Streetwear has taken the fashion world by storm in recent years, and although it might look like just another trend, there’s much more to it than meets the eye. These garments are more than just t-shirts and hoodies; they carry powerful messages and are helping to change the world.
Streetwear is political
Streetwear is deeply ingrained in political and social movements and has long been used as a form of expression for its wearers.
Think about a famous designer like Kanye West who makes T-shirts that convey a strong political message or reflect some strongly held belief.
Streetwear is anti-establishment
It’s about being different and standing out from a crowd.
Wearing certain pieces of clothing can be rebellious, too: sport your favorite brand in front of your friends, or wear that political T-shirt that offends your boss. When it comes down to it, though, streetwear is just clothes—and clothing doesn’t have that much power over us.
There are deeper messages here… and we should be listening for them.
Streetwear speaks to our generation
it’s all about nonconformity and self-expression. It allows us to take ownership of our identities.
When we see someone in Supreme, we know they’re part of a specific subculture (streetwear or otherwise) that aligns with their values, even if they aren’t aware of it themselves. But there’s so much more to our clothing than meets the eye—the story behind it is as important as how it makes us feel.
Streetwear provides escapism from everyday life
The idea that your clothes can hold an importance beyond mere utility is an integral part of street culture. At a time when modern life is incredibly fast-paced and individuals find themselves increasingly distracted by stimuli, it’s important to have a form of self-expression that allows us to carve out pockets of individuality in our society. Whether people are aware of it or not, I think we all want things like unique clothing and art as ways to tell ourselves: I exist. This is who I am.
Wear it with confidence
For many, clothes are a form of self-expression. For others, they’re a vital necessity.
Either way, we often don’t pay much attention to our clothes beyond deciding what’s clean and what isn’t. But knowing a little bit about how fashion came to be – or even basic terms like luxury brands and fast fashion can make shopping for clothing an enlightening experience.
Know your history
The roots of today’s most stylish streetwear brands stretch back to surf, skate, punk and hip-hop cultures. These cultures have a storied history with fashion that can teach us a lot about how we can better dress ourselves in 2017 and beyond. Here are some of our favorite deep messages streetwear has taught us over time…
1) You get out what you put in.
2) Make your own path; be unique.
3) Fashion isn’t all skin-deep; it’s important to find a way to help others too (you’re never as cool as when someone else thinks so).
4) Don’t be afraid to look backwards for inspiration.
Wear it with your crew
Streetwear is about community and inclusivity, not just exclusivity. The best thing about streetwear is that there are no rules, so if your pals are into it too—go for it! Wearing a cap from Supreme with a tee from Carhartt could be some serious style. Or if you don’t have any friends who share your affinity for loud graphics and gaudy colors, check out HYPEBEAST or other online forums.
Take pride in being different
There’s something uniquely punk about turning your back on social norms and traditional fashion. When everyone’s wearing khakis and polo shirts, it takes a special kind of person to bust out with a leather jacket and tie-dye tee—and feel great about it. Streetwear isn’t just about looking good; it’s about self-expression, personal style, and forging your own path in life.