The men’s fashion trend throwing back to Britpop’s heyday
Blokecore is essentially ‘dress like you’re a football hooligan from 1997, but call it fashion’. While you may call some men ‘lads’ or ‘boys’, it takes a certain type to earn the description ‘bloke’.
The term doesn’t have an exact definition, but it conjures images of a ‘man’s man’, the type who loves football, spends his time at the pub, and seeps metrosexuality.
While blokey behaviour has been associated with misogyny and hooliganism over the years, a new generation of fashion-forward males are endeavouring to bring the aesthetic to 2022.
Blokecore is a style that’s become popular recently with Gen Z and Millennial TikTokers mirroring the womenswear trend cycle with a distinctive 90s/00s feel.
However, where women’s fashion has focused on statement grunge-inspired pieces and standout rave gear, blokecore is all about looking as average as possible.
The aesthetic is set to be big this year, with inspiration coming from Britpop icons like Damon Albarn and Noel Gallagher, as well as middle-aged blokes who haven’t bought new clothes since before Gazza retired.
It’s unknown who first coined the term, but TikTokers are leading the charge in getting the lads to dress like their dads. In one video, which has been viewed over 500,000 times, an American TikToker wears a vintage Manchester City top and gulps from a pint as he shows off his outfit.
Although the American creator pokes fun at UK lad culture, he’s among a number of young men who’ve sincerely adopted the laidback, Cool Britannia style.
To get a feel for what blokecore is all about, think back to a time when wearing a Union Jack was a nod to The Spice Girls rather than Brexit.
Blokecore is non-craft lager, t-shirts and well-worn jeans, Adidas Samba trainers, Calvin Klein aftershave, and mugs of sugary builder’s tea with The Jam on in the background. It’s a simple aesthetic, with comfort and wearability at its heart.
If you’re no stranger to Tik Tok then you’ll know that the skinny jean era is over, especially for men. Replacing the painted-on staple is vintage 90s denim, loose fits, and relaxed trainers.
With artists like Sam Fender leaning on their roots, it’s clear that blokecore is coming faster than a hot dog at a Jubilee BBQ.
Brands to look out for to work the trend include Liam Gallagher’s Pretty Green and Fred Perry, and sportswear labels like Adidas and Nike are always great for staples.
Umbro’s collaborations are also worth a look, with a new collection in collaboration with NEW ORDER, offering nostalgic but updated pieces.
Try charity shops and vintage retailers, too. As a general rule, if you can imagine it being worn by Gav Shipman in Gavin and Stacey, it’s blokecore.
Lad culture dressing embraces ‘working class masculinity in a tongue-in-cheek way’ while pushing back against the ‘increasing gender fluidity of modern menswear’.
In a world where soccer and fashion are becoming gentrified at an equal pace, that’s something we can all get behind. It’s all fun.
