Football fashion this summer

By Emmet Purcell

With the World Cup finally upon us, the lack of an Irish team means it’s difficult, sweep-stakes aside, to find a team to root for. At JOE we’ve found some of the finest football fashions hitting the shelves this summer to ensure no matter your preference, you’ll be decked out in style for your chosen heroes.

Rather than simple replicas, we’ve found some great football-related collections from some of the world’s top designers. So whether you want to look a little smart at the bar or fancy new underoos should you catch the eye of some misplaced tourists there’s no excuse in not supporting your chosen team in style.

Adidas Originals

Adidas have a rich back catalogue of retro designs to dip into from time to time and their Adidas Originals collection do so accordingly, even bringing back the original trefoil logo. For this summer the Germans have brought back a selection of t-shirts and track tops celebrating the Italian, Spanish, German and French sides amongst others. You can find the full quota of Adidas' summer collection at Subside Sports.

Adidas Original Italy Track Top - €72

Umbro World Champions Collection

Irish kit suppliers Umbro have really stepped up their game in the last few years, with their retro "Tailored by Umbro" classic, stylish designs easily the nicest in football today. Aside from their jerseys, Umbro are not adverse to fashion collections, having worked with British menswear designer Kim Jones for numerous collections in the past. We're showcasing their new World Cup Collection, not as an excuse to show you this video of Abbey Clancy in their summer clobber, but because we genuinely love retro-casual approach. The full collection can be found on ASOS.com and has pieces exclusively for each World Cup winner in the tournament's history.

Umbro World Champions Collection Shirt Italy T-Shirt - €62.50

Calvin Klein X

Even fabled pants-maker Calvin Klein is getting in on the act with his World Cup-inspired X Global Edition line, which brings 10 new colour schemes to his distinctive X trunks range. We presume the "inspired" part came about when a CK intern pointed out that Russia and Sweden won't be appearing in this year's event but either way, we appreciate the effort. If you fancy a trip up north then the full collection can be found at the Undie Factory in Lisburn, or you can order your fancy pants online.

Calvin Klein Germany Global X Trunks - €21

Fred Perry World Cup Edition

Fred Perry may have been a tennis icon but this year his clothing brand is getting into the World Cup spirit with a limited edition range of polos, varying from team to team. Much like every classic Fred Perry polo, simplicity is the key so the designers have made sure only the basic colour and tipping on each shirt represents the chosen country. You can find the full collection on UK-based End Clothing's website.

Fred Perry World Cup Edition Polo Spain - €70

Fred Perry World Cup Edition

Finally, for big spenders out there might want to try a Slim Modern Field Country Polo from Ralph Lauren. Resembling a typical polo sport replica, the range represents 16 countries and allows you to personalise your shirt with your own name and number, a nice personal touch. The full range of polos can be found at the Ralph Lauren website.

Ralph Lauren Field Country Polo South Africa- €110