Eagles plaid bib overalls, sported by players at training camp, may upend Philly fashion
Could these new overalls topple Eagles sweatsuits as the most beloved ensemble in the Philadelphia region?
As Eagles fans eagerly await the return of the team’s kelly green uniforms, several Eagles players set their own fashion trend off-the-field Tuesday, when four members of the offensive line arrived at the first day of training camp in Eagles-themed bib overalls.
I suspect their impeccable wardrobe choice and absolute sartorial splendor will have long-lasting reverberations and may even result in the toppling of the matching Eagles sweat suit/tracksuit as the most beloved ensemble throughout the Delaware Valley.
A nod to when left guard Landon Dickerson showed up to training camp in jean overalls in 2021, Dickerson, left tackle Jordan Mailata, right tackle Lane Johnson, and center Cam Jurgens rolled into training camp at the NovaCare Complex in what Mailata dubbed their “Backstreet Boy look,” in a video posted to the Eagles social media accounts Tuesday.
Johnson donned a fetching striped green, white, and black Eagles overall outfit atop a gray T-shirt, and left one of his bib straps hanging loose and fancy free.
Mailata, Dickerson, and Jurgens all wore green-and-black plaid Eagles overalls, with Mailata and Jurgens going completely shirtless underneath, which is a choice. As someone who grew up in central Pennsylvania, it is a choice I’ve seen made often, but I have never before seen pulled off so well.
Fans immediately began clamoring for the Bird bib overalls on social media, asking where they could procure such a fan-friendly and functional fashion item.
Turns out, it’s the same place where you can buy an Eagles pink flamingo Hawaiian shirt, an Eagles floral sundress, and an adult Eagles onesie: FOCO.com.
Alas, the overalls are only available for preorder right now, with shipping dates in late August listed for the men’s and early September for the women’s.
Made of “sturdy and functional woven polyester canvas,” the overalls run $70 a pair, according to FOCO’s website.
“They are long enough to provide coverage and durability, so you can focus on cheering on your team without worrying about your outfit,” the site said. “Just don’t be surprised if a fellow fan asks for some help chopping wood when they see you in this epic lumberjack style.”
Please, for the love of all things holy, if you buy these, do not go anywhere with a drunk Eagles fan carrying an axe. It may sound like fun at first, but someone is going to get hurt.
FOCO, which makes just about every kind of sports merchandise you can think of (and some you haven’t) for just about every team you’ve heard of (and some you haven’t), also makes Phillies pinstripe bib overalls (sorry Sixers, Flyers, and Union fans — no bibs for you!).
Without even realizing it, these members of the Eagles offensive line may have started a cultural revolution here in Philly, where repping your team while being as comfortable as humanly possible is often considered the height of smart fashion.
To date, that’s meant that Philly pro sports team sweat suits and tracksuits have been en vogue everywhere from weddings to Wawa. Often paired with Iggles socks and slides, these versatile ensembles have long reigned supreme in Southeast Pennsylvania, with little challenge to their authority.
Sure, replicas of the Mummers outfit Jason Kelce wore to the Super Bowl Parade had their day, but they were never functional or comfortable enough to be a serious contender. And while Eagles jerseys are extremely popular, comfy, and useful, they’re only one piece of clothing and they require a whole other decision-making process about pants that’s honestly just a lot of work.
The bib overalls, however, could pose a serious challenge to the tracksuit/sweat suit dynasty. First, they are extremely comfortable and airy. Plus, if you drop some food in them, you can just shake a leg till it falls out. Genius!
They’re also functional. These jawns have five pockets — two in the front, two in the back, and one in the bib — which means if you keep one beer in your hand, you can carry a six-pack on you at all times. The overall bib buckle loops also make it easy to get the overalls on and off when you need to release all the beer you’ve processed.
Finally, they’re simple and to the point. If you wear them shirtless, as Mailata and Jurgens did, you only need to put on one item of clothing for an entire day, which is far less than the two items a tracksuit/sweat suit requires (I don’t condone going commando underneath, but whatever works for you).
Of course, most importantly, these overalls scream “I’m from Philly, you don’t like my outfit, I don’t care,” and they will serve as a beacon to all Eagles fans you encounter, who will undoubtedly compliment your impeccable fashion sense with our universal phrase of acknowledgment and approval: “Go Birds.”