Football Shirts Should Fit Women Too

For many years, women football fans have had to make do with merchandise that wasn’t designed with them in mind.

You could buy the shirt. You could support your team. But finding something that actually fits could be another matter entirely.

At Fulham Lillies, we believe that women shouldn't have to compromise between wearing their club colours and wearing something that feels comfortable and right for them. That’s why we’ve been talking to Fulham about women’s merchandise and, importantly, providing feedback on the range of products available to female fans.

But we also want to hear from you.

What would you like to see Fulham selling for women?

Is it more choice in shirts and training wear? Different styles and fits? Better sizing? More casual clothing? More women-specific designs? Or simply more merchandise that recognises that women aren't an afterthought when it comes to supporting Fulham? We want to hear what you think.

Why does a women's fit matter?

A football shirt isn't simply a piece of merchandise. For supporters, it's a way of showing who we are, who we support and where we belong. But traditionally, many football shirts have been designed around a male body shape - broader shoulders, a straighter torso and different proportions. Women's bodies aren't simply smaller versions of men's bodies.

A properly designed women's or curved-fit shirt can take account of differences in shoulders, waist, hips, sleeves and body length, making it more comfortable and wearable.

And that's important.

It's also not about suggesting that every woman wants a fitted shirt. We don't. Some women prefer an oversized, relaxed shirt. Others want something more tailored. Some want a men's fit. Others want a women's fit.

The point is choice.

A genuine women's fit gives female supporters another option rather than expecting us all to squeeze ourselves into a shirt designed around someone else's body.

Merchandise should reflect the fans

Women are a huge part of football's supporter community. We stand on terraces, sit in stands, travel to away games, buy season tickets, bring our children to matches, buy shirts and merchandise and spend money supporting our clubs. So the merchandise available to us should reflect that. Having women's-fit football shirts isn't about creating a separate version of football for women. Quite the opposite.

It's about recognising that women are already an important part of the game.

And getting the fit right is just one part of that. We want to see a merchandise range that gives women choice, quality, value and representation, whether you're looking for something to wear on matchday, something casual for everyday life, or something to give another Fulham fan.

So, what do you want to see?

We've already been sharing feedback with Fulham about women's merchandise, but we don't want to stop there.

We want to hear from you.

What do you think Fulham currently gets right? What could be improved? And if you could add one thing to the Fulham merchandise range for women, what would it be?

Your feedback matters because clubs need to understand what their female supporters actually want — not what they assume we want.

Football is our game too. Our merchandise should feel like it is too.

Have your say and let us know what you'd like to see from Fulham's women's merchandise range.

Drop us an email at fulhamlillies@gmail.com