FASHION

THE HISTORY OF TERRACE STYLE

By Lizzie Griffin, 10 June 2024

The football aesthetic has been on our FYPs for a while now – but with the biggest tournament in European football kicking off this week, it's about to dominate your wardrobe for the rest of summer. Yep, we're talking terrace style. It's a look with origins that go way back, so get comfy and we'll take a deep-dive into the who, where and whys of this storied subculture.

Picture: Getty

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

We're throwing it back the late 1970s, when Liverpool dominated European football and its footie-obsessed fans started following their team across Europe. Whether they won or lost, they'd always do a bit of shopping, bringing back the latest trainers and branded threads that weren’t yet available in the UK. Soon enough, it was all about one-upmanship – the goal was to find pitch-side-approved ‘fits, and you got extra points for wearing a branded piece that one else had. Fans would turn up to the terrace decked out in the latest adidas Sambas or Gazelles, or sought-after sportswear brands like Lacoste, ellesse, Fila and Fred Perry. The look spread to other teams, and the subculture became known as the Casuals. By the 90s, their style had gone mainstream with premium and designer labels like Stone Island and Burberry making their way onto the terrace.

BRINGING IT INTO 2024

'Within fashion history, [the Casuals] were the first group that took sportswear and wore it as high-end fashion,' explains curator Martin Pel in the documentary Casuals (2011). More recently, the Casuals' trademark style has seen a resurgence beyond the terraces, with luxury brands adopting terrace style and football shirts, sportswear brands and blokecore filling up our feeds. Scroll to see how we're doing it in 2024.

Picture: Getty

Picture: ASOS

GIRLIE DETAILS

Whether or not you're heading out to watch a game, a football jersey is definitely going to be a fixture in your summer '24 rotation. Throw one on with a denim skirt like internet BFF Mia Regan above, or follow our shoot stylist's lead and opt for jorts with pink adis (with bows!) and a cute shoulder bag.

GET THE LOOK:

adidas Football Euro 2024 Germany away shirt in purple, £80
Stradivarius patent handbag in black, £19.99

Topshop denim board jort in deep black, £38

adidas Originals Country OG Trainers in pink and black, £85

Picture: Getty

Picture: ASOS

AWKWARD LENGTHS

Sportswear meets knee-length skirts and ankle socks? OK, we’re convinced. Combine premium sporty pieces (you know, like Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren and Fred Perry) with a tailored skirt and a handbag like IT girl Bella Hadid. Complete the ‘fit with trainers and don't forget to pull up your socks to give them some airtime.

GET THE LOOK:

Fred Perry taped ringer t-shirt in black, £50

Topshop denim knee length pleated skirt in raw grey, £37
adidas Originals Handball Spezial gum sole trainers in black, £90

Picture: Getty

Picture: ASOS

COLOUR-POP 3-STRIPES

They think it's all over... but Sambas, Spezials and Gazelles aren't going anywhere this summer, trust us. No match day is complete without a pair of adidas... just ask Hailey Bieber – and with so many colourways to choose from, the hardest part is choosing just one.

GET THE LOOK:

adidas Originals Samba LT trainers in yellow and green, £100

Topshop crinkle satin lace patchwork mini skirt in ivory, £34
adidas Originals retro collar sweatshirt in green, £60