Budget supermarket chain Asda are giving patriotic England fans the chance to show their colors with a "wearable flag." It's a novel and highly practical suggestion for supporters in a nation famous for its impromptu summer downpours, but the modified St George's cross has one key design fault: it looks like a Ku Klux Klan hood when you put it on.

Wife has bought these wearable England flags from Asda for the kids. I'm not sure that they set the right tone. pic.twitter.com/GtnP59Ge3m — Ade Brandwood (@baggie_ade) May 27, 2014

Asda — who are owned by Walmart — are aware of the furore this misjudged garment has caused, and a spokesperson has given a comment to The Guardian:

"We know there's chatter on Twitter about our wearable World Cup flags, but it's simply a flag with a hood – nothing more, nothing less.

"We opted for a hood on our wearable England and Brazilian flags as you never know what the British weather will bring. We want customers to get behind the team without getting wet."

Fans who opt for the £3 ($5) piece of unofficial Three Lions merchandise will certainly be able to keep the rain off during transit to and from the pub, but they might not be able to avoid association with an American white supremacist group. Which doesn't seem like a trade-off worth making.

- - - - - - -

Ryan Bailey is a writer for Dirty Tackle on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter! Follow @RyanJayBailey