Photo: AP/Mark HumphreyUniform flashback: International style choices of Sochi 2014
While we all love to know what Team Canada will wear at any given Olympic Games, there is perhaps equal anticipation to see what other countries have chosen.
Who will be extremely creative? Who will make you envious? Who will have you questioning their style choices?
Here’s a look at some of the trends that Olympic teams from around the world went for at Sochi 2014:
Literally Wearing the Flag
Mario Strecher of Austria carries the national flag as he leads the team during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Nino Tsiklauri of Georgia carries her country flag as the team arrives during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
This Feb. 7, 2014 file photo shows the United States team arrives during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Ralph Lauren’s love for the American flag and American style earned him high honors Tuesday, June 17, from the Smithsonian Institution, celebrating his five decades in fashion. Lauren designed the uniforms for the US Winter Olympic team. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
Austria kept it subtle with the red and white striped armband. Georgia took it a step further with the scarves. Team USA went all out with the sweater, described by one blogger as if “the flag threw up on” it.
Inspired by the Flag
Jaqueline Mourao of Brazil carries the national flag as she leads the team during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Antonio Pardo of Venezuela carries the national flag as he leads the team during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Adam Lamhamedi of Morocco holds his national flag and enters the arena with teammates during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Yerdos Akhmadiyev of Kazakhstan holds the national flag and enters the arena with his teammates during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Milanko Petrovic of Serbia holds his national flag and enters the arena with teammates during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
For Brazil, Venezuela, Morocco, Kazakhstan and Serbia the concept was simple: take the colours of the flag and put it on some winter wear.
Bright Colours That Have Nothing to Do With the Flag
Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany carries her country flag as the team arrives during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Hossein Saveh Shemshaki of Iran carries the national flag during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Sandis Ozolins of Latvia holds his national flag and enters the arena with teammates during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Germany may have the stripes of the flag, but made sure they could be spotted in a crowd with the can’t-miss-them red, blue, green, yellow combo. Iran went with the neon green and blue while, for some reason, Latvia said no thank you to burgundy in favour of orange.
Bright Colours that are Actually Traditional
Jorien ter Mors of Netherlands holds her national flag and enters the arena with teammates during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Tomaz Razingar of Slovenia carries the national flag as he leads the team during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
I don’t think anyone could imagine the Dutch in anything but oranje. Slovenia was outfitted in their official sports colours – blue, green, and white.
Patterns
Zdeno Chara of Slovakia waves as he carries the flag as he leads the team during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Valentina Shevchenko of Ukraine carries the national flag as she leads the team during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Anders Soedergren of Sweden carries the national flag as he leads the team during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Conor Lyne of Ireland carries his country flag as the Irish team arrives during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
The Slovakians added a little pop to their look with matching patterned hats and scarves. Meanwhile Ukraine stayed as far away from subtlety as possible. Along with the asymmetrical zipper on their jackets, Sweden added some pizzazz to their blue and gold with patterned leggings. And the Irish were hoping a couple shades of green would bring them luck.
Keeping it Classic
Alex Pullin of Australia carries the national flag as he leads the team during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Tong Jian of China waves his national flag and enters the arena with teammates during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Lee Kyou-Hyuk of South Korea carries the national flag as he leads the team during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Athletes from Switzerland wave to spectators as they arrive during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Athletes from Japan wave the Japanese and Russian national flags as they arrive during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway carries the national flag as he leads the team during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Sometimes simplicity is the way to go, whether its a puffy jacket or a a solid winter coat, as evidenced by Australia, China, South Korea, Switzerland and Japan. The Norwegians kick it up a notch with the red zippers on the powder blue pants and shiny silver hats.
The Blazer Look
Figure skater Florent Amodio of France, foreground right, gestures as he arrives during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Javier Fernandez of Spain carries the national flag as he leads the team as they arrive during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Western European neighbours France and Spain both went for the button-up look. The French paired theirs with woolen hats and scarves while the Spaniards opted for berets.
Sporting Some Fur
Jon Eley of Britain carries the national flag as he leads the team during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Sarka Strachova of the Czech Republic carries the national flag during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
The team from Russia arrive during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Team GB and the Czech Republic weren’t messing around with their headwear. Both settled on fur hats with earflaps in case it got really cold on the Black Sea coast. Meanwhile the Russian coats made them look like they were ready for the weather in Siberia.
These Aren’t the Summer Games?
Tucker Murphy of Bermuda carries the national flag as he leads the team during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
The season apparently makes no difference to Bermuda’s Olympians who again showed up in their signature shorts. Luckily, the weather in Sochi was pretty warm.
