If fashion police existed in real life, the people of Fremantle would be in big trouble this week.
The port city has been painted purple in the lead-up to Saturday’s grand final against Hawthorn at the MCG.
Dockers fans have had little to cheer about over the past 19 years, so they’re making the most of a rare season of success.
Purple and good fashion don’t normally mix. It hasn’t been any different this week, but Dockers fans couldn’t care less.
Purple shoes, purple socks, purple stockings, purple shorts, purple shirts, purple wigs – if it’s purple, the people of Fremantle are wearing it.
And an unusually wet period in Perth has encouraged perhaps the biggest fashion crime of them all: full-body purple tracksuits.
They seem to be particularly popular among the older generation.
Even pets are being put through the purple wringer, with dogs decked out in ribbons and jumpers.
And if wearing purple isn’t enough, fans have the chance to munch down on some purple sausages or wet their whistle with a pint of purple beer.
Even sections of the street have been painted purple in celebration of the big occasion.
Not since Fremantle hosted the America’s Cup in 1987 has there been such a buzz in the city.
Fremantle’s unique mix of hippies, bogans, skaties, emos, musos and artists adds to the flair.
Shops are getting in on the act, moving any purple merchandise they have to the front of the store.
Stuff that would normally gather dust has been selling like purple hotcakes.
Dockers coach Ross Lyon hoped up to 15,000 fans would rock up to Fremantle’s open training session on Tuesday.
Only 6000 ended up attending in the dicey weather, but they put on a good atmosphere as Fremantle players lapped up the attention during the 54-minute session.
But in true Lyon fashion, players were made unavailable for autographs after the hit-out so they could focus on preparing for the big game.
Dockers defenders Michael Johnson and Luke McPharlin were no-shows at training, but the star duo are expected to front up against Hawthorn on Saturday.
Supporters were in loud voice before the players made their way out onto the field, with fans chanting “MCG, MCG, MCG” and “Freo, Freo” in several spurts.
Even a heavy burst of rain failed to dampen their spirits, although hundreds of fans made the dash for undercover areas.
But in a case of perfect timing, the sun peeked out from the clouds just as skipper Matthew Pavlich led the player group out at 9.52am local time.
Is it an omen for Saturday’s grand final? Only time will tell.