messed around with a classic and wrecked it. It's in the details! They added the colored collar and small stripe at the end of the sleeve, to the jersey this year. Compare it to the classic all white (below) and you can see how the colored collar and stripe do not add one thing to the uniform. In fact, it detracts, as it clutters it up and adds unneeded elements.

Another detail of this uniform that I love is that USC is the only team in college football that wears white laces in its black cleats. This is a classic old school look and really sets them apart. Contrast is a key principal in graphic design and the white laces (along with white socks) create something the eye can hold onto. It creates balance to the uniform. BUT, every so often a player goes rogue and decides to do his own thing. When they do, it throws the balance and symmetry off. See how player #2 looks so much better from last year compared to this year. Again, it's in the details.

So why am I talking about this? Just because I am a uniform guy? Well, a little bit of that, but also to show you I pay close attention to details. I notice things and I take care to make sure every detail is in place. I do that in my design. I make sure that the elements have balance and work together and that there is symmetry. I want the piece I design to look good based on graphic design principals. The reason I love the USC uniform is I can look at it again and again and never get bored with it. That is how I judge my design. I should be able to look at it again and again and not get bored with it. That happens because of details.