With the World Cup just around the corner, why not treat your other half to some clothes for his away games? We’ve put together some ideas to give you some inspiration! Fashion and subcultures go hand-in-hand, that’s why we’re also going to delve into the history of the casual – where did they come from, and what brands did they wear?
Firstly, if your boyfriend doesn’t own a Stone Island jumper already, is he even a football fan? With fashion so focused on the 90s at the moment, why not treat him to an iconic piece of casual clobber? Stone Island is one of the biggest – if not THE biggest – names in terrace fashion, and they’re definitely here to stay!
Revolving around football fandom and controversy, the casual subculture dominated terraces in the 70s and 80s, as young working-class men attempted to forge an identity through designer brands. Dating back as early as the 60s, the origins of the casual could be seen in mod fashion. Groups of youths who supported football clubs began to bring their style to football terraces. Chelsea F.C. and West Ham United even became known for their mod following.
Next up, he’ll need a jacket. With summer around the corner, though, you don’t want to buy anything too heavy. Ellesse has some great retro jackets at the moment – be sure to check out Lyle & Scott’s and Pretty Green’s Harrington jackets, too.
The catalyst that ignited the casual fashion movement is said to have taken place around the 1977 European Cup. Fans who followed Liverpool to France for their match against St Etienne apparently introduced the rest of England to the European fashion brands that they had shoplifted during their stay. The new styles featured French and Italian designer brands, such as Lacoste, Sergio Tacchini, and Adidas. Casual clobber was intentionally designer-led to avoid police – if fans dressed in non-club colours then they could easily infiltrate the pubs where opposing teams gathered to cause havoc, hence the close association with football hooliganism as depicted in films of the early 2000s such as Green Street.
Moving on to shoes – why not get him a new pair of Adidas classics, so he looks fresh for his away matches? We recommend sticking to monochrome for a traditional casual look. Adidas is the definitive football supporters shoe brand so you can’t really go wrong – who would’ve thought that terrace wear could play such a massive part in the mainstream success of one of the world’s biggest trainer brands? Oh, and his feet need some love, too!
In the 1980s, casual culture and fashion reached its peak. Throughout the 80s, police were mostly still looking for skinheads at football games – the casual brands altered as needed to avoid any unwanted attention. Leading into the early 90s, many casuals became part of the Madchester, Britpop and rave scenes.
Without a doubt, Fred Perry’s polo shirts have been some of the finest in the game for quite some time now – and they should already be an essential part of any football fan’s wardrobe. Check out what Napapijri and Weekend Offender have to offer, too.
With the popularity of bands such as Blur and Oasis in the 1990s, the most influential genre listened to by casuals was considered to be indie rock. A number of Mancunian bands that had grown up on the stands, namely The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, and Oasis, rose to national prominence, introducing elements of terrace fashion to the broader public. In fact, Pretty Green is Liam Gallagher’s very own terrace wear brand.
On to shorts… and you can’t go wrong with a pair of Paul Smith chino shorts. If you’re looking for something a little more casual, though, Lacoste and Weekend Offender do great track shorts that look the part. Pair these with a Fred Perry polo, and you have easy summer style in seconds!
In the mid-90s, casual subculture experienced a massive revival, but the emphasis on style changed slightly. Many football fans adopted the casual look as a sort of “uniform” – using it to identify themselves separately from regular club supporters. Brands such as Stone Island, Aquascutum, Burberry, Lacoste and Paul & Shark were seen at almost every club. During the latter half of the 90s, though, many supporters started to move away from these brands due to unwanted police attention. Some designers even withdrew items from sale after they became “common casual uniforms.”
Now you have some ideas for the main outfit, let’s move on to accessories. We all know the devil’s in the details, especially when it comes to fashion. Finishing touches will help to tie the look together. Napapijri does a 48L weekend bag – it’s great for travelling, and he’ll be able to take it anywhere – to the gym, on holiday, you name it. Lastly, to suit this look, we’ve chosen a simple C.P. Company cap in olive.
Well, there you have it. Although casual fashion catapulted itself into terraces in the 70s and 80s, with these picks your other half can nail the look himself.
