Issue 08: How to source the perfect vintage football shirt
Football’s Law 4 states that outfield players must wear a football kit comprising of a shirt (with sleeves, looking at you Cameroon), socks, shorts, boots, and shin pads. But you’re not a footballer, you’re a fashion icon, and you can style football shirts however you like.
Football fashion has well and truly taken over, and as the weather hots up and festival season creeps up on us - not to mention the women’s EUROs in sunny Switzerland - you’re going to need to source the perfect vintage footy shirt to really make your outfit pop.
Whether you’re looking for a mint-condition retro shirt or a reworked corset, we’ve got you covered.
A brief history of the football shirt
Back in the day when association football first kicked off, the men on the field would simply wear their work clothes to play in. Since then, we’ve come a long way to the kits we know and love, and you’re certainly not going to catch anyone at Reading and Leeds in an 1870s Sheffield FC number.
After all, these kits were rudimentary, long-sleeved in solid colours and often made of wool. The colours merely served to reflect the school, town, or association the team identified with. It wasn’t until the 1900s that more complicated patterns, like stripes, started appearing.
Then, in the 1950s, football clubs discovered tailoring. They added collars, club badges, and sponsors, and some even experimented with shirt numbers. The 1960s saw even brighter colours that reflected the cultural changes of the era.
This is when football kits got interesting. They became much more fashionable, much more reflective of the time period. For instance, in the 70s, collars disappeared in favour of V-necks. It was at this point that polyester also became the primary fabric, enhancing breathability.
Moving into the 90s, you start to hit the collectibles. Technological advancements created lightweight, moisture-wicking fabrics that improved performance, while sponsor logos became more prominent. The fit was loose and baggy, just how we like them today.
The 2000s, though, went totally the other way. Kappa’s Kombat shirts were tight and form-fitting, essentially creating a second skin. Harder to tug on in a match environment, but perhaps less fashionable?
These days, there is no single trend for football shirts. Each manufacturer, team, league, and even player will have its preferences. Either way, though, you’ll find more technologically advanced gear and, in some cases, eco-conscious production materials.
Knowing the fit of each decade should, nevertheless, help you find a vintage shirt and pic a size that best fits:
1990s: baggy fit, often longsleeve
2000s: ultra-tight fit
2010s: form-fitting, but looser than the 2000s
2020s: standard sizing, sometimes verging on the baggier side
Fashion focus
When you buy football fashion, you don’t just have to purchase a standard shirt. There are so many options, including the upcycled Conner Ives corset-style shirts that cinch the waist, or even reworked bucket hats made from vintage shirts.
A word of caution: football shirts mean a lot to people. They are a canvas for cultural expression, but even before their foray into fashion, they were markers of identity. Certain shirts are emblematic of significant moments and memories, and the commercialisation of football shirts sometimes irks diehard fans who see these kits as part of the fabric of their identities.
Sporting a football top is a declaration of allegiance in many cases. Many become cherished artefacts that are passed down through generations.
And yet, they can also be fashion statements, especially when upcycled. After all, plenty of football shirts end up in landfill every year, and it would be a waste not to save them from this fate.
Brands like Equipo FC have become adept at upcycling vintage shirts, slashing them down the center to make beach coverups out of Barcelona shirts. To some, it’s sacrilege, but for others, it’s the in thing.
Sourcing the perfect vintage
There’s a reason why football shirts have become a fashion staple. It’s the memories stitched into the seams. The ones worn by cult-heroes and nearly-men. But finding a good one is a craft in itself. It’s part obsession, part patience, part extremely niche knowledge of mid-table Serie A teams from the ‘90s.
We’re here to get you started, though. Here are seven places to pick up your next favourite piece.
1. Conner Ives
The Reconstituted Football pieces from Conner Ives are masterpieces only, and it’s a surefire way to kickstart your retro collection if you’re looking for something a little different. There are shirred tees, dresses, and long-sleeves, all from genuine vintage football tops sources across the UK.
The CI team disassembles the kits entirely, then restitches them with elastic thread to create the shirred baby tee look. There are some iconic bits in here, from the bright pink Real Madrid number to old-school Inter Milan complete with the Pirelli sponsor.
Cool girls only.
The Reconstituted Shirred Football Top
£240.00
2. Equipo FC
Equipo FC has released several collections upcycling football gear over the years. 2023’s release featured a bomber jacket, a crop top, two bags, and a button-down, while 2024’s collection turned shirts into button-up tees.
The project started when the designers at Equipo FC experimented with a Roma kit they happened to have lying around. They were simultaneously working on a Real Betis campaign with Hector Bellerín, who later wore an Equipo FC Real Betis shirt when celebrating the Copa del Rey final. It blew up (obviously, thanks to the king of football fashion), and they have continued to release pieces ever since.
Fenomeno Shirt
£40.00
3. Systemarosa
New York label Systemarosa has a surprising curation of vintage football shirts that appear alongside designer pieces, which should tell you just how far football has come on the fashion stage.
Brand consultant Sam Herzog and editorial consultant Naomi Accardi source footy shirts for their platform by scouring the internet for hours and hours and ducking in and out of physical stores. Basically, they do the legwork for you.
Then, they turn them into wearable works of art. “Bridging the gap between football and fashion” is their motto. And they’re killing it.
