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I am staunchly opposed to adult men wearing sports jerseys. Are you an 18-year-old frat bro? No? Then there are only two instances when you should wear a jersey: if you’re a professional athlete or if you’re going to the stadium where said sports team is playing, and even the latter is pushing it. That means not at parties, not at bars and — God forbid — not at a restaurant.
If it seems I’m being unreasonable, I’m only laying the hammer down because we have come light years in terms of fan gear.
Brands like Mitchell & Ness, ‘47 and even Abercrombie & Fitch (no, really) have collections of tasteful and often vintage-inspired sweatshirts, tees, hats and jackets that’ll do better by your closet than any $130 jersey.
Whether you’re looking for NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS or college gear, or even need some threads to tide you over until the next World Cup, I’ve rounded up some of the brands that do it best below.
’47
Starting as a souvenir shop on a vacant lot next to Fenway Park 79 years ago, ’47 has become one of the most recognizable cap brands on the market, offering five different cap silhouettes, plus winter headwear and apparel. Their ’47 Clean Up is their most popular style — a 100% cotton cap with a relaxed, unstructured fit and curved visor. I’m a huge fan of the comfortable fit and unique, retro designs.
Abercrombie & Fitch
To be honest, I was pretty surprised to see that Abercrombie & Fitch’s collection with the NFL includes banger merch. Seriously, if I could purchase every piece of Eagles fan gear from A&F, I would. With merchandise for all 32 football teams, there’s something for everyone. From oversized sweatshirts with letter blocking and retro crewneck sweaters to varsity bomber jackets and graphic tees, the styles exude a cool, old-school feel.
Homage
Founded in 2007, Homage offers a nice mix of vintage-inspired apparel with designs referencing iconic pop-culture moments in sports, film and music. Whether it’s onesies for your kid that read “There’s no crying in baseball” or a retro coach’s jacket, Homage gear is for fans who know how to have a good time.
Mitchell & Ness
The Mitchell & Ness label made its debut in 1933 when it began making uniforms for the Philadelphia Eagles, and, a few years later, started outfitting for professional baseball teams. Today, if you want high-end sports gear, Mitchell & Ness is the place to shop. The Philadelphia-based brand offers a premium collection of authentic sports apparel and vintage jerseys for the MLB, NFL, NBA, NCAA and MLS.
Nike
Nike needs no explanation. All you really need to know is that the premier sportswear brand has an entire collection of high-quality fan gear for leagues from the NFL to the WNBA. If you must pick up a jersey, Nike has ’em equipped with sweat-wicking technology — but better to grab some more casual options like long-sleeve tees, hoodies, slides and sweatpants.
Tombolo
Tombolo was at the epicenter of some major sports moments this summer, with athletes like Alex Morgan and Josh Hart sporting the brand’s World Cup cabana shirts. While the tournament is over, you can still commemorate the sporting event of the summer with a piece from the official collection.
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