More Busts Than Booms for 2012 Olympics Uniforms

There are only 50 days until athletes from around the world will walk in the opening ceremony at the Summer Olympics in London, England.

While famous fashion designers and companies like adidas, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Stella McCartney and even Giorgio Armani have created the duds, very few of these uniforms are Olympic-worthy.

The five team outfits that are displayed are a snapshot of what's to come. A majority of the nations will keep their designs a secret until shortly before the Games. 

The Brits have gone all-out preparing for the Olympics, but it seems as though they have decided to invest in practicality and technology rather than fashion for their 2012 Olympic and Paralympic team uniforms. 

Designed by one of Britain's most famous fashion designers, Stella McCartney, Great Britain's team uniform draws on the the Union Jack for inspiration, states NBC New York.

While the Union Jack itself is predominately red, the uniforms feature an ash-tone blue-and-white base with red shoes as an accent. The color palette for every sport will be identical, but each discipline will wear a different section of the Jack. 

The design has faced tough criticism from the sport and fashion community. It doesn't look like the Union Jack, and the design is too complicated and distracting.

Technology and eco-friendly designs are a recurring theme in this year's Olympic and Paralympic team uniforms.  

Team USA's Nike-sponsored and -designed basketball jersey is made from 22 recycled bottles, and the shorts are recycled polyester, according to Nike.com. Aside from saving the planet, Nike says the new materials are supposed to make the uniforms lighter and more breathable. 

The uniforms are simple and somewhat unappealing. Hopefully, the rest of Team USA's clothing, designed by Ralph Lauren, will be more memorable. Although based on what has been released, the team will be wearing white pants and either a red, white or blue polo shirt. 

Like Team USA, the Australians and adidas have released a uniform that features cooling material, lightweight running shoes and compression shorts, shirts and more, states the Australian Olympic team.

While the shades chosen may not be the most appealing, they are keeping with the tradition of wearing Australia's national colors, gold and green, in international events. 

The uniforms themselves are generally flattering in fit and design, but they should have replaced track pants with something more modern. At the opening ceremony, athletes will be wearing an emerald green blazer combined with a pair of white pants or a knee-length white dress. 

Following the stereotype, Team Germany has outfitted its female athletes with baby pink jackets, while their male counterparts sport baby blue ones.

Both genders will be wearing white pants. Oh, and they will even have baby blue or pink-colored sneakers in the same shade as their jackets. 

The sporting attire looks more like a windbreaker you'd wear on a weekend instead of an Olympic uniform. This, however, is superior to their day-to-day wear, which features a waist-length, tangerine-colored blazer with a crest and a pair of long white pants or an ankle-length skirt.

At least the blazer is a similar shade to the stripe on the nation's flag. 

Ebay and Amazon won't be making much money off this year's volunteer uniform.

Volunteers in London will be wearing dark purple coats with a red trim—a color combination that definitely does not work—and basic beige pants.

If you're lucky, you get to wear a black jacket or a deep aqua track jacket with the same straight fit and unflattering beige pants. 

According to The Guardian newspaper, these uniforms were inspired by the Beatles, Grenadier Guards and Henley Regatta. The female volunteers involved with the medal ceremonies will sport a grape-colored, form-fitting dress with a cone-shaped hat, and the men will wear a matching dark purple pant and jacket set.