BLOKETTE CORE: Sporty with a feminine twist

By Alice Wright

TikTok has given a platform for many fashion trends like fairy, ballet and coquette. But the newest and most popular core is ‘Blokette’. 

Brandon Huntley coined the term on TikTok in December 2021. The fashion trend first went viral following the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the hype continued into 2023. 

Blokette core is a mashup between a masculine sporty bloke aesthetic and the feminine coquette style. It combines football shirts with typically ‘girly’ elements like plaits, bows and skirts.  Sportswear has become increasingly popular in the fashion space with Adidas collaborating with top design houses like Prada. 

To dress like ‘Blokecore’ you’ll need a football shirt paired with jeans, a skirt, trousers and trainers. Bella Hadid combines Adidas sambas with a skirt and sporty jacket or Nike socks with a skirt and baseball jacket. 

In 2024, retro football shirts are the latest fashion. Football shirts are no longer just worn on matchdays by committed fans, but by celebrities, influencers and people who have no interest in sport. 

The nostalgic nature of retro shirts paired with their unique designs has propelled them into the spotlight of the fashion world. 

Now football clubs are collaborating with renowned fashion designers to create their shirts. In September 2023, Arsenal partnered with Stella McCartney to create a bespoke away kit for Arsenal Women. The funky Stella McCartney shirt blends 

geometric patterns with electric pink and a soft blue and has been a popular hit with fans.

The 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia saw style not only on the pitch but off it too.

France’s away kit was a first for kit design as the traditionally white shirt had subtle painterly stripes inspired by orphism. The design pays homage to the 20th century art movement that was pioneered by French artists Robert and Sonia Delaunay.

A personal favourite is England’s away shirt. Both the home and away shirts were inspired by the art-deco movement. The pale blue is covered in a darker blue geometric pattern influenced by the face of Old Wembley. England also switched their shorts from white to blue because of period concerns whilst playing.

Jamaica’s Adidas home shirt was designed in collaboration with Grace Wales Bonner. The designer created a genderless kit with thin green stripes on a yellow base. The Reggae Girlz didn’t win on the pitch but it was no surprise that all their kits were praised as the most fashionable by British GQ. 

In the UK, football is at the heart of the nation. The versatility of shirts as sports and fashion clothing ensures the future appeal of them in the UK market.