Posts Tagged ‘Clothing’

It was in the Victorian period that football emerged as a popular sport, being somewhat regulated in 1863 when the Football Association was formed. In these early years specialised clothing was not really needed for matches, players turned up in whatever clothing was to hand, normally teams would be distinguished by the wearing of coloured scarves or caps. This period however saw football in its infancy, the rules varied depending on which public school was playing, for instance, Rugby School played rules where handling of the ball was allowed and Cambridge University and the Sheffield Club played a game where the use of hands was outlawed. Eventually this led to a split between the two forms of the game, one becoming rugby and the other football. It was at this stage that codified rules were produced.


It was in the 1870s that the first uniform kit clothing started to appear. In most cases the colours of the kits related to the school or organisation that was affiliated to the team. In the first ever FA Cup Final, which took place in 1872 the two finalists played in clothing with an eclectic mixture of colours. The Wanderers wore pink, cerise and black while their opposition the Royal Engineers (army teams regularly played in the early years) wore dark red and navy clothing. At this early stage however, players were restricted by living costs, if a player could afford a shirt in the team colours, more often than not they could play for the team. Subsequently the most popular colour was plain white, as it was the cheapest and most widely available.


It was not long before specialist sports clothing manufacturers started to arise. In 1879 Bukta began making football shirts. Shirts however is a misnomer, in this early period the clothing was often labelled as jerseys, sarks and even Guernseys. It was in 1883 that the term shirt was first used, the result of vertical striped patterns arising in many teams. At this stage the range of colours used was probably at its largest in the sport’s history. A mixture of economic and practical reasons led to the diminishing of diversity and a more general set of colours used for all kits across the land.


In terms of the bottom half of the player, originally knickerbockers; a piece of clothing that covered the knees, worn due to rules about knee coverage from the FA. In addition heavy shin guards and stockings were worn on the legs. However the rules pertaining to the covering of knees were relaxed at the turn of the century and players soon wore shorts; at this stage, the stockings on the feet of players were first regarded to be part of the kit. Colours for these items of clothing were not as diverse as the shirts, in most cases, white, black and grey were the only colours available.


In this period the materials used for clothing were hard wearing cottons that allowed for the tugging of shirts during play. It was not until the middle of the twentieth century and further regulation of the rules that lightweight shirts were introduced. Predominantly this began on the continent but eventually spread to Britain in later years. At this stage however fans and spectators rarely wore team shirts as a means of support; it was more oft the case that the crowd would have a scarf with the team colours to show support. This however changed in the latter half of the twentieth century as teams saw the monetary benefits of selling shirts to fans. Today the manufacture of replica shirts is a multi million pound industry as fans are proud to sport the attire of their favoured team.

A Beginner’s Guide To Golf Clothing

When selecting a new item of golf clothing you should always take into consideration the dress code or restrictions of your local golf club or course. A more obvious but sometimes overlooked factor is the expected weather conditions across the duration of the game – from a quick nine holes to a full-blown 4-day golf tournament. It is vital to remain comfortable throughout the duration of the game to maintain a consistent performance. Golf clothing should be light and comfortable with enough room to move comfortably during play. A slightly vainer factor to take into account is how you look to your contemporaries and other players on the course – if you look good, you’ll feel good and that will increase your confidence and performance on the day.

Standard lines of golf clothing includes trousers/shorts, shirts, sweaters, fleeces, waterproof suits and suitable headwear. The addition of high performance membrane-based materials like GolfTex by Palm Springs offer exceptional levels of breathability and lightness, with the additional benefit of longevity and the ability to dry quickly in the event of a light shower; whilst the build-up of sweat in warmer conditions can be easily prevented by wicking moisture away from the skin. Golf fashion still maintains the overriding factor in the latest designs and styles of golf clothing; in recent years the influence of other brands such as Nike and Adidas has lead to the incorporation of sporting elements in golf clothing to enhance the player’s performance on the course.

