England is in the Euro semi-finals, but the only thing I’m betting on is the blokecore trend lasting far longer than the penalties. Classic football shirts are undoubtedly having a moment; searches for ‘vintage football shirts’ have increased by 78% on Pinterest Trend and 40% on eBay.
Dua Lipa, Rihanna, and Bella Hadid—who fronted Balenciaga’s footie-themed collaboration with Adidas in 2022—have all been sporting classic shirts. “There’s something genuinely nostalgic about leaning into the retro footie shirt trend and hunting for bold kits you remember having—or coveting—when you were a kid,” says Nav Gill, author of the cult sneakerhead book She Kicks. Gill thinks the unabashed aesthetic of vintage football shirts is partly behind the revival. “The design ‘rules’ were decidedly less inhibited back then (clashing colours! Wild graphic prints!! Oversized cuts!! collars!!!), so they make for genuinely fun if at times slightly unhinged wardrobe choices - in the best way.”
