Streetwear is a form of casual fashion that initially became popular in the 1990s. It is majorly described by different subcultures that helped create it and the culture that it creates. There is no direct origin of streetwear, and it simply gained popularity when several different subcultures bumped and merged to form a universal style and culture that was adored by many people from different walks of life.
It has been modified many times through the years, and everyone from the lower middle class to the upper class has jumped on the bandwagon. Streetwear incorporates comfy yet trendy clothing such as hoodies, graphic tees, sneakers, and sweatpants. Custom clothing online store takes inspiration from both skater style and hip-hop culture, with the added features of intentional product shortage.
People who follow the latest streetwear trends are referred to as hypebeasts, and many of these individuals can go to great lengths to get their hands on the limited-edition designer sneakers, hoodies, baseball caps, and a lot more.
Who Influences Streetwear?
Everyone from Kanye West to Tavis Scott to the many athletes and models helps shape the cultures and the forever-evolving trends of streetwear. If Kanye wore something, it is bound to become a short-lived streetwear trend. But there is certainly a lot more to streetwear.
As mentioned how different subcultures helped make streetwear what it is at the moment. Everything from the skater cliques and grunge of the 90s to the hip-hop heads and hypebeasts of the present day has had a huge impact on the streetwear culture. When you browse through different streetwear lookbooks, you will discover that many elements were extracted from diverse subcultures throughout history.
Characteristics of Streetwear Style
Even though the streetwear style can incorporate various different fashion trends, most streetwear looks generally highlight four essential elements.
Comfort – Streetwear clothing mainly incorporates athleisure staples and casual clothing items such as joggers and sweatpants. If you cannot skate in it, the chances are that it isn’t streetwear.
Insufficiency – The hypebeast or streetwear culture is all about the limited-edition fashion pieces. The alleged scarcity is what makes these sought-after articles appear trendier and more fashionable. The same principle applies to haute couture. Streetwear, however, is relatively more accessible.
Contemporary Art – Some of the most popular and in-demand streetwear logos and graphics borrow from the artwork of contemporary artists. While some of these are sanctioned alliances, others are not.
Menswear Styles – Even though streetwear is famous among individuals of all genders, it is intimately tied to menswear and conventionally masculine products such as workwear and bomber jackets.
What Types of Streetwear Are There?
When you get more engrossed in streetwear, you will witness the different subcultures and nuances that were created in the world of streetwear. Here we will discuss some of the common streetwear types that you are more likely to encounter.
European/American Streetwear
European/American streetwear is likely to be encountered by people on the streets of America. The western streetwear fanatic is likely to ride the latest trends and follow cultural icons and major rappers as a source of fashion inspiration. You will often find people dressed up like Travis Scott, Kanye West, and many other similar celebrity figures.
Westerners tend to have a similar look, with loose-fitted plain tees, tapered denim, and often sneakers from brands like Adidas, Nike, or Jordan if they can afford the price tags. If the tee is not fully blank, you will likely find a logo of the company they represent. A common example would be the tee with the Supreme box logo. You will also see different variations in distinctive regions of Europe and America, as they all have different celebrities, artists, and icons that influence them.
Asian Streetwear
Depending on exactly where you are, Asia is the hub of some of the most progressive, creative, and vibrant streetwear fashion trends across the world. Asian streetwear has been majorly influenced by K Pop and also has elements of traditional Asian styles and vintage American culture. It usually incorporates brands like Mastermind, Bape, Comme De Garcons, and many other bands of Asian origin.
You will also see some Adidas, Supreme, etc., but it is not as international as initially perceived. While the street style is more conservative and reserved in Japan, it is considerably more vibrant and relatively progressive in Korea.
Athleisure
Athleisure has grown to become one of the most common and popular streetwear styles. It is essentially exactly like it sounds. In this style of streetwear, comfortable athletic wear is casually worn in a lifestyle sense. It is incredibly prevalent across the west and comprises items like joggers, fleece, hoodies, sweatpants, running sneakers, and many other such athletic accessories to comfort the athleisure and accentuate the style. It is mostly tapered and feels like pajamas in a way. It also consists of layering but can also work without it.
Tips for Styling Streetwear
A massive aspect of streetwear fashion is purchasing and selling limited-edition pieces. While that might not be possible for everyone, there are still many ways to incorporate streetwear fashion into your look.
Get Some Good Sneakers – Sneakers are usually one of the most important features of a hypebeast or streetwear look. If you are looking to make a prominent style statement with a single clothing piece, sneakers should be your pick.
Stick to One Logo – Brand loyalty is an essential part of the streetwear culture which is why you will rarely see a true enthusiast layering on various streetwear brands in one look. If you have collected items from various distinctive labels and brands, try to stick with one logo at one time.
Play with Proportions – One of the biggest wins of streetwear fashion was incorporating sweatshirts into the kingdom of high fashion. Sweatshirt aficionados frequently wear oversized, baggy, and loose-fitted garments to break the rules of proportion, creating a fashionable effect.
That was a small guide to streetwear. There are practically hundreds of different styles and countless ways these can be worn and styled. You will come across countless new, intriguing, and creative attires as you move forward with this knowledge, and you will be able to spot many diverse styles of streetwear.