Dressed to Impress

If the recent months of electioneering has taught us nothing else, it has reminded us that even though the average football supporter has long ago given up the humble rosette as a way of showing their colours, politicians certainly haven't.  Oh, we've also had it confirmed that Liz Truss is a classless bag of empty-headed guff that will forever be an embarrassment to her country if not her species.  But this was hardly news to anyone.

The three elements that historically marked out the average footie-fan from the public at large were the wearing of a flat cap, scarf and rosette.  Some might argue that rattles were also a big thing, but I don't think they were as prevalent as the garb previously outlined.  Sure, there were rattles at games, but I can't honestly recall seeing more than a half dozen in nigh on 40 years watching live football.  Like episodes of Fawlty Towers or Bela Lugosi Dracula movies - we recall there being far more than there actually were.  In reality we had a dozen of the former and just 2 of the latter and in one of those movies poor Bela played second (third?) fiddle to Abbot and Costello!

The bottom seemed to fall out of the flat cap market by the mid-1950's when ever more elaborate rock 'n' roll hairstyles needed more air to breathe.  A few of us kept the flame alive thereafter and even though our numbers have been bolstered by a few "Peaky Blinder" wanabees, I fear the flat cap heyday will remain firmly in the past.

Rosettes too seem to have long outstayed their welcome with the average football fan.  When was the last time you wore one?  Or even saw one?  And if it you can recall wearing one, chances are you were busy straightening it out while walking down Wembley Way.  And yet, for the political classes, they are still seen as the cutting edge of haute couture.  But then again, outdated concepts like National Service, DIY dentistry and scurvy were briefly considered desirable in certain, desperate political quarters.

The humble scarf, by contrast, has gone from strength to strength and they are now more popular than ever.  Remember when you were a kid - you had, if you were lucky, a single Poppies scarf.  It may even have been a second-hand one lovingly handed down by a relative who managed to escape supporting the club and handed the responsibility on to you.  

These days you cannot open a cupboard at home without numerous scarves tumbling out.  New ones.  Old ones.  Lucky ones.  Bespoke ones ordered online one night with a few drinks inside you.  Different coloured ones.  Wembley 1979 silk ones.  Winter ones.  Summer ones.  Ones that you've mysteriously "acquired" after a protracted post match drinking session.  That embarrassing half-and-half Leeds one you push right to the back on the wardrobe.  Mmm.  Must have a bit of a tidy out....

Politics aside, with rosette to the fore, if nothing else,
Rosie is a hell of a lot easier on the eye than Phil Hollow-point.