By Brad Snook

With the eve of the 2014 Major League Soccer season upon us, it’s time to take a look at the latest version of MLS Jersey Week to determine which club rises above the rest where it truly matters most: The Team Store.

Along with the play on the field, the MLS uniform game has also greatly improved in the last decade. This season’s new kits show that teams realize in order to present an iconic look, the devil really is in the details. Paying extra attention to the newly released uniforms, I have looked at each team’s uniform combination as a whole to determine which club comes out on as the winners of the inaugural MLS Sartorial Shield.

19. Houston Dynamo – Houston released a brand new second kit this season that is, in a word, underwhelming. I understand that when your primary color is creamsicle orange, it’s probably best to have a more toned down second kit, but the new all-white change kit is boring. These jerseys could definitely be helped out by adding some sublimation or accent piping (see: Vancouver). Combined, Houston’s uniform combo lacks imagination.

18. Real Salt Lake – The first thing that draws your eye in the new 2014 home jersey is the gold “crown bar” across the chest, and the gold stripe that wraps around the shoulders as well. The odd thing about the stripe is that it goes from translucent across the chest to solid and bold on the shoulders. The “crown” on the chest stripe almost looks like it was a factory dye mistake. On the neck tape is the motto coined by former coach Jason Kreis “The TEAM is the Star.” Let’s hope this is the case, because it’s definitely not the uniforms.

17. Columbus Crew – Let me be the first to say that I actually like the bright yellow primary jersey from the Crew. It’s distinctive, and when you are watching them on TV, you immediately know you’re watching Columbus. I like the sublimated diamond pattern on the bottom of the uniform. All-in-all, this new jersey is nice. However, I can’t rank them any higher than 17th due to the monstrosity that is the change kit. I expect that with the new change kit, and the new crest that is rumored to be coming, Columbus will be much higher up the list in 2015.

16. Chivas USA – Enjoy the latest version of the Chivas USA kit while you can, because the team is getting rebranded in 2015. There aren’t a ton of changes from the new striped jersey in comparison to last seasons version, which is to be expected since the team is getting blown up and repackaged next season. I like the vertical red and white stripes from Chivas, but the blue jersey is too plain and boring without a sponsor.

15. FC Dallas – Gone are the red-and-white hoops that characterized the home kit in recent years. Because when you have the chance to dramatically alter a club’s signature look for no reason, you have to do it. The hoops have been replaced with dark red stripes of varying width. Apparently eleven of the stripes are meant to represent the starting XI on the field. I’m not sure which stripes though, because I count more than eleven stripes on the jersey. Seriously, how much better would the home jersey look with white instead of dark red stripes? Also, the Advocare logo looks entirely cartoonish.

14. Philadelphia Union – If it weren’t for the beautifully done third kit, the Philadelphia Union would be even closer towards the bottom of this list. They stripped away the light blue from the home kit that represented the city’s historical ties to Sweden. I actually like the gold pinstripes, and all navy jersey with pinstripes would be an upgrade, but the single bold stripe with the Bimbo take away from this jersey. Also, I am hoping that the lettering and numbering is not a different shade of gold, as is hinted by this photo:

13. D.C. United – Ever since the inception of MLS in 1996, the black home jersey of D.C. United has been an institution. No one understands more than me that this club prides itself on tradition, even going so far as having “Tradition” being the club’s official motto. However, if you hold on to “tradition” too much, you run the risk of being unable to evolve and grow. DCU, perhaps more than any other team in MLS, could stand to add some spice into their uniform game. Think how great these uniforms could look around town with some subtle sublimation incorporated into the jerseys. Dallas’ failed attempt at sublimated stripes could look fantastic in all black. The white away, not pictured, is much the same story.

12. New England Revolution – What stands out the most about this season’s New England kits is that the United Healthcare logo has been reworked and fits much better on the jerseys. The best change New England made was the white shorts that they wore with the blue tops in the official unveiling earlier this week. That one change took these kits ahead of D.C. United, as both teams have very similar home and away kits.

