Skip to main content

Chapter 10: Skating with Style; Rolling with Reflection and Resistance in Roller Derby Uniforms and Fashion

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Sportswomen’s Apparel in the United States
  • 427 Accesses

Abstract

Throughout the history of roller derby, from the late 1930s through its modern incarnation, women skaters have both resisted and reflected norms of femininity. The chapter undertakes an analysis of how the outfits and style of women roller derby participants mimicked feminine trends, resisted common feminine stereotypes, reflected versions of athletic feminism, and challenged audience and media reactions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Adrangi, M. (2012). ‘One of the girls’: The sexual politics of roller derby. Briarpatch, 41(1), 24–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrymore, D. (Director). (2009). Whip it [motion picture]. Fox Searchlight Pictures, Century City, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergen, C. (1969, May). Little women. Esquire, 71(102–104), 136–137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broydo, L. (1999, January 1). Exposure. Spin, p. 48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burns, E. (1935, December 28). Gal in cerise tights leads roller derby, it’s rumored. Chicago Tribune, p. 17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlin, P. A. (2009, June 21). The saucy athletes of Portland’s Rose City Rollers come to a do-or-die crossroads. The Oregonian. Retrieved from https://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/128FD629564E9628?p=AWNB.

  • Chan, E. (2006, April 27). Roll models. Detroit Free Press, p. C1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cochran, E. (2008, June 22). Ladies in the streets. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/article/Ladies-in-the-streets-9380297.php

  • “Crash TV” confronts the US. (1989, April 15). Screen International, p. 18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies, F. (Producer). (2012). Roller Derby Xtreme [DVD]. Ferris Davies Productions, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deford, F. (1970, October 5). Don’t tell your friends who won the series. Sports Illustrated, pp. 56–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deford, F. (1971). Five strides on the banked track: The life and times of roller derby. Little, Brown and Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freedman, G. (Director). (1972). Kansas City Bomber [motion picture]. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Futuristic fast track. (1989, July 10). Chicago Tribune, p. B7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garcia, C. (2005, January 6). Rollergirls elbow way onto A&E. Courier Journal, p. E1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Go Go Luckey Productions. (Producer). (2006). Rollergirls [television series]. A & E Television Networks.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gould, J. (1949, June 5). The roller derby. New York Times, p. X9

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham, R. (2010, February 2). Houston Roller Derby puts women in a league of their own. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/article/Houston-Roller-Derby-puts-women-in-a-league-of-9482307.php

  • Hendershot, S. (2007). Blood is the new pink. Crain’s Chicago Business, 30(31), 24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Irwin, V. (1937, December 3). Roller derby—It’s a cat-fight on wheels. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, p. 45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kloer, P. (2009, February 25). Skaters benefit from positive wheeling power: Roller derby helps women have fun, find inner strength. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, p. E1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koerner, B. I. (1999, January 26). This ain’t no roller disco. Village Voice, p. 166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kogan, R. (1989, September 15). Simply, er, smashing. Chicago Tribune, p. CN1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leftturnclothing.com. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.leftturnclothing.com/

  • Leland, J. (1999, January 18). Cruising for a bruising. Newsweek, p. 50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, C., & McKay, B. win roller skate derby. (1935, September 23). Chicago Tribune, p. 21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, J. N. (2007, December 11). No tame dames—New generation of women find wheel camaraderie in roller derby. Patriot Ledger, p. 26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, J. (2012, January 3). Health & wellness—what’s your workout? Getting ‘whipped into shape. Wall Street Journal [Eastern edition], p. D2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, S. (2005, May 15). Tough girls roll in the Bronx. New York Times, p. I1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parks, L. B. (2006, May 28). The women of Roller Derby are a hit in Houston. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from https://www.chron.com/life/a8ticle/The-women-of-Roller-Derby-are-a-hit-in-Houston-1889442.php

  • Peterson, D. (2012, April 15). Pain on wheels. Women’s flat-track roller derby isn’t for the out-of-shape or faint of heart. The Press Democrat, p. D1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pivotstar.com. (2017). Retrieved from https://pivotstar.com/

  • Plumb, T. (2008, March 6). Squeals on wheels; Mothers, nurses, artists let loose as first roller derby team in N.H. Boston Globe, p. GNW1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Popson, T. (1989, August 4). “Rollergames” TV series rounds up pop acts for halftime. Chicago Tribune, p. CN8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quintex Entertainment (Producer). (1990). RollerGames [television series]. LBS Communications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranganathan, D. (2005, May 6). Demolition. The Providence Journal, p. B1.

    Google Scholar 

  • RIVR Media (Producer). (1999). RollerJam [television series]. The Nashville Network.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roller derby Is latest thing in sports. (1938, June 13). Corsicana Daily Sun, p. 13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roller derby to open Tuesday. (1937, September 26). Indianapolis Star, p. 11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sailors, P. R. (2013). Genders roles roll. Sport, Ethics and Philosophy, 7(2), 245–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaefer, K. (2007, April 19). New York Times, p. G10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seltzer, J. (2010). Telephone interview with Jerry Seltzer by Colleen English. Personal correspondence, notes in possession of author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seltzer, J., & Coppage, K. (2012). Images of America: Bay Area Roller Derby. Arcadia Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steigerwald, S. (2016, March 11). Cincinnati Rollergirls turns 10. Cincinnati Enquirer, p. D5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tops among teens. (1950, April 30). Chicago Tribunes, p. I16

    Google Scholar 

  • TransWorld Entertainment (Producer). (1989). American Gladiators [television series]. The Samuel Goldwyn Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • txrd.com. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.txrd.com/

  • Wachter, P. (2009, February 1). You just can’t keep the girls from jamming. New York Times Magazine, p. 18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wendt, L. (1950, May 7). Girls a-rolling! Chicago Tribune, p. I4

    Google Scholar 

  • wftda.com. (2018). Retrieved from https://wftda.com/

  • Wright, A. (2017, October 27). Derby school encourages women to ‘Be Your Own Hero’. Asheville Citizen-Times, p. D4.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Colleen English .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

English, C., Mau, H. (2021). Chapter 10: Skating with Style; Rolling with Reflection and Resistance in Roller Derby Uniforms and Fashion. In: Fuller, L.K. (eds) Sportswomen’s Apparel in the United States. New Femininities in Digital, Physical and Sporting Cultures. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45477-7_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45477-7_11

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-45476-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-45477-7

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics