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[GUIDE] Gilbert's Ideal Streetwear Guide 1.0 (self.malefashionadvice)

submitted ago by gilbertAAA

Gilbert's Ideal Streetwear Guide 1.0

So something tells me that most people dont like this. I understand this guide is not perfect but thank you for reading. I hope to see some more good stuff in the future. Better than this.

Preface

  • What do you mean "Ideal", Gilbert?

This is simply my take on today's ideal streetwear. You may not agree with many statements in this thread, however I advise you to take my advice to achieve an optimal, clean, and respectable streetwear look.

  • I want to do something that you don't recommend... is this okay?

Yes. In fact, I don't want you to follow everything I say in this post. Streetwear is an ever-changing look that is changed with personal influence. So do something that you like when you dress.

  • Who are you to say you should write the streetwear guide instead of someone else?

I've seen it said a couple times on MFA that I wear streetwear more often than other people, and that some people like it. So I thought I might contribute back to the MFA community. I in no way think I am the best-dressed guy on MFA at all. Nor do I think that I have streetwear "perfected".

This is just my take.

Intro

Streetwear is one of the most ever-changing styles in today's world. Over the last decade, Streetwear has been changed with numerous influenced from many other styles.

Keep in mind that Streetwear is an extremely versatile style that can be used for many different looks.

STREETWEAR INSPIRATION ALBUM

This is just to get you thinking, but look through the guide to see why I chose some of these pics.

The Mentality

There is a brutal, honest truth that everyone should know about streetwear. It’s very exclusive and picky; and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. When I say picky, I mean picky in many different respects. Don't be upset about this, there aren’t many people to blame about this. It is something that generally comes with every style.

Let me give an example: Here are two shirts, a Supreme Box Logo shirt and an Obey Logo tee. You ask generally anyone in streetwear and they will say that the Supreme shirt is a better shirt. Better in every respect of the word. Most people would say, "Well its practically the same fucking shirt. Same colors, same design, and similar lettering. Just different words and size. Why aren't both just as cool?" The reason the Supreme shirt is better than the Obey one is because the streetwear society has given it a more respected name. This doesnt go for JUST similar logos, it pretty much goes for any brand that isnt respected or liked in the streetwear world. So to be 100% bluntly honest, if you wear anything that has an Obey logo on it, people wont like it. And no its not just Obey, I'm only using this as an example... there are hundreds of hated brands.

So who is giving these brands such a bad name? Kids like this. Brands like Obey have become incredibly tacky due to over branding by people (teenagers) that think that these designs are very in style. Which is fine, but other people may disagree with this and think there "style" isnt good at all. Most people think this. "Why are kids buying this brand?" Because its cheap and easy to access. Its just that simple. I can walk into my local mall and buy a shit-load of Obey.

Branding

Don't be afraid of some brand names! If you want to infuse some streetwear into your looks, you've gotta start being okay with logos on your shirts. However, there is something about logos that make streetwear very dodgy. Many logos are frowned upon in modern streetwear because these logos are frequently worn by "hypebeasts", "swag-fags" or even... yes... "fuckbois". These are not my words, but the words of those who frown upon some brand logos. I am not going to go into detail in "which" logos are liked and which are disliked; in the end its personal preference. Just remember, if you have to ask your self "Does this logo look too tacky/obnoxious?" then it probably does.

Colors

The color of your fit can completely change everything about it. Your probably saying, No shit Gilbert... thats why different colors exist, but it can make you go from swag-fag to clean in a few shades. Take this red for example... this strong pop of color is going to make you stand out so hard in a crowd. You want to avoid these obnoxious colors. So stay away from harsh reds, blues, yellows and oranges unless they are toned by other colors. For example, the same red that you saw in the image above can be toned by other colors for a good statement item.

The most important colors in streetwear are black and white. Actually, these are shades... Either way, from Black and White you can build and add colors. Colors that are good to add are navy, olive, and gray. I feel that these colors are really safe because this way its hard to clash. Colors like purple can be very hard to pull off unless its in a statement item (see below). Other colors to look into are Tan (for chinos), Brown, and Dark Red (Pomegranate).

This looks fine/This looks silly

And now... a game I like to call... This looks fine/This looks silly! A brief overview of what to avoid in streetwear.

Headwear: Stay away from team logos that aren't the classic logo. This looks fine/This looks silly.

Shirts: Dont button the top button unless you're wearing a tie. And this is streetwear so don't wear a tie. This looks fine/This looks silly.

Tees: Stay away from things that are way too tight, way too bright, way too douche baggy or anything with a huge v. And stay away from cheesy designs. This looks fine/This look silly.

Sneakers: Stay away from cheap sneakers and "new colorways". Stick to the good quality and classic designs. And if they're expensive... save up. This looks fine/This look silly.

How to find looks to avoid: 1. Go to tumblr 2. Click search tags 3. Search for the tag #swag

Its that easy

Streetwear Influence

How is streetwear created/influenced? Famous people. Its generally famous people that give the name to the big brands. Some times this is good. Sometimes this is bad. Well its safe to say that the hip-hop collective Odd Future helped boost the popularity of Supreme. Which is fine. But then you end up with kids like this. Kanye West boosted popularity of leather pants and Jordans, and Yeezys. You end up with this. Or this. Its all safe to say that this doesnt look good. Even ASAP Rocky with Pyrex. Then you get this.

"Emulate your icons, don't imitate them.

  -- Andre 3000

I cannot stress that enough.

So yes. People do influence style, but there is a right way to go about it... and a wrong way.

/rant

Total Brand Guide

Throughout the guide you'll find recommended brands at the end of each section. This is a total list of general streetwear brands the pertain to pretty much all articles of clothing.

Do not be afraid to seek out new brands. These are just a short list of brands to consider. All I'm trying to do is to get your mind moving in a streetwear direction.

