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And while we have certainly lusted over these fresh takes on football favourites this season, we also can’t deny the thrill of sourcing the real deal on the pre-loved market. Indeed, take a look in any vintage stores right now and you will see rail upon rail of secondhand sportswear staples, all ready to be given a new lease of life and that look just as good, if not better, than their new counterparts.
“Vintage football jerseys are now more visibly accessible from specialist stores, but also sites such as Depop and Vinted,” explains Felicia Pennant, founder of Season Zine and features editor at Matches. “Plus, designers like Hattie Crowther, Sophie Hird, Renata Brenha, Alyssa Groeneveld and others are tackling football jersey waste by upcycling jerseys in their progressive designs.”
So what should you look out for when sourcing your own secondhand sportswear pieces? Adidas Originals is a Vogue go-to and probably one of the simplest ways to dip your toe in the trend – you’ll find plenty of colourful tracksuit bottoms and zip-up tops in vintage stores, just remember to check both the men’s and women’s sections. The rugby shirt is another easy way in, with preppy iterations from brands such as Polo Ralph Lauren available in abundance secondhand – we recommend sticking to a more slouchy, oversized fit to get that runway-ready look. But, if you want to go all out with an OG football jersey, take your styling cues from the experts.
“Make the jersey the star and take it out of context by pairing it with a midi-skirt (reference the AW23 Wales Bonner show) instead of jeans, or keeping it tight with tailoring for work, or as an oversized dress with heels for a night out,” Pennant explains. “Just treat them like any other trophy top or minidress – you can match and clash colours and textures to your heart’s content. If you must go down a more traditional casual route, think Mel C-core not Bloke-core.”
Eclectic, cool and so very “London” – but whatever you do, don’t call it athleisure. Scroll down to see and shop our edit of pre-loved sportswear pieces.
