It’s not only the mighty King of the Jungle that made its way into football fashion – argyle did too.
Getting dressed up and kitted out in your finest gear might be something you’d save for a special night out, but for the football fans in the 80s it was a sign of devotion and dedication. They’d save their expensive outerwear and diamond jumpers for match day, where only their best looks or the game would do.
A style badge of the upper class became a symbol of subversion.
This subcultural movement saw the rise of the “casuals”
literally because they wore casual designer clothing instead of their team’s shirt or colours. Partly to easily infiltrate rival firms…partly to get a one-up on them through their superior street style.
It’s during this time that Pringle of Scotland went from just being part of the upper classes’ leisurewear to being reissued and reimagined as a firm fixture in match-day style. It set the trend for an urban, edgier look that continues to be referenced today.
The football casuals gained notoriety on and off the field for their unpredictability and divergence, and the argyle was their street style of choice.
