It has been called everything from “the hottest trend in 2023” to “a lifestyle choice”. Needless to say, people are taking the streetwear aesthetic pretty seriously right now, and unlike some other fashion trends, it seems to be getting bigger all of the time.
So, what is the streetwear aesthetic, what does it include, and how can you add some streetwear style to your closet?
What is the Streetwear Clothes Aesthetic?
The modern streetwear aesthetic is influenced by 90s streetwear style, which itself was a blend of skate/surf culture, with a little hip-hop thrown in for good measure. It also combines a few more modern and diverse elements, including punk, K-Pop, and even sport.
It’s pretty diverse, to say the least. In simple terms, however, it refers to casual and comfortable clothing commonly seen on streets across Australia and around the world. It’s widespread and getting bigger all the time, as the events of the last few years triggered a significant shift toward casual attire and fashion brands were quick to capitalise.
Understanding the streetwear clothes aesthetic is the first step, but if you’re intrigued by its evolution and the cultural forces behind it, our article on the origin and influences of streetwear is a must-read companion piece.
Characteristics of the Streetwear Aesthetic
The streetwear aesthetic is not limited to any specific brand, culture, music preference, or even age group, and there are many different streetwear styles out there. But they usually have a few things in common, including:
Bold logos and graphics
Streetwear is traditionally not understated. It wears logos with pride. You’ll often see the brand name plastered across the front—as with Supreme—or even in the form of a repeating pattern. Colourful graphics and words/phrases are also common.
Oversized and baggy fits
The baggy look is a remnant of the 1990s when baggy, low-hanging jeans became a common sight in the skating and hip-hop communities. These days, the baggy aesthetic is not just limited to men’s streetwear style, and it’s also common to see hugely oversized hoodies, jackets, jeans, and cargo pants on women.
Utilitarian and athletic influences
Streetwear styles often take influence from highly practical items that are essentially stripped of their purpose. For instance, multi-pocket cargo pants designed for tough hikes become fashionable ways to store your phone, lipstick, and whatever other peripherals you have on your person.
There’s also a strong sporting influence, as many popular streetwear brands—Nike and Adidas —have their roots in sports like soccer, running, skateboarding, and surfing.
High-end collaborations
Streetwear brands love a good collaboration. From classic collabs like Michael Jordan & Nike to more unexpected couplings like Louis Vuitton & Supreme, a collab is a sure-fire way to drum up publicity.
Sneaker culture
Sneaker culture is bigger than ever and has strongly impacted modern streetwear. Sneakers like Dunks and Jordans are an essential part of any streetwear outfit.
Current Trends in Streetwear for 2023
There are elements of streetwear fashion that remain just as prevalent now as they were 30 years ago, but others are more recent additions to the style.
Sustainability and eco-friendliness
Consumers are demanding more eco-conscious fashion choices, and brands are delivering. Gone are the days of cheap synthetics accounting for the bulk of streetwear materials. You’ll now find an abundance of bamboo, hemp, organic cotton, and other eco-friendly options.
Gender-neutral and unisex designs
Modern fashion is gender fluid and streetwear brands create a wider range of gender-neutral/unisex designs to account for this.
Elevated basics and minimalism
Although “big and bold” is the way forward for many streetwear brands, others have adopted more of a minimalist approach. Such as the case with Fear of God Essentials, an immensely popular brand with very simple designs and the highest quality materials.
Scarcity
The notion of scarcity plays a big role in modern streetwear style.
Streetwear brands have been known to release limited edition runs of certain pieces, triggering a FOMO effect that drives up demand. Eventually, and almost invariably, these items end up on eBay, where they are sold for significantly more than their RRP. But that just adds to the hype.
It’s a tactic that created the hypebeast culture, where people hoard expensive, limited-edition items and showcase their wares on social media.
Influential Brands and Designers
Which streetwear brands are leading the way in 2023? Here are just a few of our favourites:
- Fear of God: An American luxury streetwear brand founded by Jerry Lorenzo. It creates timeless, minimalist pieces and also produces a more affordable range under the ESSENTIALS brand.
- A Bathing Ape: Known as “Bape” for short, this Japanese streetwear brand uses eye-catching graphics and is said to be popular with Drake and Pharrell.
- Supreme: The famous Supreme logo has appeared on countless tees and accessories…as well as a house brick. It has collaborated with Louis Vuitton and Rolex and was once the go-to brand for self-styled hypebeasts.
- Stüssy: This streetwear OG got its start with graphic tees in the 1980s and is still going strong today, with clothing that pays homage to its old-school, Californian roots.
- Off-White: Created by Virgil Abloh, Off-White combines bold graphics and colours with cheeky texts and designs. Abloh was American, but the company was founded in Milan, Italy, and it is a subsidiary of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
- Nike: A classic sportswear/streetwear cross that gave the world Dunks and Air Jordans. Where would we be without Nike sneakers?
Streetwear and Pop Culture
Streetwear was traditionally influenced by sports stars and rock/pop stars, as well as TV shows and films. One of the likely reasons behind its recent growth is that many youngsters are influenced more by candid influencer snaps than heavily touched-up magazine shoots and TV appearances.
Streetwear brands have used this to their advantage by working closely with popular influencers. Brands don’t need a big-budget TV commercial or a multi-page spread in a fashion magazine—all it takes is one throwaway shot of Kim Kardashian wearing their hoody and their sales will skyrocket.
Conclusion
From its roots in skate, surf, and hip-hop fashion, to its current status as a tool for hypebeasts and influencers, streetwear is a multi-billion dollar industry that’s showing no signs of slowing down.
It’s timeless, it’s comfortable, and it’s versatile, ensuring it can work in a casual office space, as well as a club or skatepark.
