Sportin' It

Cleveland sports are pretty hot right now. Every once in a blue moon, we loyal, yet somewhat jaded, Cleveland sports fans are thrown a bone and actually have a reason to stand up and cheer. Not that we haven't been cheering all along. Through countless defeats and spells of just plain old bad luck, Cleveland fans continue to represent season after season because, just in case the luck turns around, we want to be there to support our teams.

I remember cheering for the Browns and the Indians before I was old enough to even know why. I knew there was something special about the way these games brought my family together and ensured a sense of fun and camaraderie. Whatever those guys in the funny suits were doing, I liked it.

Twenty years later, I'm still a Cleveland fan and now know a little bit about what those guys are up to. And while their suits still look kinda funny, the options for women in terms of athletic attire have drastically improved. It seems the sports industry has finally come to the startling realization that women actually like sports. We play them, we watch them and we support them. But, just because we're hanging with the boys doesn't mean we want to look like them. Enormous sweatshirts and baggy jerseys just aren't going to cut it.

Actress Alyssa Milano, an avid L.A. Dodgers fan, came out with Touch, a line of women's Major League Baseball attire, earlier this year. Creating the line out of "necessity," Milano combines the comfort of traditional athletic gear with feminine fabrics like satin in colors other than pink. Perhaps most importantly, her line offers silhouettes that fit the contours of a women's body but still give us room to breathe.

Reebok has recently been pushing its new line of women's NFL apparel. The company's "Be a woman, be a fan" campaign reiterates the fact that women can be just as dedicated to a team or a player (Hello, Grady Sizemore!) as men. We just want to look good while yelling at the refs and scarfing down nachos.

Female athletes are also making the transition from strikingly androgynous to downright ladylike. Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams have made sweating look good by adding some style to their on-court wardrobes, as shown in the September issue of Vogue.

So, now that we finally have something to wear, step up to the plate and support your team. Go Tribe!