An umpire’s equipment begins with his outer clothing, which could vary quite a bit depending on association patches, Umpire qualification patches, etc. which may be a requirement to wear and display, but the basic uniform remains the same. The shirt should be a shade of blue, it doesn’t matter if it’s a light blue, dark blue or in between, but it should be blue.
The type of shirt worn is optional depending on the person’s personal preference. It can be a pullover shirt, NOT a tee shirt, more like a Polo shirt, or a button up dress style shirt. Remember to purchase an oversized sweater, because it will most likely have to be large enough to accommodate your chest protector. Some umpires use balloon protectors, but that’s somewhat uncommon anymore.
The pants should be either a very dark blue or black
In a youth league, blue jeans are acceptable, but not recommended. If you’re going to be umpiring numerous games, spring for a pair of black or dark blue trousers, if you’re just pressed into service, jeans are adequate.
An umpire must wear a belt, not only to keep his pants up and to eliminate plumber’s crack but to hang their ball bag on. Black or dark blue socks and black shoes, tennis shoes or spikes, complete the umpire’s outward appearance. Some referees like wearing a cap, not a baseball cap, but an umpires’ cap which has a smaller brim, but that’s optional. Now that you’re professional in appearance, we’ll go to protecting yourself from injury.