It's Time To Bring The (Throwback) Jersey Back Into The Wardrobe Arsenal

If you have free internet at your location along with either decent coffee and/or food and are within walking distance to my home in Oakland, I will frequent your place constantly. From the Sweet Bar Bakery, a chill locale with huge windows bringing in sunlight, to Cafe Lizzi in Jack London, where I can get delicious breakfast burritos, and even the Starbucks here on Grand Ave., with all the free internets I can use and an unlimited supply of coffee for the low cost of $2. These places have become my secondary homes.

However, while I'm aware that by living in Oakland I would be prone to seeing some wild shit from time to time, one thing I didn't realize I would encounter would be the sight of people wearing old NBA jerseys. This has happened to me on three separate occasions, two instances of which I took stealth-like photos of, and a third instance where I unable to get a good shot of it, but I saw  Larry Johnson (alternate Hornets jersey), Rashard Lewis (Sonics) and Drazen Petrovic (Nets) appreciation in front of my very eyes...in 2013...in jerseys....and my day was made every single time.

When I posted these photos on Instagram and Facebook, the social media lovefest was apparent. The likes and hearts came in droves and folks harkened not only to the days of said player but also to the days when we would wear these jerseys like crazy.

However, somewhere in between the time wear Jay-Z told the world that we're not allowed to wear throwback jerseys anymore (and we could only wear button-ups) and grown men started tucking in their jerseys and personalizing them, wearing jerseys in public became a real fashion faux-pas. Unless you were going to the actual game to support your squad, wearing a jersey in public was simply unallowed.

I'm here today to say that the days of wearing jerseys in public should be an acceptable practice again. Wearing the right jersey can be an awesome conversation starter. Plus, in the summertime, its not a bad outfit to choose. However, some ground rules should be laid, and as the acting commissioner of The Wearing Jerseys in Public League, I will do just that.

1. Get a jersey that fits you. Because good lord there were many of us who were wayward and without real guidance in our lives, as we were wearing 3XL, 4XL and 5XL jerseys out in public. This must not happen again. Whatever your t-shirt size is, buy that size jersey.

2. Get a real jersey. Not saying you have to buy an authentic one, but don't get the bootleg ones.

3. Don't customize anything. Unless you're from New Zealand and can't acquire an Oklahoma City Thunder and can't acquire a #12 Steven Adams jersey because adidas won't make one, don't make a custom jersey with your name on it. Save that for when you create-a-player on NBA 2K13.

4a. Wear a jersey that represents you. I've talked about this before, but the best jersey to wear is the jersey that means something to you. I remember the day when the homie Philip and I went to the Raiders vs. Jaguars game and he wore his throwback Marcus Allen jersey. I think I stared at that thing for 6-7 minutes and we talked about it for another 20 or 30. It was awesome.

4b. Be thoughtful in your jersey wearing. I like to think jerseys should be worn like sneakerheads parade around in their kicks. There's usually an act of color coordination and wardrobe planning that goes along with the choice of kicks. Or maybe there's something that's totally nostalgic in wearing a pair of kicks you haven't seen in a decade or two. Or maybe its just a pair of the brightest and ridiculous-est (just made that word up) look shoes you've ever seen, and that's totally okay. You're not going to wear your favorite pair of kicks every day, and neither should you wear that dope jersey daily. Break that thing out at a barbecue or at the bar and I guarantee you'll become the life of the party.

Think about to the three jerseys I recalled seeing earlier out and about around town. The Larry Johnson Charlotte Hornets alternate jersey? So awesome. The Rashard Lewis Seattle Sonics jersey with a tie-dyed bucket hat? SWAG. The Drazen Petrovic New Jersey Nets jersey. Simply beautiful.

As sports fans, we have the opportunity to bring this back, the right way. Lets own it and show these people that me wearing a Reggie Miller Pacers jersey and some camo shorts for my 30th birthday is totally acceptable. Y'all pray for ya boy.

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