Low Tier - $

  • Stussy - Good for starter streetwear. Many classic and basic looks. Very accesable but not too overbranded.
  • Levis - A great starter denim brand. Levis cuts are very classic and a decent quality for their price.
  • Vans - Good footwear brand for generally any budget. Vans have a classic skate style to them.
  • Uniqlo - Use for basic pieces like oxford or tees. Uniqlo frequently does some good collaborations as well (UU, Nat Geo)
  • DQM - New York skate brand. Similar to Stussy but with more basic looks.
  • Converse - good original sneakers.
  • Unbranded - Not super low quality but the lowest price you can get for raw denim.
  • H&M - good for some basic streetwear looks if youre on a low budget.
  • Undefeated - Sportswear influence streetwear brand with some decent pieces.

Edit: jesus christ, this has been up for 10 minutes and i have gold. THANK YOU

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[–]gilbertAAA[S] 275 points276 points ago

Mid Tier - $$

  • Supreme - Good for pretty much anything. Collaborations are some grail status shit. Look out for some good outerwear
  • wings + horns - Canadian. Has some good cuts and styles of pants and shirts.
  • APC - French brand. Commonly known for their raw denim. Their clothing is generally good quality.
  • Nike (Jordan) - The general footwear gawd. Stay away from Jordan clothing, stick with the footwear.
  • Naked and Famous - A good mid-tier denim brand. However they do have some gimmicky models that usually arent worth the money.

High End - $$$

  • WTAPS - Heavily military influenced Japanese streetwear brand. Frequently collaborate with Vans.

  • Visvim - Make some weird ass shit but is always some really good quality so look out for Visvim. Their footwear is on point too

  • Neighborhood

  • Rick Owens - Frequently used in Goth Ninja styles, but some pieces can be used in streetwear.

  • Bape - Although more common in early 2000s, some of their outerwear and more basic styles can be used very well in today's streetwear.

SIC (Streetwear Intensive Clothing)

SICs are articles of clothing that make streetwear stand out from other styles of dressing. These articles are what make streetwear, streetwear. Without these articles, streetwear would be a simple menswear style. There are different levels of SIC for each article of clothing

  • SIC - 0: Clothing that has minimal streetwear influence in your outfit. These are usually found in other styles of clothing as well.
  • SIC - 1: Clothing that has a decent amount of streetwear influence and usually depends on the style of the piece and how you wear it. These pieces of clothing are also found in other styles, but the styling of the piece will determine its catagory of style (streetwear, menswear, gothninja, etc).
  • SIC - 2: Clothing that has the most amount of streetwear influence and is usually the article that will make your outfit stand out as streetwear. These are less commonly found in other styles and usually only streetwear.

Look for the SICs throughout this thread.

Clothing

  • Shirts

Button-downs (SIC - 0)

Button-downs, although not very common in streetwear, can open many doors to many different looks in streetwear. The most common streetwear look that includes button-downs is the layering with a tee look. This look is very simple and clean. Remember, this is an easy excuse to break out sick graphic tees for underneath a button-down. There are a wide range of choices when you use button-downs in your fit. Here is an example of just a basic pale blue oxford being used in a streetwear fit (top button not required). Many modern streetwear brands have also started using different patterns in their button-downs as well. Although most of these button-downs may look enticing, many of them can end up looking awful. Heres a good patterened button-down. Be weary on patterned shirts. Linen shirts can also be used for layered with tees in streetwear.

Recommended Brands: Uniqlo, Supreme, wings + horns, Gitman Bros Vintage, J. Crew

Flannels (SIC - 0)

Flannels are a great piece for the fall/winter season and have generally the same rules as button-downs when it comes to versatility. Most flannels can easily be layered with tees underneath or crewnecks ontop. Stick to the basic buffalo and tartan checks when wearing flannels to avoid any clashing.

Recommended Brands: Pendelton, Uniqlo, visvim,

Avoid

Dress shirts and polos. Polos dont really have a place in modern streetwear and are very, very difficult to pull off. Dress shirt have no place in streetwear, what-so-ever, more so than polos.

SIC: This article is only SIC - 0 because most button-downs are used as base pieces so that other pieces in the outfit can be more shown off.

  • T-Shirts (SIC - 1)

Tees are streetwear's staple market. Tees are simple, versatile, and easy to make, resulting in a much more abundant variety to choose from. A very common look in streetwear is the graphic tee. When done the right way, the graphic tee can end up looking very clean and minimalistic. Most graphic tee guides on MFA will recommend only wearing basic colors and layering under either jackets or button-downs. However, that is not the case. Although t-shirts are very easy to look childish, this can easily be avoided by sticking to the following rules. 1. Stick to simple colors (listed above): Black, White, Gray, Navy, and Olive. Colors like Red, Yellow, Purple etc, can easily be mismatched. Try to find items that fit your wardrobe, rather than match other pieces. 2. If you're going to wear a Tee with design, try to stay away from sayings and large, ugly, and poorly-textured text. This does not mean "stay away from logos". Logos are an extremely important look in streetwear. Here are some perfect looks with logos in them. Ex 1, Ex 2. Remember: there is nothing wrong with a solid color t-shirt at all.

Recommended Brands: Everlane, Supreme, Bape, WTAPS,

Tanks (SIC - 0)

Generally stay away from tank-tops if you're not at the beach. Or if you have really skinny arms. If youre not at the beach, tanks can generally look kinda silly and out of place. As form arms: If you have giant guns, you'll probably look like a tool in public with a tank or, if you have small guns (pea-shooters), you'll probably look like a tool in public with a tank on.

SIC: T-Shirts are SIC - 1 beacuse tees can range from being simple, clean basic pieces, to being strong, "grail" pieces.

  • Sweatshirts/Sweaters

Before I can even GO into detail, please check out Hiroki's Sweatshirt Guide, this is a life-saver.

Hooded Sweatshirts/Zipper Sweatshirts (SIC - 1)

Hoodies (Hooded Sweatshirts) are a very casual look in streetwear and also very common. They are very frequently used in layering in fall and winter seasons and less-so used in spring and summer seasons. The most common color in hooded sweatshirts in the obvious grey hoodie. Zip-Up hoodies generally have the same rules as hoodies. Good for layering and showing off tees underneath.

