Gareth Southgate, the current England manager, has started a fashion trend with his signature navy blue waistcoat

Football fans must be wondering what the England Manager has got to do with Fashion. Well, it’s quite simple—ever since the FIFA World Cup, in Russia, waistcoat sales have skyrocketed in the UK. The reason? Gareth Southgate became the tournament’s unlikely fashion icon.

Generally speaking, people usually wear waistcoats to attend more formal events, such as weddings and gala parties. They can be worn open, in a more casual setting, or buttoned up, which appears to be Southgate’s preference. Sources suggest that public demand for waistcoats on UK high streets has risen by at least 40%, a trend that seemed to strengthen throughout the World Cup.

Waistcoats are not overly expensive when compared to other exclusive fashion accessories, usually costing around £65. That would seem a fair price, to be that guy amongst your friends who was able to jump on the trend early on in the tournament, that is, of course, assuming that none of your friends did too.

According to recent research on the streets of London, the public’s preferred colour is dark (or navy) blue. Coincidentally, the very same colour used by the England manager. Perhaps this is a lesson in fashion marketing: Sometimes there is no logic to these trends and all you need is the right person in the right place, if only for a few minutes, to launch a new fashion fad. But, hey, we’ll leave that one for the fashionistas to mull over.

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