While you might think that streetwear and street fashion are the same thing, there’s actually quite a difference between the two. Streetwear focuses on practicality and performance, making it great for people who use their clothing as an extension of their lifestyle or job.
An Introduction to Street Style
What Is Streetwear and How Is It Different From Street Fashion? In a broad sense, street style is simply what people wear in public. For example, if someone asked you to describe your typical outfit right now, you might say that it’s a T-shirt and jeans or sweatpants. This isn’t really street fashion, though; it’s just clothing you wear as everyday attire. But add sneakers or even a cool jacket to the equation—any way of dressing up your outfit with an item that signals something about who you are—and suddenly we have street style.
How Hip Hop Influenced a New Generation of Style
If you’re a fashion lover, it may come as no surprise that many of today’s top brands got their start in street culture. Brands like Supreme and A Bathing Ape made their names at music festivals and in skating parks, where they stood out among performance gear because of their originality and creativity. Thanks to famous artists like Kanye West, Wiz Khalifa, and Pharrell Williams (who helped popularize streetwear among mainstream audiences), these brands have been able to gain financial backing from venture capitalists who are interested in investing in socially-aware businesses. It should come as no surprise that most of today’s successful streetwear companies started out as small projects: some were founded by teens or even preteens with minimal capital or experience.
How Is Street Fashion Different From Regular Trends?
One of the best ways to determine a trend is by its longevity. With that in mind, street fashion has been around for decades, and despite how much people hate on it, it’s here to stay. Unlike most trends, which are based on fleeting whims and novelties, street fashion is driven by customer loyalty. The streetwear niche boasts shoppers who spend small fortunes on clothing they wear year after year – often buying clothing that’s a decade old at minimum! Many of these clothing lines continue to be produced every season despite being out-of-date years ago.
The Importance of Timing
In streetwear, in fashion, in life, timing is everything. What’s popular now might not be tomorrow and what was cool last year might seem out of date now. It can be hard to keep up with all of these shifts
but it’s essential that you try your best. Remember, trends do come back around – sometimes even after decades – so as long as you keep an eye on what’s current and also on what’s been done before, you’ll always have a chance to stay relevant and fashion-forward without spending a fortune on high-end clothing (which may soon become outdated anyway). [Resources for staying informed about street style include websites such as Hypebeast and Highsnobiety.]
Understanding Street Fashion vs. Street Style
Street fashion and street style are terms used interchangeably by many, but they actually represent two different things. Street fashion is an actual style of clothing—like streetwear. On the other hand, street style is a broad term used to describe people’s appearances on city streets or at other public places. So if someone were to call themselves a street style blogger, they’re talking about what they see on city streets. But if someone were to say hey, I’m into street fashion, that person would likely be talking about a particular type of clothing—like urban and hip hop-inspired gear.
Where do trends come from?
While it’s common to think that street fashion is trend-driven, a more accurate explanation is that trends are style-driven. The majority of men and women rely on other members of their social groups (e.g., friends, family, work) for both advice and inspiration when it comes to fashion trends. We like to think we make our own decisions about what looks good—but in reality our decisions tend to be heavily influenced by others who influence us either directly or indirectly (which sometimes makes us uncomfortable). So if you want to know where street fashion trends come from, consider what drives traditional style influencers (in-person friends and family), as well as virtual ones on online forums and social media.