Archive practice
Compare two shirt editions without confusing observation and inference
A side-by-side method for comparing football shirts while keeping design differences separate from unsupported authenticity claims.
Two shirts can share a club badge and still differ in cut, print, construction or release context. A useful comparison describes those differences before trying to explain them. This is especially helpful when researching older Ligue 1 designs whose product descriptions are no longer easy to find.
Start with a matching comparison sheet
Give each shirt its own record number. Photograph the same views and record measurements using the same method. Note whether you are comparing the same labelled size. A difference between a small and an extra-large cannot be treated as a clean comparison of the underlying cut.
Compare details in a fixed order
- Overall shape and panel layout.
- Collar, cuffs and hem construction.
- Badge and sponsor placement relative to seams.
- Label wording and any product identifiers.
- Name, number and competition patches, if present.
- Wear, repair or alteration that might affect the comparison.
Use three columns in your notes
Write an observation, a possible explanation and the evidence still needed. “Different sponsor size” is an observation. “A different retail release” is a possible explanation. A dated manufacturer listing could help test it. Keeping these separate stops the explanation from becoming a conclusion before the supporting material is found.
Be precise about the conclusion
You may conclude that two objects differ in particular visible details without knowing why. That is a valid result. Avoid turning a label, a stitch count or a resemblance to a photograph into an automatic authenticity test. Product histories, repairs and alterations can complicate an apparently simple comparison.
When publishing the record, identify the photographs as your own observations and link the dated primary material used for attribution. If new evidence changes the interpretation, add a revision note. The aim is a comparison another reader can follow, including the places where uncertainty remains.