10 HELPFUL TIPS WHEN STARTING A FOOTBALL SHIRT COLLECTION

Collecting football shirts is a wonderful hobby to get invested in and while some of you are seasoned pros, some of you are just starting out. We have compiled this list below and hope it comes in handy for both novices and veterans.

Welcome to cultkits.com and here are 10 Helpful Tips When Starting a Football Shirt Collection. Shop our New In collection to get your addiction going!

10) OUTLINE WHAT YOU WANT YOUR COLLECTION TO BE

You can’t own every shirt, it’s impossible. While the idea of owning thousands of shirts is a tempting one, it’s just not practical. So before you begin spending you need to assess what it is you want YOUR collection to be.

Do you want long sleeved shirts from the 90s? Do you want all of the Total90 Nike shirts from the 2000s? Do you want rare shirts? Pink shirts? Black & white striped shirts? The possibilities are endless!

So before you start spending yourself out of house and home, at least try and formulate a plan as to what will make your collection unique to you. Its a good idea to start with favourite team - for example collecting retro man utd shirts or any your favourite team can be a good start. You can also niche down further as per your interests.

9) AVOID MYSTERY BOXES

LET ME STRESS, SOME MYSTERY BOX SITES, ARE GOOD, DON’T GET ME WRONG. However if you are struggling to figure out where to start with your collection and you feel like something #omgsorandomlol might give you some inspiration, just reign it in a wee bit.

The surprise element of the concept is fun and exciting, what’s not exciting is the fact you pay through the nose for the gimmick, and the shirt you receive is more than likely from the back end of one of the more popular shirt retailers.
Again it’s not always the case, but if you want the surprise you know what you do?

8) ASK YOUR RELATIVES + SPECIAL OCCASIONS

BECAUSE WHY NOT!
Sure. Not every family is going to have shirts knocking around in their loft, but it’s worth a shot. In fact if you do find something that’s ‘retro’, keeping it in the family is not only going to hold meaning to you but there’s a higher chance of that shirt being valuable as it’s more likely to be genuine!

As for special occasions, asking your friends or family for a shirt for things like birthdays and Christmas and saying ‘get me anything’ will probably make it more surprising than any mystery box you could ever order. At least your mum or your brother know your likes and dislikes which probably increases your chance in getting something that can put your collection in the right direction. 

Check out our Unique Shirts section here to find your next bday gift!

7) SALES & CLEARANCES

May sound like an obvious one but you’ll be amazed at how many great deals you can find in the sale section of a shirt website or a Christopher Walk-In store... shut up I liked it.
Every shop will have deals and discounts and for first time buyers you’ll be amazed what you can find.

That’s not even mentioning things like Black Friday, Christmas again and of course, the end of season sales. Shirts that you may have wanted at the start of the season drops in price and save yourself BARE STONKS on a shirt that once it’s gone, may go up in value!

Check out the Cult Kits Clearance collection here! 

6) CHARITY SHOPS

If you really want your money to go far (which in today’s financial climate is a bloody understatement) then charity shops will be your preferred destination.

You won’t find shirts in every shop which is why this method can be tedious, but when you find what you’re looking for it’s a genuine feeling of joy.

Also you’re doing your bit for charity, so gold star for you.

5) EBAY 

eBay will be your friend, eBay will be your enemy but when used correctly eBay will make your postman your new BFFF4L!!

It is a whirlwind of people trying to sell anything and everything for a bit of quick cash and football shirts are no exception.

Of course there are an abundance of great tutorials out there on how to get the most out eBay so I won’t ramble on over here but if I could give some quick tips.

Make use of your saved searches and your saved sellers, get creative in your searches as people don’t always call them shirts and don’t be afraid to misspell the word ‘shirt’ because that happens, BELIEVE ME.

4) UNDERSTANDING FAKES 

After scrolling through eBay or visiting every charity shop in the country you may feel like there are more fake football shirts in the world than there are people. However, Sam the Man is here to save the day.

Obviously some shirts are going to be so fake that they’re almost impressive which, if you want to buy it go ahead no one’s stopping you, but for those shirts that look almost too good to be true, keep your eye out.

Google every product code, long number and label for proof, assess the way the shirt’s been made, IF IT’S GOT NEW TAGS ON AN OLD SHIRT, SELF ISOLTATE FROM THAT SHIRT AT ONCE.

Again, there are more in depth discussions out there on fake shirts, but if this list can stop someone from buying a fake shirt, I’ve done my job.

Check out our TikTok for more advice on fake kits!

3) USE SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media can be a cesspool at the best of times but the football shirt community online is actually brilliant to be a part of. Instagram has some of the most aesthetically pleasing displays of shirt collections out there. Reddit has even more discussions about everything I’ve talked about already AND MORE. As for Twitter, that is probably the best place for being a part of the community.

From reviewing shirts, trading shirts, helping yourself and other people find the best deals on shirts with discount codes and reminders of when things go on sale, it’s wonderful.

We all look out for each other, make sure people aren’t getting ripped off by fakes and making the community better by the day.

Hell, I got into writing for this very site through social media. It works trust me.

Follow us on Instagram @cultkits and drop us a DM if you have any queries!

2) ENJOY YOURSELF

Joe Johnston/@GlobalObsession – Source: irishnews.com

Hopefully by now you’ve gathered enough info to make a blueprint on how you’re going to get your collection started, but remember once you’ve started to genuinely have fun with it.

Hobbies are meant to take your mind off of life and focus your energy into something you enjoy and when done right, collecting shirts is really enjoyable.

When you start trying to turn your depop or eBay into a business sometimes the enjoyment levels can diminish and the thought of buying a shirt may make you sick to your stomach. Always try and have fun with it. Share the worst fakes on Twitter, showcase your best deals on Instagram, start discussions on Facebook. Just enjoy yourself, it’s very important.

BUT NOT AS IMPORTANT AS...

1) KNOW YOUR BUDGET 

This applies to most hobbies, but considering some shirts you may want might cost you an arm, a leg or sometimes both, this is the most important.

SET YOURSELF A BUDGET, AND STICK TO IT!
There is nothing worse than selling yourself short because you spent your rent money on a football shirt. Never put yourself in any financial risk at the expense of a Fiorentina shirt from 1995, it’s not worth it.

If you see a shirt you want and it’s £300 and you have a £100 monthly budget, SAVE YOUR MONEY! Don’t spend £200 that you don’t have or shouldn’t be spending because it’s needed for other things, save your budget and buy it at a later date. It will mean so much more to you.

Like I’ve said throughout the list, this is a hobby to be enjoyed. To be involved with a community of people that are wonderful human beings who are here, not only for each other in helping them with their collections but in their lives too, is a great thing. But you can’t overspend.

It is exciting buying shirts and getting your collection off the ground, but when it’s not fun because you can’t afford to do anything, let alone buy shirts, that’s when the old saying comes in.

When the fun stops, stop.

And that’s the list; did I miss any tips and tricks out? Let me know about them on Twitter (@daykahill_sam_p) and on Instagram (_sampalmer95). Get your collection started here on cultkits.com where you’ll find some of the best shirts on the internet and you can even see me showcasing my shirt collection over on Instagram (centrecircleshirtcollection).

Get collecting, and until next time...

Love to your mothers.

Words by Sam Palmer