How Football Shirts Became The Season's Biggest Street Style Trend
We may only just be getting over Tenniscore, but there's already a new athleisure trend on the block... Meet fashion's most surprising new obsession: the football shirt. Once the sole remit of die-hard supporters and stadium-goers, the item has recently made its way into the wardrobes of cool girls everywhere – and it's fast becoming the must-have of the season.
Whether football will, in fact, be coming home anytime soon remains to be seen, but the fashion set is making damn sure to join in with the summer's Euros Mania nonetheless – if only in the name of style. From our Instagram feeds to the streets of London, we've spotted more vintage football shirts and new season kit than ever, styled with everything from casual denim to silky slips, or worn oversized with bare legs, Sambas and micro shorts (or nothing underneath).
FIND OUT MORE ON ELLE COLLECTIVE
But where has this latest in a long line of micro trends come from? As the line between sportswear and fashion becomes increasingly blurred, clothing that was once confined to the gym now effortlessly doubles for coffee dates with friends, weekend errand-running and even laidback holiday dressing thanks to trend-led activewear labels like Alo Yoga and Adanola. Athleisure has certainly earned its place in the fashion sphere, coming far from its track pants and high-top beginnings.
Theo El-Kattan and Henry McNeill, founders of online marketplace Known Source, agree. 'There’s been an increased focus on football capsules amongst big brands. From the Adidas x Wales Bonner Sambas to the Nike x Martine Rose capsule for last year’s Women’s World Cup – the overlap is real,' they explain. Even outside of collabs, bright football jerseys stole the show in Balenciaga’s 2023 resort collection, which was otherwise made up of dark colours and blocky suits.
And the influence goes the other way, too. 'Not only are football clubs also releasing lifestyle merchandise, but teams now have creative directors in-house. Crystal Palace last year became the first Premier League club to hire a creative director,' Theo and Henry continue, referring to Kenny Annan-Jonathan's appointment in the newly created role. Over the years, high-end fashion brands like Giorgio Armani, Dior, Stella McCartney, Yohji Yamamoto and Balenciaga have also partnered with football teams to design special kits.
Beyond the pitch and runway, it's celebrities who have catapulted the trend into the mainstream. Everyone from Taylor Swift and Rihanna to Hailey Bieber, Dua Lipa and Mia Regan has been spotted sporting retro football jerseys lately, while Sabrina Carpenter made headlines for layering a Versace mini-dress with an England shirt while performing at the Capital FM Summertime Ball earlier this week.
The effect was immediate: eBay has reported a 40% increase in searches for football shirts in the past month alone, while on resale site StockX there's been a whopping 68% year-on-year uptick – with the buzzy Palace x Umbro style being a particular standout. By association, retro-style and vintage football short-shorts have been been a major online seller, too.
Andrew Haines, director of sneakers and collectibles on StockX, also points to the item's Britpop fashion connotations to explain its popularity: 'Blending nostalgia with contemporary flair, football shirts are set to be a mainstay of festival style. It's not just a trend but an essential item for any streetwear enthusiast.'
The fact that football shirts slip seamlessly into the ubiquitous 'blokecore' aesthetic – baggy silhouettes, oversized tailoring and classically 'masculine' pieces – can't be understated, either. And then, of course, there's the huge impact of the Lionesses in bringing football to a whole new audience: according to the BBC, there are now twice as many female football teams registered in the UK compared to seven years ago and a major uptick in girls joining grassroots clubs, meaning the humble football kit is fast becoming a national uniform.
Our styling advice? Opt for oversized vintage jerseys sourced on the likes of Vinted and Depop – the more niche and unique, the better. As Theo and Henry put it: 'Every kit tells its own unique story and has its own place in history. And don’t forget about the designs – a lot of them are works of art, and it’s nice to see them getting the appreciation they deserve.'
ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE.
You Might Also Like
