Poker Clothing I Would Actually Wear

To call myself a style guru would be a lie – as most of my ex-girlfriends would claim that I look as though I get dressed in the dark – but when it comes to poker I tend to at least make a bit of an effort!

I will never be a slacks and shirt or suit guy, so don’t get your hopes up for haute couture from the fashion catwalks of Paris, but do be prepared for a modern take on the hoodie, the ‘t’ and all things poker-related, and where better to start than with one of the most fun and high quality poker stores on the web…

Blind Squirrel Apparel

…and their ‘premium casual wear for risk-takers’ approach to clothes – was the lovechild of poker player AJ DeNicco back in 2010, and the logo of a blind squirrel was the perfect way to show that life, luck and happiness can find anyone, but will find no one that doesn’t put in the effort to find them!

What sets these guys apart from the fashion wannabes of the poker boom is two-fold: a dedication to quality of cloth and the ability to turn fun ideas into great threads. They boast a massive range of t-shirts, hoodies, hats, jackets and pretty much everything you need to look cool either at the table or on the streets, but I’m going to put a wardrobe together with one item from each of my poker fashion brands so….

…it has to be the ‘hell yeah’ bearded t-shirt! In bright yellow, pre-shrunk and only $25 it’s an absolute must for those who can’t actually grow one of those bloody beards themselves! It’s a design from their collaboration with ‘Mission First tactical', one of many that Blind Squirrel have entered into to bring you the best in casual wear for the poker tables.

If I was allowed another from their range then The Trooper97 in green would do nicely but instead I’m going to have to buy the women’s version for the next lucky (?) lady in my life. And since Blind Squirrel sponsor the OPL (Online Poker League) in which I’m currently doing horrendously (as in zero points) I’m hoping they’ll bring a bit of that ‘luck’ I mentioned in the opening paragraph.

One t-shirt isn’t enough, of course, because nowadays being a smelly poker player is frowned upon (unlike the mid-noughties when it seemed a pre-requisite for the degen pretend-ballers out there). So next shop on my virtual shopping trip has to be….

TeamNeverLucky.com

It might not have the wide range of clothes that Blind Squirrel does, but Parker Talbot’s t-shirts are the must-have item of the year! Talbot, better known as TonkaaaaP streaming on Twitch, is a high stakes MTT and SNG player with over $2.6 million in tournament winnings, and on top of that he is a three-time Supernova Elite with over 7.5million VPPs accumulated.

So if you’re looking to replicate success, try this slick Team NeverLucky white cotton tee featuring the TNL brand across the chest and the team color bars on the right sleeve. It’s cheap, but not cheaply made –as the label states, ‘Made in 'Merica, ships globally’ - so an all-American t-shirt which will separate you from the opposition. They also do it in black, but I’m trying to brighten up my outlook a bit.

If t-shirts are your ‘thing’, then the collaboration with Max Value Collection will keep you occupied for a while! Poker-themed plays on the big corporations are where it’s at, so ‘Gamble’ takes on the ‘Google’ logo look, while ‘Con Artist’ is their play on Converse – and there are dozens more!

What do we need on top of our t-shirt? Yep, a hoodie! Now I have to confess that I’ve been wearing hoodies since almost before they were even invented – and to be honest I’ve sported some real horrors in my day. Which is exactly what you won’t find among…

Jason Somerville’s RunItUp merchandise!

It’s unusual for me to look at a page full of clothes and not find something which makes me go ‘bleurrrrgh!’ but the Twitch TV supremo’s taste in clothes is as good as his live streams. I’m plumping for the 2016 Team RIU white hoodie with black and blue logo and you don’t even have to feel it to know your $50 is well-spent - just look at it, it screams quality!

Jason still has last year’s version available, and at a discount, but you really gotta keep up with the times! Check out the women’s ‘babydoll’ t-shirt while you’re at it – almost too nice, and perfect for the female players or your nearest and dearest.

OK, a hat! Can’t do without one and who else would know how to produce fashionable headwear other than…

Phil ‘Poker Brat’ Hellmuth

Hot off the presses, his number 14 PH-logoed baseball caps will serve you well in the cardroom and on the town. I’ll go with the white on black as that seems to be my theme just now, but if you like gold then that’s an option too, and at $29-95 it’s great quality at a great price.

If you’re more of a beanie man, then head back to Blind Squirrel and get the unisex nut-munching rodent-theme in a choice of about 20 colors – the best and warmest $12-95 you’ll ever spend.

Ok folks, I’ll soon be dressed and ready for action on and off the felt. Feel free to post your own poker-fashion tips below, but be warned - your well-worn ‘Ace of Spade’ underwear might not get past the censors!