Vintage Sports Jerseys Are Back – Here’s How to Style Them Like a Pro

Vintage sports jerseys have long been sought after for their nostalgia and cool factor, and now the fashion world is taking serious notice.

From football to hockey, vintage sports jerseys now pack a punch of style that goes far beyond the field. Even A-list celebrities like Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian and Bella Hadid are sporting these classic looks, bringing jerseys from stadium seats to high fashion streets. Big-name brands like Adidas and New Balance are embracing the trend too, paying more attention to stylish silhouettes and designs.

Whether it's Super Bowl season, World Series time, or just another Saturday, there's always a good reason to sport a vintage jersey. But the real challenge lies in styling these bold shirts for everyday wear. Check out our winning ideas to get you off the bench and into the style game.

It can be intimidating to pick out a vintage sports jersey if you're not actually a die-hard fan of any given team or player. You might worry about getting grilled by a veteran fan who thinks you owe them answers to a pop quiz, just like wearing a band shirt without knowing all their songs.

But don't worry! Here's why it's okay to wear a vintage sports jersey even if you’re not a sports fan:

1. Most sports fans are happy to see their team represented and enjoyed. New fans should be welcomed!
2. The chances of getting questioned are slim, especially if you go for a generic team design instead of a player-specific jersey or one from a famous year.
3. It's totally fine to wear a vintage sports jersey just because you like how it looks. You can simply appreciate the vintage sportswear and retro Americana aesthetic.
4. Vintage sports jerseys are now part of streetwear fashion, worn by celebrities and style icons.
5. Vintage sports jerseys represent a piece of sports history and cultural nostalgia for everyone.

However, keep in mind:

It does pay to look up some basic info about the team or player. If only to avoid a major faux pas, like wearing a Yankees jersey to a Red Sox bar.

Remember, the key is to wear it confidently and be ready to appreciate its significance beyond just the sport itself. And if you’re still worried: Jerseys that employ the retro sports look but don’t link to any real, existing team are out there as well!

Sports jerseys, even when designed just as fan merch, generally follow the look of the uniforms of the sports itself. Not just in the obvious way, with team colours and logos, but in terms of coverage:

Basketball championships are held indoors, so their jerseys are commonly sleeveless and breezy, while ice hockey jerseys are more like sweaters. Soccer jerseys have short sleeves while motorcross jerseys sport long ones. Baseball shirts are usually buttoned and feature that classic pinstripe, and darts jerseys often have a polo style collar.

Let’s take a look at some of the most recognizeable jersey styles:

Key features of vintage baseball jerseys

• Often feature button-up fronts
• Classic pinstripe designs
• Made from breathable cotton or wool blends
• Team names or city names across the chest
• Player numbers on the back
• Iconic examples: New York Yankees pinstripes, Brooklyn Dodgers jerseys

Baseball jerseys often feature a button-up front, so to style them you can easily wear them as a short-sleeved shacket over another top. Since they are usually light in colour, dark colours will make them stand out more. If you want to lean into the stripes and add more, make sure they are of the same thickness and run in the same direction: pinstripes seldom look good over thick horizontal bars.

Key features of vintage hockey jerseys

• Thicker, sweater fabric
• Typically long-sleeved
• Usually a V-shape neck, sometimes laced
• Bold team block colours and large logos
• Player numbers on sleeves and back

Hockey jerseys essentially function like bright, colour-blocked sweaters. Follow their lead: highlight their primary colour and let the secondary colours return in the other parts of your outfit for a cohesive look.

In the picture above, we’ve picked the colour of the jeans to match the blue bands of the jersey, and added sneakers in primary colours.

Key features of vintage baseball jerseys

• Sleeveless
• Long
• Lightweight, mesh fabrics
• Large numbers on front and back
• Team names prominently displayed
• Often feature contrasting trim
• Iconic examples: Boston Celtics' classic green, Los Angeles Lakers' purple and gold

Basketball jerseys are often made of a mesh material for maximum breathability during exercise, and some feature really large arm holes. Use their see-through quality and wear a tight top underneath in a complimenting or contrasting colour to create interesting layering effects and prevent revealing too much.

Since they’re so long, you might want to tuck them in, or combine them with tight pants or a long skirt so they’ll fall nicely over your hips.

Blokecore is an urban trend originating in England, based on the kind of everyday casual attire the average working class sports fan might wear. It’s almost synonymous with Britpop, combining baggy athleisure gear with knitwear and bling.

The key to this look are primarily soccer and rugby jerseys, England’s most popular sports.

If you’d like to style your jersey this way, consider combining it with a velours tracksuit and bucket hat, and stack on some (gold) chains. Read more about dressing like the 90s britpop bands here.

Looking for more avant-garde ways to wear vintage sports jerseys? Sure! Go nuts! Who cares that it was born a sports item? It can be whatever it wants to be! Or you want it to be. Some ideas:

•  Wear an oversized jersey as a shirt-dress with some short-shorts underneath

•  Layer a waistcoat or bustier over it.

•  Invoke a little racetrack ruggedness and combine that motorcross jersey with some distressed denim tucked into biker boots.

•  Go punk: Let a vintage baseball jersey blouse over a flared, pleated skirt or skinny jeans, and add a (studded) belt around your waist for extra effect.

•  Red carpet ahead? That long satin skirt is just begging for a supple, flowing, basketball jersey tank on top. If Gabby Prescod can wear it during New York Fashion week, so can you.

•  Not afraid to hoist the scissors? Crop it and wear it with some baggy pants or dungarees.