Golf Clothing – Breathable Waterproof Suits

Offering exceptional levels of waterproofing and breathability these suits are designed to protect the entire body from the shoulders down from the bracing elements associated with playing golf in the United Kingdom. This item of golf clothing is lightweight and can therefore be easily stored in one of the many pockets found on the majority of today’s golf bags. The waterproof membrane used in most breathable suits is designed to repel water droplets – allowing the material to dry quickly between showers.

Golf Clothing – Golf Sweaters

A golf sweater is highly recommended in case of sudden weather changes to provide extra warmth and protection against the wind. Sweaters are available in a variety of materials and in a variety of styles including full length or polo-necked.

Golf Clothing – Golf Shirt

Most golf course dress codes require players to wear a collared shirt. Tennis shirts and button down shirts are usually acceptable, but most players opt for a cotton or micro-fibre polo shirt. Golf polo shirts can be just a simple top, or it can come with new material technologies designed to keep you cool and fit perfectly through each moment of your game.

Golf Clothing – Golf Trousers

While most clubs permit men to wear tailored golf shorts, you should check to see whether only trousers are allowed. Women’s golf dress codes usually allow for knee-length shorts or skirts.

Golf Clothing – Golf Headwear

No matter what the weather is doing or is forecast to do, some form of golf head gear is recommended. A wide brimmed hat is usually the most versatile option, providing sun protection on clear days as well as cover from rainfall during wet weather.

Golf Clothing – Personalisation Service

If you’re interested in personalising your clothing we can offer a competitive branding or logo service where we’ll add an embroidered or printed logo or message on clothing or accessories such as bags, towels, caps, and clothing and golf balls. Please visit www.golfballs.co.uk for more information or telephone 01527 598 388 to speak to someone about our personalised golf equipment service.

When selecting a new item of golf clothing you should always take into consideration the dress code or restrictions of your local golf club or course. A more obvious but sometimes overlooked factor is the expected weather conditions across the duration of the game – from a quick nine holes to a full-blown 4-day golf tournament. It is vital to remain comfortable throughout the duration of the game to maintain a consistent performance. Golf clothing should be light and comfortable with enough room to move comfortably during play. A slightly vainer factor to take into account is how you look to your contemporaries and other players on the course – if you look good, you’ll feel good and that will increase your confidence and performance on the day.

Standard lines of golf clothing include trousers/shorts, shirts, sweaters, fleeces, waterproof suits and suitable headwear. The addition of high performance membrane-based materials like GolfTex by Palm Springs offer exceptional levels of breathability and lightness, with the additional benefit of longevity and the ability to dry quickly in the event of a light shower; whilst the build-up of sweat in warmer conditions can be easily prevented by wicking moisture away from the skin. Golf fashion still maintains the overriding factor in the latest designs and styles of golf clothing; in recent years the influence of other brands such as Nike and Adidas has lead to the incorporation of sporting elements in golf clothing to enhance the player’s performance on the course.

Breathable Waterproof Suits

Offering exceptional levels of waterproofing and breathability these suits are designed to protect the entire body from the shoulders down from the bracing elements associated with playing golf in the United Kingdom. This item of golf clothes is lightweight and can therefore be easily stored in one of the many pockets found on the majority of today’s golf bags. The waterproof membrane used in most breathable suits is designed to repel water droplets – allowing the material to dry quickly between showers.

Golf Sweaters

A golf sweater is highly recommended in case of sudden weather changes to provide extra warmth and protection against the wind.  Golf equipment sweaters are available in a variety of materials and in a variety of styles including full length or polo-necked.

Golf Shirt

Most golf course dress codes require players to wear a collared shirt. Tennis shirts and button down shirts are usually acceptable, but most players opt for a cotton or micro-fibre polo shirt. Golf polo shirts can be just a simple top, or it can come with new material technologies designed to keep you cool and fit perfectly through each moment of your game.

Golf Trousers

While most clubs permit men to wear tailored golf shorts, you should check to see whether only trousers are allowed. Women’s golf dress codes usually allow for knee-length shorts or skirts.

Golf Headwear

No matter what the weather is doing or is forecast to do, some form of golf head gear is recommended. A wide brimmed hat is usually the most versatile option, providing sun protection on clear days as well as cover from rainfall during wet weather.