Recommended Brands: Reigning Champ, Supreme, Norse Projects, Stussy,

[–]gilbertAAA[S] 125 points126 points ago

Crewnecks (SIC 1)

Crewnecks are one of the most common streetwear styles that can be done wrong. I'm not going to even link a picture to a mis-use of a crewneck because all you have to do is search "swag" on tumblr and you'll get about a whole page of kids in crewneck sweatshirts that say either swag or "Chicago Bulls" (no hate to the chi) on them. Stick with the same color scheme as always (see above in colors). Pretty much all rules that go with menswear, also go with streetwear for crewnecks. If youre wearing a button-down shirt, tuck into pants to avoid dick-bib. Make sure collar stays inside shirt when wearing a shirt beneath. Just make sure its not too loud or childish looking. Designs like this are recommended, not to much and also very fitting.

SIC: Sweatshirts are SIC - 1 because they (like tees) can range from being very basic pieces to being very intensive and strong pieces.

Recommended Brands: Uniqlo, Supreme, Norse Projects, Reigning Champ

  • Outerwear (SIC - 2)

Yup. This is the sickest part of the guide. Outerwear is one of the beefiest (if not the beefiest) part of streetwear. With Outerwear, comes jackets, parkas, vests, coats, all the good stuff that adds depth to your outfit. Keep in mind, Outerwear is generally mainly used in fall/winter streetwear and less in spring summer.

I would post a very long and extensive guide to outerwear for streetwear but outerwear is somewhat simple. Just remember to stick to basic colors. I would recommend these outerwear models (click each model for pics)

  1. Parkas/Fishtails: Can't go wrong with just a basic parka. (North Face/AHxAA)
  2. Pea Coats: Pea Coats can make pulling off streetwear more difficult. Stick with streetwear styles in your pants and footwear. (J. Crew)
  3. Chore Coats/Coaches Jackets: Collar jackets are killer. (Pointer)
  4. Varsity Jackets: A classic streetwear style. (Supreme)
  5. Leather Jackets: Usually become more expensive as you look for better quality but a nice leather jacket is a perfect choice. (Temple of Jawnz/Schott)
  6. Bomber Jackets: Bombers come in many different materials and usually are very clean and minimalistic. (Rick Owens)
  7. Vests: Look for basic colored vests and layer them with sweatshirts. Try to avoid layering with tees or button-downs. (Penfield)

I generally have no restrictions for outerwear because there is an unfuckingbelieveable amount of different looks you can get from different pieces of outerwear. You can go from the most basic navy pullover jacket to a camo bomber shell and they can both look just as good in their own ways. Stay away from ill-fitting outerwear is all I can say.

However, dont be afraid to try some patterns. Camo is extremely important in streetwear so keep it in mind when choosing outerwear.

SIC: Outerwear is considered SIC - 2 due to the versatility of layering with other pieces as well as the frequent branding ability of outerwear.

  • Denim (SIC - 1)

Denim has been a part of Streetwear since forever. In recent years, slimmer cut raw denim (faded on left, new on right) has become more common (this is true for many current styles). The high-contrast faded look of raw denim has become very demanded. With a wide selection of brands and styles to choose from, Raw Denim becomes extremely versatile. I would recommend a good pair of raw denim if you are looking into streetwear looks. Remember: Raw Denim is a piece that can be used in many other styles. One frequently sought after look in streetwear is denim stacking. Stacking (more well know as) is when denim breaks multiple times in the jeans, resulting in a heavy and crisper look to your outfit. However, good stacking requires a longer inseam for your denim to have sufficent material to stack. The alternative to stacking (not cuffing), is cuffing your denim. Cuffing (or rolling) results in a sleeker more clean-cut and conservative look compared to stacks. Either look is acceptable and stacking and cuffing are simply personal preference. Avoid stonewash and most light wash denim. Blacks, Grays, and Indigos are what you want to look for in denim.

SIC: Denim is SIC - 1 because it can be used in many different styles. The cut and wash of the denim can change the outfit.

Recommended Brands: APC, Naked and Famous, Unbranded, Dior, Levis

/r/rawdenim

  • Pants

Chinos (SIC - 1)

Chinos are a cleaner alternative to denim. Chinos come in many different colors including (mainly) tan, navy, olive, gray. Wear chinos the same way you would wear jeans: stack or cuff. However, Chinos will not fade not give you the contrasted look that denim gives you. So keep in mind that Chinos, while very interesting, are more meant to be worn as simple basic pieces. For example, in this photo, the chinos allow the other pieces to be more shown off (shirt, and sneakers). In this photo the chinos are used to show off the jacket and sneakers. If you're looking into cargo pants (or even shorts) make sure you look for the slimmer cut pants rather than the baggy ones. Camo pants are pretty fly too.

Recommended Brands: Unbranded, J. Crew, Levis,

Sweatpants (SIC - 2)

There is not much to be said about sweatpants in streetwear, except for that they are to be worn as casually as possible. Stick to a more tapered look for sweatpants. Look for the ribbed cuff!

*Recommended Brands: H&M, I Love Ugly

SIC: Chinos are only SIC - 1 because while they're very important in streetwear, they are mainly used to show off other pieces. Sweatpants are SIC - 2 because they really don't have a place in any other style but streetwear (and some goth ninja looks).

  • Shorts (SIC - 0)

Shorts are a difficult part of streetwear because when you wear shorts, you risk giving off more of a casual menswear look, especially with khaki chino shorts. Stick to slimmer cute of shorts rather than straight fit shorts. Also don't be afraid to look into sweatshorts. They can give a more muted look to an outfit. Here is an example of shorts being used in a good simple streetwear fit. I would recommend not wearing high top shoes with shoes for the low profile of low-top shoes looks much better with shorts.

SIC: Shorts are SIC - 0 because they don't offer much to show an outfit off as "streetwear"

[–]gilbertAAA[S] 119 points120 points ago

  • Accessories

There are only a couple accessories to take into consideration in streetwear (disregarding hats). These two are bracelets and watches.

