Studs Up

The folks at Umbro sent me an early Christmas present as a box arrived on my doorstep full of samples of their new Umbro Football Wardrobe line. (Photos below)

Umbro’s designed the line for both training and casual wear, using the tagline “Every Player, Every Day, Everywhere.” I definitely find myself struggling with the uninspired options that most of us face when it comes to buying football gear, choosing between stuff you can (or should) only really be wearing on the pitch and… well… not a lot else. Hence my own foray into the world of apparel to try to create something different and fresh through which you guys can indulge your football passion.

So when Tom at Umbro briefed me on what they were trying to do, I was intrigued, and when the package finally arrived, I was excited – unsure of whether it held delights or disappointment.

Luckily, it was a firm dose of the former. A trio of tops emerged, a navy crew neck jumper, a bright blue zip up training top and a red “drill top”. Immediately, I got a sense of what they were going for. Bright colours, quality construction (all the pieces are tailored in England) and bold, thick stitching to bring the classic Umbro logo to the forefront. I’m a sucker for good branding, and this was clean and crisp execution straight from the Apple handbook.

Of the three, only the red drill top was of questionable use as casual wear. Made from a tough, sturdy material that would certainly come in handy when battling rough weather during a match or training but not the sort of thing I’d personally wear out. The crew neck sweater, however, was soft, thick and well fitting and I ended up wearing it around the house and out to do a bit of Christmas shopping. It was one of those rare times since I was a small boy that I didn’t feel like a mug for wearing football gear for style purposes which, as far as Umbro is concerned, is mission accomplished.

The pick of the lot for me, though, is the zip up training top. A nice bold colour with two key elements – zipped pockets on the mid-section and a high, but loose, collar which looks and feels class when zipped up fully.

Overall, I think it’s a strong concept and very well executed at least from the pieces I was sent. Umbro’s been making some nice moves lately in both its boot and now apparel product lines and I’m excited to see them push things further. There’s not enough smart, unique stuff being done out there in the football landscape and this is a step in the right direction.