Streetwear fashion is often seen as one of the most challenging areas in the men's fashion industry. Streetwear is such a large and varied genre of clothes that it may be difficult to identify what constitutes good streetwear. But don’t fret, many brands and clothing items have become streetwear staples that you just can't go wrong with.
What is Streetwear and the History Behind It
Streetwear as we know it now began in the 1990s, amid New York's hip-hop scenes, Los Angeles' surf-skate and graffiti culture, and Japan's nightlife. It's categorized as a casual fashion trend that features comfy yet fashionable attire such as graphic shirts, hoodies, sweatpants, and high-end footwear. Streetwear draws inspiration from hip-hop culture as well as skater fashion, with the addition of purposeful product scarcity. Hypebeasts are fans of the current streetwear trends, and many will go to considerable efforts to obtain limited-edition designer baseball hats, sweatshirts, shoes, and other items.
Sneaker culture, which revolves around collectors of high-end shoes, collided with and impacted streetwear fashion in the 2000s. Hypebeasts wore graphic shirts with athletic sneakers, and collaborations were plentiful. Luxury streetwear emerged in the 2010s. As young people and social influencers established streetwear as an integral aspect of pop culture, the fashion industry—from mainstream sportswear businesses to high fashion brands—joined in.
Because streetwear is a cultural phenomenon, it is vital to see it as a movement rather than a trend. Graphic shirts, baggy pants, and statement shoes from the 1990s were designed with the customer in mind: the rapper, skater, and rebel. Many established labels refused to clothe particular singers or sports figures in the 1980s and 1990s, leaving the community with little choice except to design their own apparel and define what fashion meant to them. Streetwear is still headed by a close-knit group of musicians, skaters, painters, and now social media influencers who design clothing and curate looks for themselves as an act of self-expression, culture, and community knowledge.
Best Streetwear Staples for Men
Ranging from shirts and hoodies to jackets and tracksuit sets, every streetwear wardrobe includes a few staple clothes you must have.
Classic Tee
Logo shirts have long been a hallmark of streetwear fashion. While putting your logo on a t-shirt began as a niche practice among skateboarders, it quickly became the norm in the streetwear industry. Graphic shirts, like sneakers, are popular due to product scarcity and strong demand. On the resale market, both goods may easily sell for three to four times their original price. Combining a white shirt with bright colours or patterns is a terrific wardrobe concept. The white shirt serves as a modest backdrop for your dramatic colour/pattern choices, making everything stand out.
Hoodies
Hoodies are an important part of the streetwear movement, yet there is still a distinction between big and straight-up baggy. When it comes to streetwear, large hoodies and a wide range of loose apparel rule supreme. Loose clothing still suits your figure approximately, however baggy clothing will just swallow you whole. To create a contrast in your ensemble, pair your loose sweatshirt with tighter jeans. Skinny jeans or straight leg pants look best when worn with sneakers or chunky boots for a well-thought-out look.
Varsity Jackets
The classic varsity jacket has been adopted by a range of style subcultures throughout the years, from high school to high fashion. This effortlessly chic outerwear necessity, also known as the letterman, baseball, or letter jacket, is sportier than the bomber jacket but more formal than the track jacket. Traditional styles had two or more contrasting colours, a collarless body, wool and button-through sleeves, and leather sleeves.
Chest Body Bags
The cross-body bag sprang from the need for security, as a place to keep your cash while on the go that was more accessible and simpler to secure than your pockets. But, like with everything we wear, it has acquired a new meaning through time, and its reputation has been somewhat dragged through the mud. However, in recent years, the men's cross-body bag has lost its stigma and become a fashionista's go-to accessory. It has progressed from niche functionality to streetwear and, now, premium fashion.
A decent cross-body bag for guys may aid with tailoring, boost a smart-casual ensemble, or snugly blend right in with a casual look for that extra something. The most recent incarnations have a depth and variety that make them an attractive proposition for everyone.
Tips for Styling Streetwear
Buying and selling limited-edition goods is a big part of the streetwear movement. While this may not be an option for everyone, there are still methods to incorporate streetwear fashion into your wardrobe. Although streetwear encompasses a wide range of design trends, streetwear outfits frequently centre on four key characteristics.
Keep it Simple
A ready-made look is the quickest way to a successful streetwear ensemble. Streetwear is all about mixing and matching things from many brands and cultures to show your own allegiances and interests. That doesn't mean you can't wear statement or brand things. However, as an adult, you should match them with more creative items. The 'it' sweatshirt, which is a must-have for fashion editors, looks better with chinos than pants and shoes from the same brand. If you're dressed like a lookbook model, tone it down.
Stick to a Single Logo
Because brand loyalty is such an essential aspect of streetwear culture, it's uncommon to see a devoted fan layering many streetwear labels in a single ensemble. If you just have a few pieces from various streetwear labels, consider displaying one logo at a time and supplementing the rest of your outfit with workplace and sports apparel.
Upgrade your Fabrics
Until recently, streetwear apparel was something you could cheerfully fall off a skateboard in, which is why it was mostly made of denim and hefty cotton in non-constrictive fits. However, current streetwear styles have moved beyond the skatepark, with designers reworking time-honoured elements – hoodies, cargo pants, trainers – into outfits you wouldn't want to chance on the pavement.
Invest in a Good Pair of Sneakers
It's hard to talk about streetwear without discussing the sneakers department. Sneakers are frequently the most crucial component of every streetwear look. They're the way to go if you want to make a large style statement with just one piece of apparel. Sneakerheads in the Millennial and Generation Z generations have significant purchasing power. Sneaker collaborations abound in today's streetwear scene. These limited-edition sneakers were co-created by a slew of fashion designers, including old-school names like Nike and Adidas, as well as some luxury streetwear labels.