Bracelets

Bracelets are always acceptable in streetwear. Like most accessories, bracelets add depth to your outfit but look out for cheap ones. Stick to very minimalistic bracelets. Less is more in this case. Johnny Depp: Way too many. Kanye West: Perfect amount. Small leather straps are perfect or even wooden beads.

Watches

Same statements. Stick with less watches. In fact, in streetwear, stay away from watches. Especially large chunky plastic g-shocks. Ugh, I just shiver at the thought of G-Shocks. That really all I can say about watches. Less is more. Stay way from G-Shocks.

  • Backpacks/Bags (SIC - 1)

Bags and backpacks have a decent place in streetwear. Backpacks are an easy way to add a splash of color or pattern into the outfit with out making it too prominent. Since you don't have to wear that backpack 24/7, you dont have to have that splash of color. Backpacks in streetwear are sort of like outerwear, there are a whole lot of different brands and such that if some what up to you what you buy. Although, there are some common backpack streetwear styles. The most basic style is this here from Herschel Supply. Another common style is the two leather strap knapsack. And as you go on you end up with backpacks in a bunch of different looks. Other styles include the messenger bag or even the cross shoulder bag. Sorry for using only Herschel Supply pics, they cover most backpack looks. Here are two guides that have been posted recently that might help out. Guide 1 and Guide 2.

SIC: Backpacks are SIC - 1 beacuse there are many styles of the backpack that are used in other styles that can also be used in streetwear.

Recommended Brands: Everlane, North Face, Herschel, visvim

  • Headwear

There are 3 general models of hats that are most common in streetwear. The baseball cap, camp cap (that kid is adorable), the bucket hat, and the beanie.

Baseball Cap (SIC - 2)

The Baseball Cap comes in a few different designs aswell. The two main versions are the fitted and the adjustable snapback/strapback. The fitted is one of the most original streetwear looks and will continue to be pretty much forever. It is an unbeatable and (mostly) affordable look. "Made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can." You can take the stick off or keep it. Its generally up to you. Avoid wearing these backwards, it can look very silly and unattractive.

There is also the snapback hat which, recently, has gone some what out of style; depending on what you consider to be in style. For example, many snapbacks can end up looking childish and forced when they have silly, unattractive an uncessessary team branding. Avoid team snapbacks for now; they have been given a bad name by what are usually called "hypebeasts". Yet there are some snapbacks that are still in style. For example many streetwear brands (see below), have started producing more minimalistic and less team based hats. Look for these types of hats.

The baseball cap is a perfect time to show the "streetwear" in your outfit. Don't be afraid to use it.

Camp Cap (SIC - 2)

Among other headwear styles, the Camp Cap has boomed in the last two years. The style has grown from one of the most common camp cap producers, Supreme. If you've seen a camp cap, theres a good chance it may have been one from Supreme. Camp caps come in an insane variety of colors, shades, patterns and designs. Camp caps are a another great way to bring out more streetwear influence in your outfit. If youre going with a very strong pattern while wearing a camp cap, make sure you mute down the rest of your outfit and stay away from clashing patterns to whichever pattern you're wearing. Remember that most camp caps are adjustable in the back!

Bucket Hats (SIC - 2)

Bucket Hats are an even more recent style than camp caps. Or at least Bucket Hats are coming back into style. This style of headwear as also often called a boonie hat, or a fishermans hat. In streetwear it is generally called a bucket hat due to its resemblance to a bucket. It would be blasphemic if I didn't mention the Cali rapper, Schoolboy Q in this paragrah. Q has been a pioneer for the Bucket Hat within the last two years. Bucket hats are also another great section of streetwear to express streetwear influence. There is no one general brand that makes the most bucket hats like there is with camp hats (Supreme). So don't be afraid to pick around and see what hat looks best. Remember, Buckets are not for everyone... so if you have to question if you'll look silly in a bucket, then you probably will. They come in many different patterns and colors. Thank You Based God

Recommended Brands: There are so many brands, you'll have to experiment yourself.

It's time.

  • Footwear

This is generally also the recommended brands guide for sneakers/boots

Footwear is undoubtably the most prominent article of clothing in streetwear. Ranging from athletic sneakers to hightop boots, streetwear marks footwear as streetwear's biggest market. The market for Air Jordans themselves is enourmous. Streetwear footwear ranges incredibly, from low tops to high tops, from patten leather to suede, from every possible color to black and white. However, sneakers are a part of streetwear that comes with a mob mentality. Before we get into the footwear section of this guide, I want you to keep in mind that streetwear is insanely diverse and deserves its own 30k character guide its self. If requested, I may create a larger more in depth sneaker guide in the future.

Sneakers (SIC - 2)

The Sneaker has been a look that has evolved for around 100 years. From one of the most original sneakers, the Chuck Taylor converse, to a modern holy-grail, Michael Jordan. They are one of the most casual looks that exists in clothing today.

One general rule about sneakers is to always stick to the classic colorways. Many brands will come out with new color ways but remember than the original colorway will always be flawless. Ex: Air Jordan Bred color (classic) way vs. UNC colorway (new). The one thing about footwear, is that it is generally all by brand and not style. This is because most brands generate their own original styles.

[–]gilbertAAA[S] 115 points116 points ago

Nikes: Nike is the creator of the very popular Nike Free look. Low top Nikes range from hundreds of models. Some common ones in streetwear are the Janosksi, Air Max 1s, Air Max 90s, Flyknits, Free (album), Air Force 1s, and more recently, the Roshe. Any of these styles are very streetwear intensive. Just remember to stick to more original color ways rather than new clash-ier ones.

The Dunk is another old look that looks very similar to the Air Jordan 1. Many people confuse different types of dunks. There are normal dunks, and SB Dunks. They both also come in low top versions. Once again... look for the classic looks. And look for collaborations. Look for the High-Top Air Force 1s.

Air Jordans: The classic sneaker in American Streetwear ever since 1982. Let me be blunt; there are 23 retro models of Air Jordans. I advise you to only stick to a few of them.

  • Models that will always look good: 1s, 3s, and 4s.
  • Models to consider: 5s, 6s, and 11s.
  • Models to avoid: Generally every other model will have you running the risk of look like a "swag-fag hypebeast".

