Last Updated on 26th June 2023
The humble street style has undergone quite a transformation over the years. Once just a few photos snapped at the end of fashion shows, it has now become its own entity, with dedicated sites and social media channels.
It’s turned from a backstage afterthought into a key influencer of trends that everyone talks about. But how did we get here? Exactly how and why has street style become so important in the urban fashion world today?
Here’s everything you need to know about this trend:
What is street style?
Fashion that has developed from the streets rather than from runway displays or designers is known as street style. It actually has its origins in contemporary young culture, and can vary based on the city and country. For instance what I consider to be streetwear as a New Yorker is influenced by California Skateboarding and Hip Hop culture. London-based Chloe is definitely the preppy and equestrian style. Paris is the birthplace of the gritty distressed look, and Japanese street fashion is bold and colourful.
But unlike other fashions, street fashion includes a wide variety of dressing styles rather than just one. All these fashions are distinctive and were developed by young people who preferred this clothing.
High-fashion is being influenced by luxury streetwear, which is now being acknowledged by the main clothes designers and showcased in new collections at fashion week. The tight-fitting jeans that were formerly synonymous with the “Punk” streetstyle are now a common feature of High Fashion. The loose, filmy, “Hippy” gowns also make their way into haute couture as more demure styles that emphasise innocence.
Hip-Hop fashion is one of the offspring of street fashion and has developed into a multibillion-dollar industry. Even though it is regarded as an iconic style, it is nonetheless a reflection of the music scene from which it arose. The African American urban movement gave rise to hip-hop street style, which later made its way into the music industry and was worn by numerous famous athletes.
Types of street style
-
Artsy Style
The limits of street-style fashion are pushed by this look. A complete contrast side that includes sombre tones, frequently monochromatic black, white, and grey, can also be seen among the frequent splashes of colour, abstract designs, eye-catching prints, and patterns.
People who have the confidence for daring and sometimes even quirky apparel styles can pull off artsy looks nicely. This form of fashion also incorporates handcrafted items or unusual detailing, as well as exaggerated components like expanded shoulders, baggy clothing, enormous jackets and coats fastened at the waist.
-
Boho style
Without bohemian fashion, street fashion would not be complete. Creatively displayed by men and women who lead carefree, frequently artistic lives; uncomplicated people with a knack for anything that isn’t in the mainstream.
Vibrant colours are a terrific way to bring this design to life, from earth tones to jewel tones. Prints, macramé, fringe, and unusual textures all add to this rustic sort of fashion. If you like these components so far, the boho style may be for you. Boho also includes many vintage and retro pieces, such as vintage leather jackets, tie-dye shirts, plaid flannels, and more.
-
Chic style
Consider simple, streamlined designs with just distinctive and subtle details as distractions. opulent textiles, a lot of muted or light colours, neutrals, and white.
However, a black and white dominant colour scheme can also be used to create traditional stylish aesthetics. simpler, more versatile items that have stood the test of time are more popular. Both the tiny white dress and the little black dress are staples in the chic wardrobe. As a side note, the terms “Chic style” and “Elegant style” are frequently used synonymously.
-
Equestrian style
Both males and females can wear the equestrian look. From the use of high-quality materials to create tidy, crisp white shirts and blouses to leather vests, boots, and occasionally leather bottoms.
Polo shirts, hacking coats, and accessories like bags, watches, sunglasses, and caps are popular choices for men. The colour scheme that can follow an achromatic path of beige, brown, black, and white or a more vivid contemporary path that may contain rich colours is one of the interesting characteristics of equestrian style.
-
Vibrant style
This type of design is big in colour and this form of style can be used in numerous other types to create an unusual fusion. Vibrant colourful retro, vibrant equestrian, or vibrant artsy style.
Vibrant fashion may be worn in a variety of ways, from colour-blocking to monochromatic outfits. Together with a ruby red jacket, a sunflower bag, and blueberry shoes, a deep egg-plant-toned top and emerald-coloured trousers or a skirt look stylish.
-
Rocker Style
The rocker look is built on a base of several black materials, frequently with metal detailing. White and grey may be the only colours that can be used in this type of style’s lighter frequency, despite the fact that dark tones are popular with it.
The term “rocker style” refers to components like hard rock bands, artists, and admirers of this subculture that have developed a community through time that is as distinctive as this appearance.
Distressed denim jeans, frayed t-shirts, statement leather jackets, and clothing like leather pants, leather vests, and full-grain leather pieces are all examples of items that are associated with this fashion.
-
Hip-hop style
Hip-Hop fashion, also referred to as BIG FASHION, has a distinctive appearance that is deeply rooted in urban African American communities, particularly those in New York and Los Angeles. Other cities have also made contributions to this type of fashion, which moves in tandem with the music and art scenes.
While just a small number of people were initially observed sporting this appearance, it is now seen all over the world. This fashion emphasises comfort heavily, which is why a lot of baggy, loose clothing is used. from big t-shirts and baggy jeans to vintage basketball jerseys.
