As streetwear becomes more main stream, clothing has become more androgynous and simple. What is streetwear though? Well, it’s a style of casual clothing to say the least. It is becoming more mainstream through skateboarders(and their demographic), rappers, and social media through influencers. Nude and primary colors are seen more in clothing brands that have established themselves as high fashion streetwear. If you want to change up your style, there are some essentials in order to start on the path to becoming the streetwear God you intend to be.
Starting with the shoes. We’ve got brands pushing out sandals, sneakers, and boots of all different shapes and sizes that have interesting colorways. Air Force 1s for example, have been a classic when it comes to basics within streetwear. The white air forces allow the person wearing them to match their outfit effortlessly. The chunky Fila Disruptors have made a name for themselves because they entered the realm of streetwear. Although they’ve become a meme, people still wear them with baggy shirts and black cargo pants. Bottom line is any white chunky sneaker would work for the streetwear look. Pants aren’t typically name brand so you wouldn’t have to dip into your savings account. Jeans that are worn are usually either light wash or black, right above the ankle or baggy enough to look big but not to the point that it looks sloppy. But the thing is, fabric pants must have no creases or you risk looking messy and sloppy as a whole. Any color would do as long as it doesn’t look harsh against the color of your shirt or shoes. There are a plethora of shirt styles, fabrics, colors, and textures that work well for your desired fit (or outfit). Playing around with textures, layers and patterns can level up your outfit as a whole. Colder seasons allow the layering of long sleeves under short sleeves. Fitted turtleneck shirts under patterned button ups. In the warmer season, vintage minimalist t-shirts tucked in the pants. Linen button up with a white tank top under paired with fabric slacks and a white chunky sneakers for example, would do nicely. But it’s still not complete. Recently outerwear has taken a turn from short and fitted to a more loose and long look and then some layers. The puffy jackets are worn with a white or black hoodie/sweater under and in cool tones. The longer coats are inspired by Burberry coats with their iconic print. The jacket or coat you decide to wear should balance out the rest of your look. For example, fitted slacks, crew neck sweater, white Nikes, and then throw on a couple of chains and a puffy jacket. This is all a great start but there's one more thing missing… Accessories! You can't complete a look without some jewelry, bags, or a hat. When approaching jewelry be sure to note which goes with your skin tone. Gold, rose gold, white gold, or silver? Cooler skin tones tend to look good in lighter or white metals, whereas warmer skin tones look more fitting with golds and rose gold. BUT! If you have a neutral skin tone, you can rock either more easily. Don’t let these guides hold you back from wearing the color metal you want though. Layering necklaces and rings works. Its okay to mix metals but you have to make sure that it definitely works well. By that I mean don't add gold and silver rings at the same time. Stick to one metal at a time. Baseball caps will always be in, bucket hats are a bit harder to pull off, but manageable. And now bags. Crossbody small bags such as fanny packs work well depending on how you situate them. If you’re wearing a puffier jacket, maybe put the bag on before you pull on your jacket. It’s better to put the slimmer coat on before the cross body bag though. But at the end of the day, do what works best for you. And there you go! A simpler guide to entering the streetwear fashion scene. Although you see many big name brands like Gucci and Balenciaga pushing and promoting their products, do not feel as if you automatically have to shell out money to up your streetwear game. Find out what works best for your body type, what shoes you prefer, and which colors look best on you! |