VETOVERSO Brown Bombonera Bag ($625), ENNERRE Carrozzeria L/S Jersey ($250), ADIDAS Economica L/S Jersey ($180)
4. The Football Boutique
Anthony Magana launched The Football Boutique in 2020, aimingto stock rare, vintage, and even exclusive pieces from growing brands and designers. For our US-based readers, this shop is your best bet, located in Los Angeles.
Magana saw a gap in the market, with it being harer to source shirts in the US. It’s simply a case of there being less inventory. Here in the UK, where football clubs are often over 100 years old and where roots run deep in the community, it’s easy to find vintage shirts that were tossed out by parents and grandparents. In America, it’s a different story.
TFB sources shirts from all over the world to sell to US customers, so finally, it’s easier to get your hands on a nice vintage.
Kelme - 1996/98 Real Madrid PullOver Sweater ($125), Nike - 2002/03 Manchester United Away V.Nistelrooy Jersey ($95)
5. Chillie London
Notting Hill-based Chillie London was founded by two stylists, Natalie Hartley and Lydia Mcneil. The pair source football shirts from charity shops and second-hand stores, taking the time to hunt for collectibles like old Pele tops. Some Portobello locals also drop off their unwanted stock at the shop.
Chillie London’s spring 2024 collection involved upcycling the shirts in a collaboration with Hairy Mary, adding lace trims and interesting silhouettes that give footy shirts a whole new look.
Chillie London x Hairy Mary
6. Classic Football Shirts
A true classic. The OG, some might say. But there’s a reason Classic Football Shirts is so popular. With shops in London, Manchester, LA, and Miami, CFS is taking over the world. It started back in 2006, before shirt collecting was cool. Yes, CFS has been running since before the lads even had Twitter to spread the word about it.
The shops are sometimes more like priceless exhibitions than stores. Alongside rails of unique, lower-league, international, popular, and every other shirt you can think of, each shop is decked out with true collector’s items and matchworn shirt. It’s a real treasure trove.
And of course, Outside90 members get 10% off Classic Football Shirts at the link below using code TIANNAH10.
Thank us later.
1999-00 Real Madrid adidas Reissue Home Shirt R.Carlos #3
£139.99
7. Vintage Threads
Sometimes, it feels like retro shirts (or, scratch that, shirts in general) are far too expensive. Charlie Oxley and Freddie Rose set out to change that with Vintage Threads. Based in London, they now have two standalone stores and even stock in Selfridges.
The team sources football shirts from around the globe, sometimes trading Italian Stone Island pieces to shirt sellers in Asia in exchange for classic shirts, before “vigorously authenticating” each one. They restore old pieces with heat press printers to replace the names, numbers and sponsors.
In some cases, Vintage Threads also reworks the items to give them a special touch.
8. eBay
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Often, if you’re trying to track down a specific shirt, or one from a specific player or era, then eBay is your best bet.
There are plenty of sellers there stocking classic kits, but be warned: the blokecore trend has led to a significant rise in counterfeit goods.
Which brings us to our next point…
Authenticating vintage shirts
Spotting a fake can be difficult, especially to the untrained eye. In all honesty, it’s probably easier to leave it to the professionals and source shirts from one of the places above. But if you’re buying from a marketplace like eBay or even browsing a charity shop, here’s what to do.
Check the price: New shirts can cost between £60 and £150. So if you spot a new-ish shirt for £15, it’s a dead giveaway that it’s a fake.
Check the product code: For shirts from the 2000s onwards, official releases all have a unique product code. Simply Google the code, and if the images show the shirt you’re looking at, then it’s legit.
Nike: The style code is located on the internal tag (near the bottom of the shirt). It’s 6 digits, a dash, then 3 more digits.
adidas: The International Article Number (IAN) is usually found on a small tag under the collar. It’s 6 digits long with 2 letters and 4 numbers.
PUMA: The style code is on the internal tag, usually 6 numbers with a dash followed by 2 more numbers. There may also be a scannable QR code.
Umbro: Check the inner tag to find the code on any shirt made after 2005.
Hummel: Official products have a stamp reading “Official authentic apparel” with the hummel logo. A kit without this is a fake.
Kappa: The product code is located on the inner label. Type the code into Kappa’s basiclabels.net website to authenticate it.
Get out the magnifying glass: This is where things get complicated. All in all, you might need to do some training to really spot a fake, but it’s often worth checking the following:
Badges: Check out the club crest and manufacturer logo with a close eye. Ifr there are spacing errors or colour mismatches, it could be a fake shirt. Bad replicas may even have typos.
Printing: Poorly made fakes might have bad heat and pattern printing. Look out for wrinkled printing on the player number and name.
Material: If the shirt feels thin or lets a lot of light through when you hold it up, you could be looking at a fake.
Stitching: Check all the hems and joins to see how the craftsmanship holds up. And don’t neglect the insides - turn the shirt inside out to check for weak and untidy seams.
At the end of the day, sometimes it’s really hard to tell. And if you don’t mind getting a fake shirt, then that’s a different story. Just don’t pay extortionate prices for shirts that aren’t legit!
Shirt shopping
There’s more than one way to style a football shirt, and being an icon means finding your own path. Retro, brand new, slashed to pieces… you do you. Whether you pick up a ‘98 Fiorentina at CFS or a Boca Juniors found in a Bangkok back alley, wear it like you meant to.
Now, you’ve got an eye for style, a nose for fakes, and a wardrobe that says “cult football historian.”
Welcome to the upper tier.