STICK TO THE CLASSIC COLOR WAYS. I don't wanna see any of this 2013 Joker 3s color way shit. If you follow the rest of this guide, you will generally be able to avoid looking silly in jordans. Never mix them with business wear.

Vans: Vans have a plethora of low top models. Its generally pretty hard to go wrong with vans, espescially with a pair of Authentics or Eras. They both have the same general look but Eras have a thick padding around the ankle. Also look into the low top sk8-hi look, known as the Old Skools. The high-top vans model to look out for is known as the Sk8-Hi. The classic black sk8-hi model is a growing look recently. Look out for some dope collabs. Especially WTAPS.

Common Projects: CPs have grown to be very popular in most styles within the last few years. However, they are higher up in the price range. A new pair of Achillies Lows (common low top model) can cost up to 400 USD. They are known to be extremely well made and most people buy this to use them for a long period of time. They have a very versatile look so they will last you through different seasons. CPs come in different colors and materials aswell. Gray, Black, White. etc. Same rules go for the high top models.

Adidas: Adidas kicks come in numerous similar models in different colors and patterns. Although not the most common style in modern streetwear, the most common adidas model has to be the 80s Superstar. Common modern models include the Rod Laver, Stan Smith, Busentinzs, Sambas, and Gazelles. Adidas give off a more relaxed steetwear look. They're probably the least "fuck you" look low-top streetwear sneakers I can think of.

Converse: The original shit right here. The Chuck Taylor is another very classic look in pretty much all styles. In modern streetwear, the Jack Purcell model has become most popular. The high-top black look is also a good look too, espeically with pants. Avoid the hightops with shorts. Black laces work too.

New Balance/Asics: They aren't as streetwear as most other sneakers, however they are still a good looking pair of kicks. I put NBs and Asics in the same catagory because they are both frequently collaborated with Ronnie Fieg. Most NB x RF and Asics x RF are fire. Plus I think that Asics and New Balance should be worn similarly in streetwear. There many different NB models to look out for. This is actually a really good post that covers the uses of NBs. As for Asics, generally look out for the Ronnie Fieg collabs. That is all.

Other Footwear brands: These brands are a little less conservative and cross-over with other styles, yet are still acceptable in streetwear looks.

There are a plethora of other unconventional sneaker brands that make some sick shit. Those are for you to find on your own.

Boots (SIC - 1)

Boots are more of a fall/winter look to look into. Stick to colors like Black, Brown and Grey (or tan). A common look in previous years of streetwear has been the Timberland boot. This style is a hit and miss. Heres a good use of tan timbs. Dont be afriad to try out the black timbs too. Other boot styles range from many different brands. Heres a pair of Bape boots. Another common style is the Moc Toe boot. Dont forget clarks wallabees. And yes even Clarks Desert Boots can be used in streetwear looks.

Recommended Brands: Clarks, Red Wing, visvim, Timberland

Other Resources

  • /r/streetwear: This isnt too bad of a subreddit. It need some shaping but you can find some decent stuff on there sometimes.

  • /r/rawdenim: a great place for raw denim looks.

  • /r/expensivemalefashion: Exactly what it sounds like :)

  • /r/sneakers: A subreddit dedicated to sneakers. Some nice guys over there.

Don't be afraid to look into other sites as-well: Hypebeast... Superfuture... etc. But lurk first.

Thank you everyone who took their time to read this guide. I really appreciate it. Hopefully this helps a little. I wish I could give a special thanks to everyone who helped contribute but the list would be way too long. Thanks to everyone who helped submit pictures and ideas.

There will be revisions and updates, so keep an eye out for those.

~ Gil

[–]Drizu 104 points105 points ago

DAMN.

[–]Captain_Unremarkable 61 points62 points ago

That was...comprehensive.

[–]The_Real_JS 10 points11 points ago

Now that's an understatement.

[–]philogynistic 22 points23 points ago

You're getting a lot of shit, but I want to tell you that I love this guide dude.

[–]gilbertAAA[S] 12 points13 points ago

Thanks <3

[–]The_Real_JS 3 points4 points ago

Holy Fuck. Dude. This is amazing. Great job!

[–]poop_lover 1 point2 points ago

OriginalFake while you can still get it.

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    [–]Sir_Jeremiah 12 points13 points ago

    I just got a g-shock :(

    [–]BlackBillMurray 7 points8 points ago

    I hope you saved the receipt.

    [–]Sir_Jeremiah 1 point2 points ago

    Well it looks nice and I have a very active life style so I like it.

    [–]JDilly 3 points4 points ago

    G-shocks are awesome, don't worry about it. Not all of them are played out.

    [–]canuckfanatic 4 points5 points ago

    I never understood the G-Shock craze

    [–]IDontNeedTherapy 0 points1 point ago

    Neither did I some are pretty durable watches though but that cereal box look never really grew on me.

    [–]zayg 168 points169 points ago

    go take a break now dude

    [–]gilbertAAA[S] 43 points44 points ago

    exhales

    [–]buges 1 point2 points ago

    Fucking amazing shit man well done.

    [–]Jawthumb 34 points35 points ago

    Dude wrote a damn fashion thesis statement

    [–]joekrozak 25 points26 points ago

    Cool guide but I find your comparisons on This looks fine/This looks silly to be lacking. For example under Tees you compare a guy wearing skinny cargos and Chucks style shoes to a pair of New Joisey, oranged up, peacocking d-bags. It works insofar as the Silly side is an example of extremely bad t shirts, but they clearly subscribe to different fashion rules since they are from different subcultures. Under Streetwear Influence you compare ASAP rocky to a thirteen year old white kid wearing a wave cap (wrong on every level since straight white hair doesn't wave and the kid has long hair rather than a buzz cut which could be flattened with the cap). One is part of the subculture he is reflecting, the other is doing a poor imitation. It gets the point across, but it isn't very nuanced.

