Grammy-nominated singer Gracie Abrams was photographed wearing a pair of Kildare boyfriend Paul Mescal’s iconic GAA shorts in a recent Rolling Stone photoshoot.
The US popstar appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone ahead of her upcoming world tour and following the success of her recent album, Daughter from Hell.
Abrams was photographed wearing white Naomh Conaill GAA shorts from Donegal.
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It is understood that Abrams and Kildare’s beloved Paul Mescal began their relationship around two years ago, so the choice of Donegal GAA shorts rather than the Lily Whites has raised a few eyebrows.
The shorts were originally given to Mescal by local club member Michéal Chancellor while he was filming the psychological drama God’s Creatures with Emily Watson in Donegal in 2021.
Mescal has previously attracted plenty of attention for turning GAA shorts into a fashion statement, but seeing his American popstar girlfriend embrace the look has come as a surprise to many.
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GAA sportswear brand O’Neills even appeared to be taken aback by the photoshoot, commenting on Instagram: "The names keep getting bigger...”
And while it might seem like an unlikely fashion choice for a Grammy nominee, it is another win for GAA shorts on the fashion scene.
The shorts have become so closely associated with Mescal that they even played a starring role in an unofficial lookalike competition held in Dublin last year.
Jack Wall O’Reilly won Dublin’s unofficial Paul Mescal lookalike contest in Smithfield Square on November 7, 2024, just hours before the Irish premiere of Mescal’s film Gladiator II.
The film student from Ennis, Co Clare, won the crowd over while wearing short shorts and earbuds, but it was his pair of white GAA shorts that helped seal the deal.
He eventually won the grand prize of €20 or three pints after quoting Normal People with the line: “You look really well.”
The competition took place near the Light House Cinema and was inspired by a similar Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest in New York.
Mescal himself later reacted to the Dublin competition during a radio interview, where he surprised Wall O’Reilly on air to chat about his unexpected victory.
So perhaps Gracie Abrams wearing the shorts shouldn't come as quite such a shock — Mescal has been proving for years that there are few occasions where a good pair of GAA shorts won't work.
