ACM Ambassador: AC Milan Home Jersey 2011/2012 (Scudetto)
With AC Milan now back on the field, they’re sporting more stars than ever before, brandishing formations with the likes of Robinho, Cassano, Alexandre Pato, and the one and only Zlatan Ibrahimovic. There’s never been a better time to stand behind a team like Associazione Calcio Milan, and fortunately, they’ve been pushing the brave styles of their jerseys more than ever this year. So now, courtesy of MMSports, I shall show my thoughts on AC Milan’s new 2011/2012 Home Jersey, including the Scudetto patch!
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The Look
As if to perform the polar opposite of the 2010/2011 home jersey design, AC Milan went back to old ways this year. Last year, Adidas and AC Milan introduced a jersey with large vertical stripes bathed in shades of black and red. What they have done now is pounce back to the older styles of many stripes and in fact, the new AC Milan jersey has twenty-one thin stripes. I will not lie, the look of many stripes did not at all seem appealing to me at first, but as I watched the team play their home matches and witnessed other fans adorning the new jersey, it began to strike me as a very attractive design choice. Once visions of the old jersey faded away, I grew a new appreciation for what could perhaps be Milan’s best home jersey yet! Aside from the stripe altercation, the second most significant change could just be the best one. As the Milan crest itself shows, white has always been an fundamental color choice of the team’s merchandise and styling, though curiously enough, it always appears absent on the team’s home jerseys. Adidas has finally changed that presumption. AC Milan’s 11/12 Home Jersey has a very sharp look with slick finesse; the jersey has a white ring neck, white sleeve cuffs, and even the signature Adidas stripes upon the shoulders are now an eye catching arctic white shade. The design is careful to keep the polar white schemes from unnecessary interference with the black and red stripes all Rossoneri followers have come to love, and I cannot stress enough just how nice it looks. It looks great on the field, and it looks great on the street; AC Milan’s new home jersey is dashing! In addition to those core changes that have been beneficial to the design culture of Milan, Adidas performed the favor of lightly shifting the locations of the Adidas logo and the Milan crest; making them that little bit more distant in order to keep the jersey’s design clean and polished.
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Thanks to MMSports, I received for review a version of Milan’s new home jersey that included the famed Scudetto patch! The Scudetto Shield, in the Italian league of Serie A, is representative of a league title. Since AC Milan proudly lifted the trophy last season, they will spend this season, in all competitions, sporting the Scudetto patch on their jerseys! The patch is a shield shape containing the three stripes of the Italian national flag. It is bordered with a thin golden outline. For serious Milan fans, such as myself, the value that the Scudetto patch holds is far greater than it would seem; this symbol means more than just another trophy, it represents a victory as a team and as a worldwide fan-base. For those interested in obtaining an AC Milan jersey, I would highly recommend purchasing a version that includes this patch, for its value in meaning is as fantastic as its value in style; without the Scudetto patch, the jersey loses some of its soul. Adidas made this jersey aware that it would be played with a Scudetto patch, and as such, many of the design choices revolve around the presence of that patch. Take my word for it; this jersey looks very nice with the “We won the league trophy last season!” patch.
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The Fit
In terms of fit and comfort, all I can say is, “Wow!”, why would I react like this? It is simple, I am without a doubt, a fan of AC Milan, and when I talk about a jersey, all Milan fans know what jumps to mind. Last year’s jersey, though it had a very nice look, did contain one basic flaw that would be the downfall of one of the most important features of sporting merchandise: inconsistent comfort. The way that the some of the colored seams met, as well as the over stretchy a
bundance of mesh material throughout the large stripes… last year’s jersey really was not all too comfortable to wear. Do not get me wrong, it was not terrible, but once I put on this year’s jersey, I knew I could never go back. Adidas threw the body mesh concept out of the window. Now, as it should be, the mesh segments are focused in the under-arm area. The rest of the jersey? Well, as Adidas continues to prove year after year, their “Climacool” technology and the fabric of their jerseys is of premium quality. The wear is silky smooth; unlike last year’s jersey, I do not feel inconsistencies in the overall design. The whole jersey is one straightforward feel, and as usual, whether you are a fan that purchases a jersey for sportswear or just casual apparel, the physical feel adapts to what you do. It is comfortable for relaxing, and it is just as comfortable for taking a jog, the new Milan home Jersey does not disappoint.
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The Extras
In terms of extras, I mentioned the fan-essential Scudetto patch previously, but in addition, like all other jerseys, you can get this one customized with a favorite player’s name and number. That authentic customization, as well as the Scudetto patch, will make a great AC Milan set for any fan that surely will not be forgotten. One cannot forget that the Scudetto patch is a rarity; who knows when you will see it available again? If Milan wins this year’s Serie A race once more, then you can expect more Scudetto patch studded jerseys in the future, but is that a risk worth taking when you can grab the jersey of a championship caliber team with the sign of victory right now? That’s a question of how loyal your “Cuore Rossonero” may be, and I throw a personal and grateful “thank you” to MMSports for allowing me to review this edition of the jersey.
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My final verdict on this new style for AC Milan’s home jersey is simple. With the new emphasis on a bright white trim, the reverting to more stripes as well as adding even more, and an increasingly appealing and stylish look, the AC Milan Home Jersey for 2011/2012 could be the best AC Milan jersey to date, and surely ranks among the best Adidas jersey of the season worldwide. AC Milan’s squad, as well as its fans, can be proud to sport the legendary colors of “il Diavolo” in a look as attractive as it can get. Regardless of your origins, whether you may be a heart bound Milan fan or maybe just a jersey collector, this is one to take into possession right now! I have been one of the biggest critics of the change in Milan’s home jersey, and I can tell you as I wear it now, this is hands down the new jersey to beat for the Italian champions.