Hola Sugarcups,
Missted your favorite character from Ted Lasso? Then listen. Tik Tok just announced a new football-inspired trend that you’ll be wanting to wear on repeat: “Blokecore.” From football fan gear to music video couture, this new trend is making its way into a new throwback look that’s taking over Tik Tok.
Blokecore: The ‘trend’ that originated as a satirical gag creator Brandon Huntley jokingly labeled the “Hottest Trend of 2022” in online conversations about being a man in the 21st century, has since turned into a personal style statement. The fascinating thing about it is that it has taken its cues from regular English blokes in the 1990s who would slap on their favorite football team’s shirt. For these blokey men, I might add, the star player’s name on the back of the shirt was a rite of passage before heading to the pub and then off to the busy stadiums.
Flash forward to today: the Blokecore movement has evolved and spread to include younger millennials and generation Zs – who began adopting the trend in London and grew it across the fashion industry. They’re shopping thrift stores for vintage football jerseys and putting them on with rare Adidas kicks and vintage Levi’s denim.
Fashion stylist Irene Tsolakas adds that Blokecore has is “so flexible and can be made to work for everyone, no matter what your style is.” “You can go more classic with baggy, baggy, low-sat jeans and a pair of Samba Adidas, or be inspired by Bella Hadid, and take your favorite jersey or sweater with a printed skirt,” he says.
Though some could see Blokecore as the commodification of fandom, it has the side effect of forcing people to connect to their teams more. It’s a bit reminiscent of the ’80s Casuals subculture in Britain, where football supporters combined their interest in fashion and sports-adjacent designer clothes.
Adidas, Fila, Ellesse and the street-style brands emerged together with football culture, and they are still central to blokecore. The high-low fashion trend has become everyone’s thing, blending cheap streetwear with chic accessories such as costly sunglasses and right-shade denim.
Looking deeper, I also see luxury collabs like Gucci’s collab with Adidas and Aimé Leon Dore’s collab with designer football jerseys are actually adding a premium feeling to the trend.
Rihanna and Hailey Bieber have been quick to adopt Blokecore, boasting a designer form of their workout school tops. Rounding out the Blokette core trend are women who are wearing ribbons, skirts, and ballerina slippers to bring a little high fashion to their sports clothing.
While we celebrate the Women’s FIFA World Cup 2023, even ‘athleisure’ brands (sportswear on the casual side of athleisure), such as Nike, are participating in the Blokecore phenomenon. They are launching major collections for teams and their fans.
So, when you make your way to the stadium or the neighborhood pub next time, wear your favorite football jersey and cult-favorite sneakers with dark-wash denim jeans, designer sunglasses, and a cap to get your Blokecore on! And with the World Cup right around the corner, there’s no better time than now to unleash your inner Blokecore and own that footy fashion!
Here’s to Blokecore and all the football fun! Party on, London!