-
Geek Chic style
Street style is a big fan of geek chic. including nerdy staples like bow ties, ties, sports jackets and blazers, lapel pins, glasses, and collared shirts that are frequently checkered or striped.
Not to mention the creative use of patterns, hues, and details. You can choose complementary hairstyles, handbags, and shoes to finish the appearance. Consider wearing a bow tie and suspenders together. Both for men and women, geeky fashion looks great.
-
Hippie style
The hippie movement, which dates to the 1960s and 1970s, is one of the most well-known subcultures in the world. This extraordinary movement gave rise to the renowned Hippie style, which describes the appearances that hippies wore.
Bell-bottomed trousers, long skirts, big blouses and t-shirts, leather vests, and a tonne of beadwork, scarves, and headbands are a few examples. The colour scheme is really colourful and vivacious for an authentically Hippie style that also doesn’t make distinctions between the sexes.
-
Sporty style
The Sporty style aesthetic, which dates back to the 1930s and essentially involves wearing athletics and activewear in circumstances other than sports, became a fashion statement on the streets.
T-shirts and shorts, polo shirts, tracksuits, varsity jackets, gym coats, coach jackets, and cheerleading tops worn with jeans are all acceptable outfit choices. Women and men who wore sportswear or activewear did it as part of their daily attire. Athleisure is the modern term for sporty fashion.
Roots of street style
Although the street style has always existed, it only really took off in the 20th century. The appeal of “alternative” lifestyles for those looking for “identity” may be related to the rise in standardisation of living after World War II. Industrial production, especially in the fashion industry, involved more than just the spread of stylists’ tastes from high fashion to prêt-à-porter and beyond.
A wide spectrum of urban tribes, including economically marginalised, marginalised groups, developed certain tastes, which acted as a catalyst for the creation and dissemination of new fashion.
The history of clothing and identity coincide together. In this sense, street style serves as a catalyst for subcultural cohesion and collective identity. The importance of conventional sociocultural distinctions like race, religion, ethnicity, regionalism, and nationalism in defining and constraining human identity has dramatically decreased in Western civilization after the end of World War II.
In order to express themselves and establish a sense of identity, the Tribe groupings—such as bikers, beatniks, and teddy boys in the 1950s; mods, hippies, and skinheads in the 1960s; headbangers, punks, and b-boys in the 1970s; and goths, new-age travellers, and ravers in the 1980s—took on distinctive clothing and body art.
The street style had momentum for development during the post-war era, which saw the dilemma of true meanings, social identity, and lost ideologies emerge. In terms of the most recent stages of street style evolution, the way that people buy and view this fashion trend generally has changed significantly since the middle of the 20th century.
Street style has transformed from a widespread social practice, represented by specific sociocultural groups, to a significant sector of the mainstream fashion industry. This process took a very long time, and there were significant social, cultural, and economic changes as well.
Elements of street style
-
Graphic T-shirts
Baggy graphic t-shirts are among the first items that come to mind when thinking about streetwear. Vintage products like high-quality graphic t-shirts from the 1980s and 1990s, when this trend first appeared, are the ideal addition to a streetwear-inspired ensemble. The t-shirt must be big because it produces the kind of general androgynous, baggy look that defines streetwear.
-
Combination of tailored pieces
The combination of tailored clothing, like a jacket or pair of trousers, with more casual items is another prominent streetwear aesthetic element, particularly in Asian streetwear. This trend is aesthetically pleasing when matched well with other pieces of clothing. Adding clean business wear with edgy elements creates a chic and contemporary aesthetic.
-
Trainers
Most likely, the main element of streetwear fashion is trainers. They are frequently the focal point of an ensemble. Today’s popular sneakers are thick with a variety of stylistic elements. As I previously stated, streetwear places a lot of emphasis on logos. So, if the trainers have the iconic Adidas stripes or the Nike Swoosh, they probably will stylishly round off your streetwear ensemble.
-
Jeans and baggy tracksuits
Baggy jeans, tracksuits, cargo and oversized trousers are just a few examples of the various baggy styles found in streetwear clothing. If worn correctly, baggy trousers can be incredibly sophisticated and attractive. They give any outfit a casual twist. For instance, if you wear baggy trousers with a tight-fitting top, your legs will appear longer. Alternatively, baggy trousers take on a more relaxed appearance when worn with an extra-large t-shirt.
-
Accessories
Accessorizing is crucial for any look, but it’s crucial for streetwear in particular. There are many different looks you may create, even within the streetwear category, and the appearance you are going for heavily depends on the accessories you select.
Metal hardware is a considerate addition to your streetwear ensemble if you are sporting a grittier appearance that closely resembles goth. You can achieve this by accessorising with chain necklaces or belts. Bucket hats are also a terrific way to accessorise a streetwear outfit, whether it’s cold outside or you just want to seem cool. Given their growing popularity, bucket hats are available in countless designs, colours, and materials. Fortunately, a bag is usually always coupled with any streetwear ensemble. Shoulder bags are again popular and come in a range of prices.
