How Liverpool Fashion Trends Influence the Whole Country
The idea of Scouse exceptionalism is a real thing, with some people from Liverpool considering themselves to be above those from other areas in certain respects.
One of these is fashion, seeing Scousers set the trends that are often then followed by other parts of the country. This can be in the typical sense of fashion, being that of clothing, but it has also occurred in the way of the likes of beauty and even hairstyles.
From the moment that The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, for example, mop tops became all the rage the world over. Another Liverpool haircut is all the rage these days, known as the Scouse Trim, so these aren’t isolated instances. What’s more, this is just the tip of the Liverpool fashion iceberg.
Fashion Driven by Football
Prior to the latter part of the 1970s, trainers would only be worn by those taking part in sport or some other form of physical activity. That all began to change when Liverpool Football Club began to enjoy success in Europe, seeing the supporters leave the city for pastures new and return home with the likes of trainers and other forms of fashion that weren’t yet common in the United Kingdom.
These supporters soon became known as Casuals, with the association between them and hooliganism not taking long before it took hold, but in the modern day the true legacy of the Casuals is in their fashion.
@cultureforce Football is taking over fashion! #fashion #football #streetwear #drip ♬ original sound – Culture Force
Adidas might have been the most sought-after of trainers, other brands such as Sergio Tacchini, Stone Island, Fred Perry and Lacoste also became influential. Such is the extent to which they were brought to the UK by Scousers that they soon became part of the mainstream.
Football supporters would head to Europe and bring back any number of different items of clothing that came hugely popular for men and women, albeit to a lesser extent with the latter. You could learn what the culture was by buying magazines such as The End, set up by Scouse musician Peter Hooton.
Fashion Underdogs
The people of Liverpool have long been considered to be fashion underdogs. This can be seen in the way that things started by Scousers, such as shell suits and the manner in which WAGs dressed up, were soon imitated by people in other parts of the country.
Whether it be wearing Nike Air Max ’95 trainers or putting on a North Face jacket, where Scousers led, other parts of the country soon followed. It is also telling that some things revered in other parts of the country, like Burberry, never really took hold in Liverpool and soon became associated with a certain type of person as a result.
#liverpoolfc – #chelseafc 1985/86
#liverpool #lfc #ynwa #chelsea #cfc #london #premierleague #football #footballculture #fashion #lifestyle #life #style #travel #explore #awaydays #casuals #casual #80s #80sfashion #casualstyle #footballfans #love #photography #terracecuture #culture #photo— SparkAlistair (@alistairspark.bsky.social) Sep 13, 2025 at 23:51
That isn’t to suggest that Scousers haven’t embraced labels. Depending on which decade you’re talking about, you could see the residents of Liverpool wearing items by Hugo Boss, Armani or Versace. Scousers tend to become fashion-obsessed as a child, growing used to seeing what others are wearing and, rightly or wrongly, judging them accordingly.
In spite of the manner in which fashion trends so often tend to start out on Merseyside, it will always be London, Paris, Milan and New York that people look to in order to get a sense of what kinds of clothes people are wearing.
A City of Beauty
Whilst the likes of the Daily Mail might like to act holier than thou and report on events such as the Grand National with a sneering attitude, the truth of the matter is that Liverpool is full of men and women that like to look at their best. The preparation for this can be seen well in advance of such major occasions, which is when hairdressers and makeup artists get booked prior to the big day.
This desire to look as good as possible will often see girls heading out to the supermarket or elsewhere with rollers in their hair, knowing that they have to be slightly embarrassed in the day for a killer look at night.
Say what you want about the look that Scousers opt for, but it doesn’t take long for something such as a Scouse Brow to catch on elsewhere in the country and become much desired. A quick walk around Liverpool city centre will see you witness any number of different fashion looks, each bearing their own unique level of interest.
It has long been the case, which is why retailers like Wade Smith were so popular, before the homogenisation of fashion thanks to the prevalence of shops such as Topshop and Zara hit the high street. Even though they’re here, Liverpool’s fashion remains one of its best assets.
