Blokecore is one of the latest trends in fashion that’s started on TikTok. What in the world is it? Let’s find out.
“Blokecore”, or “Ladcore”, to put it simply is the newest fashion trend focusing on the lad culture present in 1990s Britain. This definition is very broad, but the main tenets of the trend are football (soccer) jerseys, bootcut jeans, sneakers, pints upon pints of beer and some Oasis. It’s been gaining some traction on TikTok and for once it isn’t a trend that people completely loathe.
Where the hell did this trend come from? Is it nostalgia based? According to British publication Carbon Magazine, the trend is like a spin-off series from the general resurgence of “Cool Britannia.” Cool Britannia is a trend looking back into the 90s as a time of general optimism in British culture. The trend is returning not because the youth are particularly happy with Britain, in fact, it’s quite the opposite. It’s a satirical statement about the current state of Britain.
The Tenets of Blokecore
This is one of those trends that isn’t supposed to be fashionable. Yet that is exactly what makes it so fashionable. Antifashion strikes again and honestly, I’m okay with it. Think about high fashion and the stiff upper lip that often comes with it. The strange cuts, the asymmetry, the loud prints, or whatever comes to mind when you think of the runway. Now remove all of that and make it look like you’re heading to the pub with some mates. Not a nice pub mind you. That’s what Blokecore looks like. As Carbon put it, dress like an off-duty Jeremy Clarkson.
What you need to achieve this look is first and foremost, a football jersey. Since the trend hails from Britain most of the jerseys are Premier League teams, but you don’t need to stick to a football jersey. Rugby shirts would do too or really any sports jersey. The key thing is to grab a jersey from a team you actually support because soccer fans will not take kindly to posers. Ideally, if you can get it, vintage jerseys are preferable but not required. If you can’t find a jersey, football scarves are great replacements or additions.
Vintage Football Shop have some great choices for reasonable prices but they are replicas. But as a result, they have various sizes and customisation options.
If you’re after the real thing you’ve got a few options. Classic Football Shirts has a sizeable collection of vintage jerseys, and Grailed has a great selection of jerseys on their marketplace.
The next two items are actually the easiest thing to find. First off, you need bootcut jeans, preferably dishevelled. Ideally you want something baggy but maybe not too baggy. If you don’t have bootcut jeans any jeans will do but if you want to go full antifashion then this is the way to go. Summer weather doesn’t stop this look either as shorts are a completely viable option as well.
Now the shoes. Think Reebok Club C’s or Carbon’s pick, Adidas Gazelles. It doesn’t have to be those shoes specifically, but you get the vibe, right? Vintage inspired shoes that, if not carefully done, can be daggy, but at least here, that’s the point. New Balances could work too if you really want to go full dad.
Apparently, There’s Discourse
Yeah, turns out there’s discourse surrounding Blokecore. There has been some critique surrounding the adoption of working-class identities for the sake of fashion. What is meant by this is that most of the men participating in this trend probably aren’t a “bloke” in reality, for example, they likely don’t participate in football culture etc.
What the line is between a fashion statement and a caricature?
This goes deeper into discussions about what the suffix “Core” means when compared to a “lifestyle”. “Core” really means to take an aesthetic of a certain subculture, in this case football culture, without being a part of it. Cottagecore is a good example because it highlights the pros and cons clearly.
Cottagecore takes the aesthetic of agricultural living (lace, feminity, loose dresses etc.). For many, if not most people, agricultural living is completely unobtainable for a variety of reasons including financial ones. Cottagecore is a way for people to express their values despite their inability to participate in the lifestyle.
That’s all well and good for Cottagecore, there are actual boundaries that prevent participation, but with Blokecore, participating in football culture is not difficult at all. It’s literally the world game and almost every nation in the world plays it. Tickets for most regular matches in a league aren’t often too expensive, and even if you can’t do that, watching it in a pub or sports bar with a few mates isn’t difficult either. So, does that murky the waters a little? Yes, it does. Does it really matter? Depends on who you ask. The old blokes who dress like this unironically are probably just confused, the hooligans may want to beat the shit out of you, but the fashionistas will think your fabulous.
What do you think? How do you feel about Blokecore? Is it just a bit of fun or a cringey nightmare?
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