    [–]tPRoC 5 points6 points ago

    the comparisons in this guide are really bad, they're mostly just gilbert_aaa ripping on some things he doesn't like and shoehorning them in to a guide

    [–]VenserPW 0 points1 point ago

    Can you expand on this a little?

    [–]hugoooo 1 point2 points ago

    dem puka shells

    [–]lphie181 60 points61 points ago

    Honestly, this is the first guide that I couldn't really draw a clear line when reading/looking at the comparison pictures. A lot of "do not" pics looks super similar to the "do" pics. And a lot of the "do not" pics are clearly a decade old....or of a decade-old person.

    [–][deleted] ago

    [deleted]

    [–]moonsteethmarks 25 points26 points ago

    For this reason (among others), as I read this guide, I struggled with the idea that maybe it's just a parody of MFA that was going way over my head.

    [–]TSOD 4 points5 points ago

    Honestly streetwear is that finicky. You rock some rare pigeon nikes and you can be called a hypebeast or get props. It's stupid, the most successful people just do what they want and don't look for confirmation.

    [–]Redditor1230 6 points7 points ago

    Here's my opinion. When you really think about it, a lot of the "you can wear this but not this" stuff is really pretentious. The trends in streetwear are really really quick and the majority of the following is really pretentious too. Just wear whatever you like the best, a couple years ago wearing an obey box hoodie would be 'in', but now its overplayed.

    Just wear what you want but keep it classy ok pls

    [–]IncrediblyHungry 1 point2 points ago

    Obey has been lame for more than a couple years.

    [–]Redditor1230 2 points3 points ago

    http://hypebeast.com/2013/7/obey-2013-fall-lookbook

    This shit isnt even bad. Obey 'stepped up' their game by fitting into the bland look which is now 'popular streetwear', happy?

    [–]IncrediblyHungry 1 point2 points ago

    Yeah have to disagree with you there. Shit is wack.

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      [–]BobbyMcWho 53 points54 points ago

      Probably should rehost all your images on imgur.com to reduce likelihood that they expire or crap out.

      Other than that, thanks for the information!

      [–]yo-g 18 points19 points ago

      where do you draw the line between streetwear, sportswear, and techwear? the inspiration album seems to have included all three.

      [–]tPRoC 28 points29 points ago

      sportswear and techwear are types of streetwear. that is one of the biggest problems here, streetwear is kind of a huge diverse topic to tackle with a guide like this

      [–][deleted] ago

      [deleted]

      [–]manahimik 7 points8 points ago

      there's definitely huge overlap between sportswear and techwear.

      [–]swatfishy 1 point2 points ago

      the only actual sports i would consider they overlap on are running and cycling - what are your thoughts?

      [–]tPRoC 1 point2 points ago

      uhm

      basketball?

      [–]swatfishy 1 point2 points ago

      i dunno about you but i dont wear basketball jerseys with my shells...can you elaborate?

      [–]tPRoC 0 points1 point ago

      oh, i thought it said overlap between sportswear and streetwear

      [–]swatfishy 0 points1 point ago

      oh i'd totally agree with that but i'm not seeing the techwear connection

      [–]tPRoC 0 points1 point ago

      well, obviously things like running/cycling equipment is pretty big.

      [–]wunder_bar 14 points15 points ago

      cant wait to see the fits that come out because of this guide lol

      [–]samlander 5 points6 points ago

      Great general guide. I think there is a tier that should be added that is about mid range sometimes a bit higher that has a more mature street wear aesthetic. Which include:

      I love ugly

      Maiden noir

      P.A.M. (Bit more expensive because of imports from Aussie land)

      Wood wood (bit more expensive due to being from Scandinavia)

      Reigning champ

      Stussy deluxe

      Some of black scale stuff

      Feel free to add if you guys can think of anymore

      [–]ADangerousMan 1 point2 points ago

      oh wow I completely missed that wood wood wasn't included. He does name-drop RC in the sweatshirts section, he just says "champ". Good additions

      [–]samlander 0 points1 point ago

      Hey np.

      [–]LL-beansandrice 6 points7 points ago

      Man you're getting a lot of shit for all the work you've done. This was a great read and is a fantastic resource. I've wanted to start adding some of these elements into my style and this was an awesome start.

      This is your take on streetwear, not a comprehensive guide on anything streetwear ever. You did a fantastic job, let the haters hate.

      [–]gilbertAAA[S] 3 points4 points ago

      thank you for understanding the guide concept.

      [–]thank_you_hyosung 86 points87 points ago

      i feel like you bit off more than you could chew with this

      [–]gilbertAAA[S] 60 points61 points ago

      thanks for the response. ive heard a lot of critisism on this and than you guys for reading it. i hope in the future to see better revisions or better versions of this because this is simply my guide.

      im sure others have a better vision of streetwear than i do.

      [–]thang1thang2 34 points35 points ago

      With how extremely comprehensive "streetwear" is, I doubt you could even finish writing a 100% complete comprehensive guide ever. However, I really like this guide because it's solid and basic. If you follow the guide you can drop your first grand on street-wear in confidence knowing you're not going to look really stupid. After that, you'll probably know enough about your own 'style' of streetwear to be able to diversify and pick your own clothing.

      In short, the MFA "uniforms" teach you how to dress well and boring, but with the expectation that you'll develop your own style after such. This guide, I believe, was written (and excellently so) to show a safe and solid approach into street-style that someone could use if they want to wear street-style but don't know how to go about it.

      A+, would read again. Solid stuff, gilbert.

      [–]gilbertAAA[S] 14 points15 points ago

      first good response on this ive gotten.

      [–]esyples 1 point2 points ago

      Good response and the truth.

