Footy Fashionista

Long before Beckham’s sarong story or Posh’s flailing denim label hit the headlines, the fusion of football and fashion resulted in more than the odd team jersey and club suit. George Best, the United legend from the late 60s, pioneered a unique blend of football and fashion. Sporting long hair and en vogue threads, Best was as adept at scoring on the pitch as he was scoring in the pub.

Best - Eyes always on the ball

Times haven’t changed. In the modern game every footballer craves a name in the fashion scene; Thierry Henry combines life at the Nou Camp with his ambassadorial role for Tommy Hilfiger and world’s most expensive player Cristiano Ronaldo has flooded the market with his CR7 brand.

But it’s not just the sport’s star players that are molding popular culture through their attire. In the last decade, player’s wives and girlfriends have been catapulted in to the spotlight with the running of several TV shows, magazines and articles documenting the football ‘WAG’. Donning the latest labels, lipsticks and leathers, the infamy of the modern day football wife and girlfriend has made Saturday’s result as important as the scores in Sunday’s Style section.

England WAGs kitted up for the last World Cup

Supporters bring their own style to the stands, playing an integral role in the elevation of gritty footy wear to catwalk fodder. In the mid 70s, the notorious Perry Boys or “football casuals” distinguished themselves through style. The Manchester chapter wore mod-like clothing; long-sleeved polo shirts with hoops, narrow-bottomed corduroy pants, boat pumps, and wedge hairstyles. In London, the crew sported narrow jeans and sandals, while in Liverpool they embraced punk and dumped the wedge hairdos. Today’s more ardent fans express their club loyalty through a style that transcends their team’s colors. Look around at your next match and you can always find your local thug sporting Aquascutums latest with a Stone Island patch.

Whether you’re waiting for Umbro’s new silhouette, or hoping for last season’s away kit to go on sale, take note that in the game of two halves you can still be on the losing side, even after the final whistle.

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We at Footy Factor would like to thank Hollywood Hoop for submitting this article