How To Build A Solid Streetwear Wardrobe
Streetwear’s a term more jumped on than a pair of Air Jordans. Is it varsity jackets and Japanese jeans? Or longline tees and jersey joggers? Or both? We hit up streetwear PR and Fcknyh blogger Gregk Foley to help us navigate the asphalt.
If there’s one common misconception about streetwear, it’s that it’s easy. Granted, when confronted with some of high-end menswear’s more complex designs, you’d be forgiven for thinking that street-level dressing is a simple case of jeans, T-shirt, hoodie, trainers and done.
But then consider the number of high fashion designers taking their cue from streetwear culture right now – from Virgil Abloh’s OFF-WHITE, to Riccardo Tisci’s output at Givenchy, to every luxury player pushing their own take on iconic sneaker designs for the past few seasons. The truth is that putting together a strong outfit – streetwear or no – calls for smart judgement, as well as a solid selection of staples that you can build upon as your wardrobe grows.
But before we dig into the specifics of what those staples are, here are a few signposts to get you started on the streetwear path:
On Fabrics: Above any other material, cotton is king. You’re looking for classic cotton textiles – jersey, Oxford cloth, chambray, twill and one more essential that we’ll cover in more depth shortly. Some of the more ‘decorative’ fabrics like herringbone and seersucker are nice, but they technically skew more #menswear than straight-up streetwear if you ask me.
On Shape: See me, I’m a classicist. I’m enamored of that early 1990s Ralph Lauren-led interpretation of streetwear: slightly loose-fitting chinos, baggy shirts, beanies, you know the look. But if you want something more contemporary, then longline cuts and dropped crotches should be your go-to’s.
On Consistency: As you’ll have gleaned from the points above, definitions of ‘streetwear’ are several and, despite my own preferences, all of them are perfectly valid. But once you’ve made your choice, stick with it. Mixing styles can be a winning combo, but trust me when I say your double-layered street Goth shorts won’t work with those Wallabees. Just here to help.