      [–]Drizu 11 points12 points ago

      Why? I think it looks good

      [–]thank_you_hyosung 98 points99 points ago

      well ok so the term 'streetwear' is in and of itself really nebulous. there are a bunch of different ways that people use the term. you have your like karmaloop teenagers who are matching their shirts to their shoes (and are wearing vintage snapbacks, mishka, jordan, hundreds, adidas, crooks & castles). you have your skatepunk stuff (supreme, stussy, vans). there is obviously a lot of overlap between those two. then you have japanese streetwear brands, some that tend more towards militaria (nbhd, wtaps, bape, needles), some that are more americana (visvim, nonnative, e.g.). then you have your high fashion streetwear stuff (rick owens, givenchy, balenciaga).

      all of these brands and styles can be considered 'streetwear' to one degree or another, and trying to cover all of them in one guide leads to this overflowing, cumbersome guide that tries to address every single aspect of streetwear but doesn't actually do any of them justice. it also treats them all as if they are interchangeable, which they really are not. certainly some people do it really well, but those are not the same people who are reading MFA for fashion guides.

      that's not even getting into my overall dislike of MFA's obsession with guides, and how especially bizarre it is to try to come up with a streetwear guide.

      oh wow reddit gold, thanks!

      [–]Drizu 25 points26 points ago

      I see what you're saying; streetwear really is a massive category, and trying to cover it all will inevitably result in failure. However, I think Gilbert did a good job of covering what I think most of us think of when someone says "streetwear"--box tees, caps, and sneakers. I'm not disputing what you're saying, because I agree with you. I'm just saying that Gilbert did pretty well considering his topic IMO.

      [–]gilbertAAA[S] 12 points13 points ago

      thats why its called gilbert's guide.

      not EVERY SINGLE STREETWEAR TYPE IN ONE guide.

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        [–]gilbertAAA[S] 28 points29 points ago

        I agree with most of this. If I could give you gold I would.

        [–]demengrad 10 points11 points ago

        I've got you covered.

        [–]hurrykane 3 points4 points ago

        karmaloop teenager

        lol this is a fantastic term, and i will be using it

        [–]esyples 0 points1 point ago

        The shops listed sell of the different "types" of streetwear under one roof. If there was ever a simple guide, this would be considered an excellent one.

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          [–]blankinput_ 29 points30 points ago

          Art by numbers approach to a style that is anything but.

          [–]poshtrousers 18 points19 points ago

          I dunno man, if you view it more as a beginner's guide to streetwear, it does a great job. I wasn't really into the whole streetwear game before (read: I knew nothing), but I feel I've got a decent handle on the basics of the style now.

          Sticking with your metaphor, paint by numbers is a way to get kids to learn to create art and is a great tool to help them learn motor skills/color coordination/what have you, but there's no way anybody would hang your 4-year old's picture up in the Louvre. Same thing here. It's not meant as a comprehensive overview, and while I agree that there could have been added sections on proportion and silhouette, as /u/tPRoC said, it's a great introductory guide. This post may not make you Picasso, but it'll at least take you past stick figures.

          [–]TheUnwashedMasses 8 points9 points ago

          The problem is that it won't, though. If you knew nothing about streetwear before and you followed this guide and bought some of the items and wore them all together, you'd probably look like crap. Not you specifically; anybody would. The problem is not just that there's more aspects to streetwear than just the items but that those aspects are what are essential to actually making the items look better than just a bunch of random stuff thrown together.

          [–]poshtrousers 1 point2 points ago

          That's a good point. I now know a lot about certain items of clothing and some brands, but have no idea how to create outfits with them, at least in the streetwear genre.

          [–]jhchawk 18 points19 points ago

          I'm really struggling with what to say about this guide. I personally don't like or necessarily understand the type of "streetwear" this guide focuses on.

          When I'm dressing for looks, (which is the reason I frequent mfa) I generally am trying to look "good". I don't care about the brand of the clothing, as long as it looks good, feels good, and makes me feel confident. This may be incorrect, but it seems to me that this type of streetwear is focused on looking "correct" instead. The "correct" brand, the "correct" sports team logo, the "correct" flavor of the week.

          [–]astrnght_mike_dexter 3 points4 points ago

          He presents it that way to make it easier to digest. Look at the sidebar. There are tons of rules for beginners that regulars here don't necessarily follow anymore, but are helpful to people who are starting out.

          [–]jhchawk 0 points1 point ago

          I'm not taking exception with his presentation of the information, but with the information itself. I'm well aware of how beginners start to absorb fashion information since I am a beginner myself.

          If you look at the other guides in sidebar, you'll see section headings such as materials, fit, colors and matching, and construction quality. These are generally what the "rules" you are referring to are based around, and then brands are given in the budget, mid, and high-end price ranges.

          On the flipside, in this guide brands are one of the biggest talking points, along with recommendations for which type of logo to wear. From the OP (emphasis added):

          The reason the Supreme shirt is better than the Obey one is because the streetwear society has given it a more respected name.

          Would that reasoning apply for any other facet of clothing on MFA? We all know that Allen Edmonds are much better than Cole Haans, but because of the fit, quality of construction, durability, and styling. Not the logo on the sole.

          [–]astrnght_mike_dexter 1 point2 points ago

          That's true. There are different "rules" for streetwear than other kinds of styles. I don't particularly care about branding, but for thise who are interested in this style it's just another way of expressing yourself.

          [–]ILookAfterThePigs 1 point2 points ago

          This is just the way streetwear works. Streetwear is much more about looking cool than looking good, so the way people perceive your outfit matters.

          load more comments (1 reply)

            [–]Metcarfre 42 points43 points ago

            How to find looks to avoid: 1. Go to tumblr 2. Click search tags 3. Search for the tag #swag

            Its that easy

            We should sticky this to the top of the sub.

            Fantastic guide. Not my style, but it makes one curious. Maybe I'll get some sweet sneaks at some point.

            [–]hirokinakamura 11 points12 points ago

            No we should not this is really quite shitty

            [–]Metcarfre 7 points8 points ago

            How would you improve it, or would you?

            [–]ChairmanW 20 points21 points ago

            Honestly like /u/thank_you_hyosung said,

            all of these brands and styles can be considered 'streetwear' to one degree or another, and trying to cover all of them in one guide leads to this overflowing, cumbersome guide that tries to address every single aspect of streetwear but doesn't actually do any of them justice.

