Meet My Hyperfixation: Michael's Love for Scarves

My hyperfixation? Scarves.

I know what you are thinking, you’ve never heard me talk about my love for scarves or even seen me wear a plain old scarf in my daily wardrobe, so how is this possible?

That’s because my hyperfixation isn’t with the fashion side of scarves, although perhaps next Gather I’ll roll up in a sick Pashmina Afghan or babushka shawl. My hyperfixation is finding and collecting soccer scarves.

Confused? Let me tell you a little bit more about the wider scarf ecosystem.

For most sports, fans wear jerseys or hats to show their allegiance to their team of choice. For soccer, fans wear scarves. Now that may seem odd at first glance, why a scarf of all things to show team support?

For one, practicality. Soccer scarves started off as a way to stay warm and show team allegiances. In early 20th-century England, this became customary for supporters who watched games in chilly stands and terraces.

By the mid-1900s, these scarves had evolved from club colors and simple stripes into fully designed pieces featuring team crests, slogans, match details and other design elements. Today, clubs continue to push aesthetics to develop unique pieces relative to their location.

Now scarves have become so ubiquitous with the beautiful game inside and outside of England that regardless of where you are, stadiums, shops and stands are stocked with them. Their popularity has led them to become an integral part of match day and all of the rituals that accompany it: fan marches to stadiums, goal celebrations, and of course signing club anthems. What was once a simple necessity for watching football comfortably, has now not only become a collectible for the beautiful game, but also an absolute must for the definitive fan experience.

For me, my scarf collecting days started when I was in elementary school. I had family friends who live in the U.K. and knew how big of a Manchester United fan I was, so for one birthday they were kind enough to commemorate that with a scarf from a local Manchester shop. Just like that, my collection started.

As life moved forward, it started to become something that was a central part of my travels and something that I prioritized any time I was in a new city, could attend a game, or even just had time to kill.

What started as a simple scarf has blossomed into an ever-growing collection featuring favorites from far and wide - like Bodø (Norway), Madrid, Paris, London, Seattle, and many places in between.

(Some of my prized favorites)

If you ever find yourself in a new city or with time on your hands, I would definitely suggest searching for some scarves and seeing what you can find. Who knows, it might become your hyperfixation too and the start of a new collection (or you can become a scarf plug for me)!