A round up of Union Jack inspired clothing to get you in the mood for London 2012 Olympics

With the excitement of the Olympic torch arriving in the West Midlands, the Olympics suddenly became all too real, up until this point I hadn’t really paid much attention. So, it was actually whilst window shopping over the weekend that I realised exactly how much the shops and fashion industry are gearing people up to support team GB. Forever 21 in the Bullring have created an incredible homage to London – a great way to highlight how iconic the UK is. I wouldn’t describe myself as being overly patriotic, so I figured ideas on how to fashionably support Britain during the London 2012 Olympics would be an interesting topic to explore.

For those who want to show their support, but don’t want to be restricted to traditional red white and blue, River Island offers a vest top that features a multi coloured version of the Union Jack flag – the advantage to this is that it technically should coordinate with anything in your wardrobe. Furthermore, it’s an easy option for fashionistas who are looking for something that is slightly quirky.

River Island, also located in Birmingham’s Bullring is definitely in the spirit for supporting team GB, not only do they sell Union Jack inspired jeggings, they have gone one step further and displayed a Union Jack mannequin in the centre of the store – something that was certainly drawing attention from keen shoppers on a Saturday afternoon.

If you’re opting to take the more subtle approach, New Look has just what you need. A simple t-shirt with iconic images of London, it shows that you appreciate the capital without having to look like a tourist. New Look’s t-shirt is likely to be the safest option that is currently on offer from the high street, the fact that the Union Jack flag is used as a feature rather than a statement means that after the summer it won’t be destined to reside in the back of the wardrobe.

A word of warning however, if you do make the decision to wear Union Jack themed clothing resist the temptation to go over the top. Opt for sticking to one key piece rather than dressing from head to toe. Primark in Birmingham City centre have a unique take on making sure an outfit coordinates, whilst walking past their shop window I was stopped in my tracks and simply had to snap an image – be prepared for Union Jack overload……..

By Stephanie Campbell
Images credited to Stephanie Campbell