“Fashion is always going to be important in every sport,” she says. “People loved what he[Beckham] did as a footballer,but everyone loved him off the pitch for his hair,all of that. I mean,I had the blonde tips back in the day.”
For the Matildas captain,who says soccer only makes up about five per cent of her life,the clothes that define both her style and sense of self go far beyond the green and gold of her Matildas kit. Off the pitch,Kerr’s style is what her long-term partner,US soccer player Kristie Mewis,defines as “sporty tomboy”.
In her own words,Kerr’s personal style has come full circle. When the Chelsea FC player,now 30,was in her late teenage years,she dressed much like she does today,prioritising comfort above all else. But during her mid-20s,Kerr felt pressure to fit in,dressing in what she thought was expected of female athletes at the time.
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“I’ll look at photos of myself,when I’m at awards or something,and kind of cringe because I can see myself trying to do what other people wanted me to,” says Kerr.
Today,she only has four or five pieces from the women’s section in her closet,and she’s not afraid to tell stylists on photoshoots what she won’t wear.
“People expect that of me now,” she says. “If I were to go and wear a dress,people would be a bit like,‘Woah,what’s going on here?’ I’ve made it my normal.”