Act Casual

Emerging through times of peace and love, the casual movement created something unordinary in the fashion realm developing within football culture. Normally, fashion develops throughout the music genre at the time, but for the casuals, the fashion came before the music in this case and was spurred from a sense of community. We all know that every subculture takes us back to symbolise an era, using clothing to create a sense of identity. The casuals created personality with an overall daring choice of style for their time. The movement embraced the mod mentality, swaying away in the opposite direction of the punks, they wanted a sophisticated approach to clothing. Even though the Casuals were a sometimes-rowdy bunch, in terms of style and manner, unlike any other culture of the era the casuals wanted to slip under the radar and remained mysterious to outsiders looking in, on a world of football culture. It was a time of the most expensive sportswear you could find and the feeling of being a part of something. Let’s just say they were never far from a Fred Perry polo, straight jeans and if you didn’t have the acceptable pair of three stripes, the pub was full of whispers.

Alongside other subcultures at the time, punks and skinheads in their prime, the casuals had a sense of mystery that was endearing to everyone else and the most powerful thing is, the mystery still stands. Even today, the culture that derived from the iconic movement remains the same and the fashion has rarely changed. The running theme was and still is, the more well-dressed you are, the more respect you gain.

Though it was not only the clothes that made you unique, it was the hair, the whole attitude and the way you carried yourself. Maybe intimidated, outsiders seen the whole style as feminine, something like never before. It was new, a subculture based around a very elitist mindset - it was looked upon as 'posy' and everyone apart of it was stuck in a revolver of the next big thing.

“It was a time of the most expensive sportswear you could find and the feeling of being a part of something”

Being a casual was to be an observer, observing people from other clubs and cities at away matches. The fashion was seen as a uniform and a way of asserting oneself to a tribe within the realm and comradeship of football culture.

Adidas was a love affair for the casuals, being the first-ever sneakerheads in Europe. The three stripes were a classic look, an important factor in status and know-how (and who) at match days. The praised phenomenon around Adidas trainers was explosive, spending a week’s wages on the rarest you could find was a significant venture for casuals. At the time, it signified cultivation of group status. With an urge to accomplish the upper hand within a group, some taking it as far as travelling outside of the UK to find the uniqueness they craved.

The Stan Smith phenomenon was undeniable and remains a cult classic trainer today, admired for its wearability and simple sleekness. In 1979 Liverpool sales of the shoe went from 30 pairs a week being sold to 80 pairs per week. Business' boomed, and this derived mostly from stan smith sales with the classic white trainer having spent 152 weeks at the UK's most sought after trainer of choice.

Another explosion occurred with the iconic Trimm-Trab style, originally produced in 1975 this staple trainer was released in several colourways. Each pair was limited in the numbers and this led to the Trimm-Trab to be seen as an elitist shoe choice. After the excessive demand for the shoe through the 80's, thousands of pairs were produced to meet growing requests for the lads running Wade Smith at the time. From then on, Adidas soared on the sales to football supporters up and down the country.

The wave of trends came in style as quickly as they were thrown right back out. The Trimm-Trab loyalists moved swiftly to München, then to Forest Hills, they all had their moments and casuals payed homage to the brand by only collecting more. It was a cycle of constant newness and the fads never lasted long. The fashion stayed consistent in its style but fast-moving in its status, it was always a ‘one-up’ culture that drove the entire movement.

It all came down to recognisable factors when depicting who came from where and what team they followed. We see the north and south divide all the time in every aspect of society, but the rift within football culture plays a big part in that, even still today. Manchester lads were dubbed the label ‘The Perry Boys’ driving from their infatuation for Fred Perry polo shirts. They had that certain look that was recognisable to opposing teams, alongside creating the iconic 'Perry’ haircut. As for southern supporters, they adopted a more clean-cut approach. The bold Sergio Tacchini block colour tracksuits, choking at the zipped-up neck detailing, instantly recognisable as part of the West Ham firm. Located just 3 miles apart in South East London, Millwall supporters were known for Burberry trenches and Harrington jackets. The rivalry between Millwall and West Ham United is one of the most bitter and longest standings in English football. Throughout history, firms developed trademarks for themselves, in today’s culture the fashion is less constructed and more fluent, the style is based solely on branding and purely being a part of something as a collective.

It’s safe to say, the casual and hooligan culture is almost an heirloom among dads and their sons today. It was a significant and special time in history that remains as a big part of our lives and culture, still today.

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