It’s time for our February Feature, and for this one we sat down with Roo Oxley, author of new casual book ‘Clobber’. If you’re into the scene, and have an Instagram account, chances are you will be aware of Roo, but hopefully the below delves a little deeper into what makes Roo tick. Enjoy…
Afternoon Roo, how are you today?
Ayup Dan, yeah all good here, how’s you?
I’m good cheers. For those who may not be aware, give us a brief background into who you are?
No one special! I’m just a girl from Stoke who is into football and fashion. In more detail, I’m a recently published author who has written a book called Clobber! a kind of hybrid book/ academic study on the subculture of football casuals both pre and post Covid in terms of symbolic and collective consumption.
What made you get into the casual scene in the first place?
I’m from Stoke and have witnessed and been round the scene since I was growing up. With no terrace culture anymore, I’m just interested in seeing how and why people are still affiliated with this subculture by how they dress and how they represent their identity.
Tell us more about the book and how it came about?
It adds to the research I did for my Master’s degree over a decade ago. That was focussed on Stoke-on-Trent’s terrace culture; the book looks further afield and speaks to firms, lads and brand owners all over the country and abroad. The crux of the book is to find out the reasons why people are still connected to terrace brands if there are no terraces anymore. It also explores brand consumption for today’s unfortunate TikTok generation and how Covid and online consumption affects brand identity amidst the decline of youth subcultures. It is a mix of interviews, scholarly research and my own self-deprecating style of writing.
How has the book been received so far?
Really good on the whole. Obviously, there are purists of the genre who haven’t read the full book and assume its just about casuals- which has been done to death. Its much more than that and I’ve had such great feedback. It must be doing something right as it has been number one in both the Consumer Guides and Social Sciences categories on Amazon.
You’re a Stoke fan aren’t you? Do you get to many games?
Unfortunately yes to both questions!
Moving away from football for a minute, what music are you into?
Old skool piano house, house music, trip hop, nineties indies, 80s… anything decent! I love music, I love listening to it and am always blaring out something to charge the endorphins and create the goose bumps.
Gigs or football, what you picking?
Gigs! More atmosphere.
What’s your favourite clothing label and why?
Without being a cliché and totally obvious, I do love my Stone Island but more of the rarer pieces. I love CP and Tacchini also.
Where can people find you on socials?
@missroooxley… my old account got deactivated after I described myself in a bikini in a hot tub as ‘tit soup.’ I can’t be arsed to do any of the other ones.
Finally describe yourself in only 3 words…
‘Loves Tit Soup’ 😉
*Image credit to https://www.rkellyphoto.com/
Casual Cultures 