11. Seattle Sounders – Whereas some clubs choose to give a nod to the past with their third kits (LA, Portland), the Sounders have always designed their third kits to stand out under a blacklight. This year’s third kits are no different. The club with with a “Pitch Black/Highlighter Green” third kit. The shorts and socks are the same color green as the badge on the chest. Sometimes it’s good to take risks, and sometimes you end up with the Sounders third kits…

10. Colorado Rapids – The Rapids did so well with their state flag inspired second kit last year, that they carried over the “C” from the flag across the chest for this season. Although it may be bad for the bottom line to not have a jersey sponsor, it works in this case, as a sponsor would only cover up the sublimated “C.” The stripes on the shoulders also transition from sky blue to burgundy as they run down the arm.

9. San Jose Earthquakes – San Jose went through a complete rebrand this offseason, and the result was a new crest that incorporated the city’s soccer history in the NASL as well. The all red second kit is also a nod back to George Best and the 40th anniversary of the original San Jose Earthquakes in the 1974. These uniforms are a nice touch as the club moves into a new stadium in 2015.

8. New York Red Bulls – The main new features of the Red Bulls blue jerseys are the “New York” script on the jock tags, as well as on the back of the jersey, located below the numbers. The three stripes on the jersey have also changed from white to yellow. Let’s hope they pair them with the yellow shorts as they have in previous seasons.

7. Montreal Impact – Montreal has several subtle updates that makes the home kit stand out. The off-center cross (created by embossing smaller fleur-de-lys symbols) references the Croix du Mont-Royal monument that overlooks the city. The blue and black striped third kit is one of the league’s best as well, giving Montreal a great jersey combo overall.

6. Toronto FC – All in all, the Canadian teams in MLS all know how to incorporate subtle intricacies that really elevate their uniforms to the next level. Toronto chose to go with a dark gray second jersey, complete with eight vertical stripes comprised of small, dark maple leafs. The spacing between the stacked maple leafs increases down the length of the jersey, giving the shirt some nice texture and movement.

5. Chicago Fire – Another team that likes to play to its history and tradition, the Fire have long been known for the stripe that runs across the chest of their jerseys. The newest jersey stripe is bathed in a lighter shade of blue which pays homage to the Chicago city flag. Combined with the four stars on each of the stripes of the secondary kits, Chicago is among the league leaders when it comes to incorporating city pride into the storytelling of its uniforms.

4. Vancouver Whitecaps – Like in years past, Vancouver sticks with a “deep sea blue” away kit. Sublimated in the jersey are diamond patterns, replicating their current logo, that form a curve to represent the wave in the old Vancouver Whitecaps logo from the 1970s. The Whitecaps also show that with a few minor details, a white jersey can look simple and refined, instead of boring.

3. LA Galaxy – The Galaxy replace the quasars in the sash with eleven stripes running the from the chest to the waist. Each of the stripes represents a member of the eleven players on the field. Also, I really enjoy the third kit, which was introduced last year. It takes a risk with its color combination, but still pays homage to the Galaxy kits from the 1990s. Plus, the third kit was designed by a fan, a unique way to build connection with the fan base.

2. Portland Timbers – Portland introduced a new secondary, and a new third kit for the new season, and both of them are well done. The “Rose City Red” second kits fade from black to red, and is complete with a thorn print subtly placed in the background of the jersey. Once again, the Timbers third kit is inspired by the club’s history. They use the retro version of their club crest, and even got the okay from Alaska Airline to use the retro version of their logo for the sponsor on the chest. A line from a Timbers Army chant, “And when I go, make sure I’m wearing green and gold” is on the inside neck of the jersey as well. Once again, the Timbers succeed in having some of the best collective kits in the league.

1. Sporting Kansas City – Defending MLS Cup Champions Sporting Kansas City show that they are tops of the league on the field as well as in the jersey game by unveiling my favorite new kit of the 2014 MLS season. The horizontal striped jersey has contrasting shades of blue that represent the striped in the club logo. There is also a subtle checkered pattern that encompasses the team logo, which resembles a flag waved by their supporters, the KC Cauldron. This new jersey, along with the home kit and the severely-underrated argyle third kit, place Sporting Kansas City atop the inaugural MLS Sartorial Shield rankings.

Follow Brad on Twitter @bsnook4.