It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Wear.

A Certain Romance

Terrace fashion. The largest sub-culture remaining in the modern football world. I find that this interests me more and more as I grow up. A sort-of interdependence between the thrill of seeing your team and doing so wearing Stone Island dominates this topic. As humans we really do seek to belong, to fit in. So many find this basic pleasure in lapping up the fun on a Saturday with their pals; each and every member of the group covered in: Burberry, Stone Island, C.P. Company, ETC. Not to mention the iconic footwear of so many generations. “There is only one trainer”, says Bex in the under-rated classic ‘The Firm’. Of course that trainer he speaks of stands alone. Adidas Originals. Any of them: from the eye-catching city series trabs to the breath-taking Spezials: they stand alone as the Kings of Trainers.

Aside from an undoubted, added sense of swagger when wearing this gear, what’s the point in all this? So what people enjoy spending big and going the match? Well, funnily enough, getting about in nice clothing doesn’t tend to be the extent of so many groups activities when ‘going the match’. “Football Hooligans”: never a more ingrained phrase when thinking of English supporters. I never lived through the eighties, myself, but would love to hear more on the state of policing, violence and the rest at the footy. I can see, though, that this behaviour at the match often started when the ‘firms’ arrived. Typically lads in their groups, arranging meet-ups at different spots in the country (depending on where their team were that weekend). I find this to be a true shame. Loving the beautiful game myself, the only thing I care about is my team, to be quite frank I could live without the numerous people causing grief. However, as a growing lad I do appreciate the fashion, I can’t seem to get over how interesting it is. How can clothes do things to people? It’s remarkable. From a psychoanalytical standpoint I understand the ‘hooligan’ mentality to be down to ones’ Id, the basic human desires. We all seek the thrill that so many get from causing grief in their finery. And why do they get this thrill from doing this? Not a clue, myself, you’d have to speak to my elder sister who studies psychology. Something about endorphins, or something.

I suppose the real question is this: Will this ever stop? And to that I say no. So many are muggles to the world of football and fail to see that supporting a club, your club, is belonging to a family. Belonging to a tribe. People, no matter our opinions, will always seek the sense of belonging, it’s embedded in our nature.

“We’re Not English, We’re Scouse”

Simply, two words come to mind when I hear that quotation. Is right. Like every other aspect of life, the fashion in Liverpool-particularly amongst footie fans- is varied to the rest of the country. The terrace fashion seen at Anfield is a sight to behold. An array of independent, Scouse brands can be seen. MUD Clothing, Hat Scarf or a badge, and of course: Transalpino. For the past two years, since I discovered its existence, I have enjoyed pieces from Transalpino; breath-taking designs, often based on Eighties imagery. Bowie’s iconic figure on a tee. James’ spine chilling lyrics of:”If I hadn’t seen such riches, I could live with being poor”. You won’t find a brand more affiliated with a section of a country than Transalpino is with Liverpool and the North-West. As a Liverpool fan you find yourself feeling a refreshing sense of individuality. We’re not like other teams, and Liverpool is not like any other city. This is why I love the fact that Liverpool fans (and Everton, though I hate to give them credit) not only ignore, but totally neglect the rest of the country’s idea of what fans should wear.

To oppose everything I’ve said surrounding the correlation between violence and clothing: the scale, it seems anyway, is nowhere near that of the Eighties. What I’m trying to say with this all is: enjoy your team, celebrate your culture and enjoy fashion. Don’t be violent. Violence isn’t cool (unless you’re watching Darren Till in the UFC), then it’s cool.