“W henever you put something on, you’re making some sort of a statement, aren’t you?” So says the England coach and fashion icon Gareth Southgate , and I agree. Standing on a touchline in an M&S merino wool polo knit – short sleeves, half zip – I feel every inch the smart-casual centrist dad. Even the colour is neutral.
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During the 2018 World Cup, Southgate’s personal dress code heralded a new style of leadership for the England team: solid, understated, a little paternal. As the team progressed to the semi-finals, his Marks & Spencer waistcoats came to be regarded as a lucky talisman, and M&S was quick to capitalise – sales of its waistcoats doubled. View image in fullscreen ‘I feel every inch the smart-casual centrist dad’: Tim Dowling wears a short-sleeved polo sweater from M&S Autograph.
Photograph: Alicia Canter/The Guardian But Southgate’s style – sartorial and managerial – has evolved in the run-up to this summer’s Euro 2024 in Germany. “This year it will be more short-sleeved knits than a suit and tie, because we’re trying to create a relaxed environment,” he told GQ magazine. “When you’re working with young lads, you don’t want to be too stiff – in what you’re doing or wearing.
” Once again Southgate’s wardrobe choices appear to be contagious: days after this statement, the menswear retailer Ja.
