The Off-Season Wardrobe: Wearing Your Colours Between Siren and Round One
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The premiership cup has been handed over, the confetti has been swept off the MCG and the long footy-less stretch has officially begun. For a lot of supporters, this is when the jersey goes into the bottom drawer until March.
We'd like to make a case against that. A good supporter jersey isn't a costume for 23 rounds and a finals series. Done right, it's one of the most versatile things in your wardrobe. Here's how to keep your colours in rotation from now until the first bounce.
1. The spring layer
October and November in most of the country means cool mornings and warm afternoons. A heavyweight cotton jersey is ideal for exactly that. Ours are made from 320gsm cotton, which gives them enough weight to take the edge off a breezy morning without feeling like a winter knit. Wear it over a plain white tee and you can shed it by lunch.
2. Weekend casual
Stripes with denim is a combination that has never gone out of style. Pair your jersey with straight-leg jeans or chinos and clean white sneakers and it reads as relaxed, considered and a little bit nostalgic, which is exactly the point. It works at the farmers' market, at the pub and at the in-laws'.
3. Summer sport, footy spirit
The cricket's coming, the backyard games are starting and the barbecue invitations are stacking up. You don't need a game on to wear your stripes. Some of our favourite customer photos come from the beach car park, the boundary line at a Saturday cricket match and the back deck at Christmas. Footy colours have always belonged to more than the footy.
4. Look after it and it'll look after you
The off-season is also a good time to give your jersey some care. A few tips:
- Wash cold, inside out, with similar colours.
- Skip the dryer where you can; line-dry in the shade to protect the colour.
- Fold rather than hang heavy cotton to keep the shoulders in shape.
Treat it well and quality cotton gets better with age: softer, more lived-in, with a bit of character from every season it's seen.
5. Grab the right fit before the rush
If you're thinking about a jersey for Christmas, or for yourself for next season, now is the time to sort the sizing without the pre-season scramble. Our Size Guide has measurements for every cut, and you can always size up for a relaxed, old-school drape.
Worn beyond
Our line is "Born on the terraces. Worn beyond." The terraces are where it starts, but the "beyond" is just as important: the school pick-up, the weekend away, the summer in between. Your colours don't need a fixture to mean something.
Heritage Stripes is an independent supporter lifestyle label and is not affiliated with or licensed by the AFL or any club. Our jerseys are designed in classic stripes for people who love the game all year round.