Streetwear brands first emerged when surfers and skaters sold screen printed T-shirts to promote their boards. It first appeared in the ’80s and inspired by many to start their own brands. It wasn’t much longer until the scene started getting popular in LA and New York in the ’90s. Once urban streetwear found its place in the market the next big hype was trainers. people were collecting expensive trainers due to the collaborations etc. This was known as sneaker culture. Fast forward to the 2010s and there came a new trend to follow, this was high-end luxury streetwear. Influencers and young people made streetwear an important part of the fashion industry by removing mainstream brands and exchanging then for high fashion brands, It was also an important part of pop culture
Characteristics Of The Streetwear Style
Comfort:
Streetwear clothing includes casual and athleisure clothing such as hoodies, joggers, baggy jeans and even full tracksuits as all of these are comfy and manoeuvrable. The rule is if you can’t skate in it, then it isn’t streetwear.
Limited Editions:
Since the hype of high-end luxury streetwear, there has been a growing trend on the rarity of the items of clothing. Limited edition items are now ingrained into hypebeast culture. These limited edition items make sought after items more fashionable which are the same as most fashion trends.
Menswear Styles:
Streetwear is closely tied with men’s items of clothing including gilets and bomber jackets. Yes, streetwear is becoming more popular for both genders but the style inhabits a masculine feel for now.
Contemporary Art Prints:
It is no surprise that graphic tees are a staple to streetwear clothing. This being said, some of the biggest and most popular tees are copied prints from contemporary artists or skit T-shirts. With this being said, it is best to have a selection of plain tees too so that the outfits don’t get too distorted with multiple brands and logos.
Tips For Styling Streetwear
As discussed earlier, many people get into the streetwear style for the limited edition clothing and the latest collaboration with high-end brands. However, some people are not that way inclined and some just don’t have the accessibility to purchase such items. Here are a few tips in which you should follow so that you can still follow the trends without paying a fortune.
Invest In Trainers:
Footwear has always been an important piece of any outfit and there is no difference with streetwear style. If you can’t afford the latest limited edition piece, then the best tip to give is to always spend a bit of money on your trainers and invest. These also need to be something that will go well with a range of clothes rather than just that one outfit.
Stick to Single Logo’s:
It is always best to stick to the same brand and look throughout your outfit rather than showering in a load of brands and logos. This doesn’t look aesthetically pleasing and defeats the object of streetwear. Streetwear is about loyalty so brand loyalty is a big thing to consider. Not to say that all clothing needs to be one brand but only wear one at a time.
Play With Your Fittings:
Not everything needs to be tailored or slim fitted, especially when it comes to streetwear. Most people in the streetwear trend often wear baggy denim or hoodies etc. Breaking the rules with unexpected combinations are always a great way to get noticed. This also brings elements of high fashion due to the uniqueness of it. The best way to dress is just to be yourself and enjoy what you pick out to wear as this is the true meaning of streetwear.