'Normal People' has given us many things since it first aired in April – pangs of nostalgia, wanderlust and two new shining stars in Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones – but nothing as impactful as its fashion, with neck chains and GAA shorts becoming the hottest accessories of the summer.
And now, just a few months later, it seems the fashion world has gone GAA-mad.
It started early, with O'Neills GAA shorts experiencing a huge boost in popularity, as audiences raced to snap up a pair – preferably white with a maroon stripe. Onlookers were eager to copy leading man, Paul Mescal, who has been spotted jogging around his home in London wearing the staple of Irish childhood.
They're a firm favourite of Mescal's, with the star posting selfies in them as much as a year ago. But as one Twitter user said, no man has done more for O'Neills as the Kildare native.
No man has ever done so much for O'Neills in such a short space of time pic.twitter.com/PClnn32u6V
— Aifric Ní Chríodáin (@aifreckle) May 26, 2020
Men's fashion touchstone GQ were among the first to take notice, writing: "Wearing a pair of Adidas Stan Smiths and a retro track jacket by Ragyard, it was his thigh-high, super-skimpy shorts that got tongues wagging."
"Offering a whiff of Alan Partridge in his 1982 vintage shorts (you know the ones), Mescal's own O’Neills Maynooth GAA shorts allowed the actor to show off his brawny pins."
Paul Mescal is to O'Neills what Elizabeth Hurley was to Versace when she wore the safety pin dress
— James Kavanagh (@JamesKavanagh_) June 10, 2020
It's reignited the fashion industry's fascination with Irish wear, with classic staples from Aran jumpers to GAA jerseys showing up in Vogue magazine photo shoots and on the Instagram accounts of top fashion influencers.
Luxury Italian fashion house Gucci has even cornered the market somewhat, selling a pair of white "nylon swim shorts" featuring their distinctive green and red stripe down the leg.
They're gentrifying gaa https://t.co/Cdx10kjDzJ
— Orla ní Dhúill (@NaturallyOrla) June 9, 2020
"Crafted from waterproof nylon", the description says, "these swim shorts are completed by an elastic waistband with drawstring. The green and red Web ribbon runs down the sides and gives them an athletic feel with the Gucci jacquard label."
GUCCI GAA, the new fragrance ⚪️ For feen, for beour ⚪️ #GucciGAAng pic.twitter.com/PjyukcKR5G
— James Kavanagh (@JamesKavanagh_) June 9, 2020
Waterproof they may be, but the €550 price tag is nothing short of eye-watering, and as many have noted on Twitter the colours bear a striking resemblance to the Mayo GAA colours.
Those Gucci shorts are literally just the Mayo shorts pic.twitter.com/bayjmF4SuX
— Hugh Carr (@hughcarrhere) June 9, 2020
If accidentally siding with the Yew County is a risk you're not willing to take, you can also purchase the shorts in a muted green colourway, though we think we'll stick to our €19 O'Neills originals.
So sure, you can buy yourself the shorts, be them GAA or Gucci, but can you buy Mescal's unique brand of swagger? Unlikely.
