Posh & Becks Forever: The Beckham Style Guide

As an avowed indoor kid, I thought I’d never get into any sports-related content. BECKHAM, Netflix’s latest sports docuseries and my latest obsession, has proved me wrong. Unsurprisingly, it turns out a large factor in handing over the keys to my ill-coordinated heart is the wild Y2K stylings of Victoria and David Beckham. 

Luxury fashion and pro sports go hand in hand now, but the way that Beckham used fashion to express himself off the pitch was a novelty at the time. As the documentary shows, the push and pull between his working class upbringing and sudden wealth as a footballer fed into his relationship with clothing. It would be easy to dismiss Beckham’s costly fashion experiments as mere conspicuous consumption by a newly-minted tabloid celeb, but his flamboyant style also signaled his burgeoning independence from the conservative father figures in his life. 

Victoria Adams AKA Posh Spice arrives in Beckham’s life as both a reflection of and a catalyst for this rebellious period. They recount stories of Beckham driving down lonely highways after practice in order to meet Victoria for 20 minutes in a carpark, hiding from the rabid paparazzi. You get the sense that Posh’s fierce street style was in part a statement of defiance to the press that wanted to grind her down into a docile footballer’s wife. As their relationship grows, their looks become more and more coordinated – I can just imagine Posh dressing David, pushing him to take bigger and bigger risks. 

The story of the Beckhams’ rise and fall in the public eye has taken over my life this week, and my online shopping carts reflect it. From oversized leather trenches to micro club tops and sarongs, shop our edit inspired by Posh and Becks’ most iconic looks. 

First, of course, we must discuss The Sarong Photo. In Beckham’s most defiant and unpopular professional period – in part spurred by his refusal to give up a relationship with Victoria – David is photographed with Posh while wearing a sarong over his pants. At the time, this photo spawned a thousand homophobic headlines in both tabloid and mainstream press. Beckham is red carded in a key England game shortly thereafter, and the sarong photo is fuel for the fire of British fans’ anger. I absolutely love this look, and David has defended it in the press for over a decade since.