            I think there's just too many different styles within streetwear for a comprehensive guide to work, this is't my style but I just read the guide and I still wouldn't know how to put together a streetwear wardrobe, or how to incorporate all the different items he listed into outfits. There are so many less 'rules' in regards to streetwear when compared to mesnwear that it's hard to say do this, but not this, or this is streetwear but this isn't. A big part of streetwear is the spirit of creating your own style and look.

            [–]MrAsuleOne 7 points8 points ago

            "A big part of streetwear is the spirit of creating your own style and look."

            As well as the subculture you fit under..

            [–]ChairmanW 0 points1 point ago

            Even so, there are so many subcultures that it's really impossible to cover all of them in one comprehensive guide.

            [–]MrAsuleOne 0 points1 point ago

            I wasn't disagreeing with you. I just wanted to add the spirit of creating your style comes from your influences. Usually dependent on your subculture that you actively take part in.

            and yah, there is a lot of sub cultures, which would mean a lot of styles.

            [–]tPRoC 3 points4 points ago

            a complete rewrite, but nobody wants to tackle that since streetwear is so diverse

            [–]GraphicNovelty 8 points9 points ago

            I think that's extreme.

            I think all it needs is better definition of what subset of streetwear the author wants to focus on (because it's definitely biased to a certain aesthetic) and then a trim of anything not in line with that aesthetic.

            [–]tPRoC 13 points14 points ago

            it doesn't really tell you how to accomplish that aesthetic other than listing off a bunch of brands that only barely qualify as streetwear and telling you to avoid looking #swag

            the whole "SIC" thing is very bad too. this guide lists off lots of pieces but it never really explains how to style them together. no real mention of proportion or silhouette, which is way more important in streetwear than most other styles

            [–]jmicah 0 points1 point ago

            i think a good addition would be 10000 good pictures for people to look through

            [–]anamericandude 4 points5 points ago

            Ok, so I still a little new to this, so maybe I'm missing something, but it's alright to wear a white tee that has nothing but the Supreme logo on it, but American Eagle is to be steered away from because of the tiny eagle on it?

            [–]ChairmanW 10 points11 points ago

            What's the point of the SIC values? Your outfit has to have certain number of SIC points for it to be streetwear?

            [–]cloudedfish 9 points10 points ago

            No it was explaining how much specific pieces work with streetwear. If you wore only 0's and 1's the outfit wouldn't be very streetwear-ish.

            [–]gilbertAAA[S] 6 points7 points ago

            This is correct.

            [–]ChairmanW 2 points3 points ago

            But who's got the verdict on if an outfit is streetwear or isn't? I'm certain you can put together 'very streetwear-ish' outfits even with 0's and 1's depending on the individual pieces, which brings me to my next point, he gives a value to every category when certainly some things are more streetwear than others within each category.

            [–]cloudedfish 1 point2 points ago

            It was really an introduction. I got almost no knowledge from the guide, and I don't do streetwear. It would be hundreds of comments if he was to go over every popular individual piece.

            [–]ChairmanW 2 points3 points ago

            That's exactly why it doesn't work and the SIC system is obselete. You even admit you got almost no knowledge from this guide, and neither did I after reading it. It should really be broken down into smaller guides that cover specific styles instead of one giant comprehensive guide.

            [–]That_Geek 7 points8 points ago

            A very impressive effort, but the idea of a streetwear guide to me is impossible. what does it even mean? As far as I can tell it isn't even defined anywhere.

            Props for trying, but I'm with pretty much everyone else

            [–]ADangerousMan 19 points20 points ago

            pros: You've got a lot of good shit here. Obviously I don't agree on every single point, but there's a pretty excellent base for someone who is just getting into it. I'm both excited and terrified for the amount of mfa-ers who are going to try this when this guide gets a bit of traction.

            cons: You missed Mishka (which is fine, it's personal preference I'm sure), but holy shit please stop saying fag in your "Official Guide". It makes you sound horribly unprofessional and to be frank, like a jackass.

            [–]gilbertAAA[S] 8 points9 points ago

            Its the lingo. I usually put it in quotes because its not what i say. I hate the word fag. Its what youll be called it you look like that. I dont recommend it but ive heard that along with fuccboi and hypebeast.

            [–]Darkapb 1 point2 points ago

            where does he say fag?

            [–]ADangerousMan -2 points-1 points ago

            bruh says swag-fag at least 4 or 5 times in the guide. Not chill

            [–]goofgnar 9 points10 points ago

            bruh also states that swag-fag, fuccboi, et. al. are not his creations but merely created by the community.

            [–]ADangerousMan 4 points5 points ago

            and I didn't invent a plethora of other things you shouldn't really call people, that doesn't mean I should use them either.

            [–]Metal_Lyrics 2 points3 points ago

            bra why are you flipping out about quotes. he was QUOTING a QUOTE

            [–]Darkapb 3 points4 points ago

            he's quoting other people. eg: if you dont to be percieved by other people as a "swagfag", then do this

            [–]Drizu 9 points10 points ago

            Those "this looks silly" examples... ಠ_ಠ

            [–]That_Geek 2 points3 points ago

            also rolling isn't the same as cuffing

            [–]MCLankyLegs 2 points3 points ago

            do u like kanye west?

            [–]spiny_dogfish 2 points3 points ago

            haha ctrl+f kanye west

            [–]NoXEEEQwLL 2 points3 points ago

            What's your opinion on mainstream/common brands like Neff, DGK or Diamond Supply Co? Is there a chance that those brands are similar to Obey? Because when it comes to brands, I have no clue what brands that have "good respect" and which who don't

            [–]le_juk 1 point2 points ago

            Brands like these are generally frowned upon due to 1. "selling out" to wholesale and retailers and 2. plastering gaudy logos over everything. Diamond and Obey (as a rule) just paste huge, gaudy logos onto tees and hats and this does not look good. It is perceived that these brands have diluted their style to suit a larger demographic, and that they have chosen to make more money by making safe choices and selling to malls etc. over designing good products, and this is not respected generally. Supreme, for example, do not do this. Although their most popular pieces bear a box logo, the logo is more tasteful than others, and is not enormous. It is also not present on many clothing items. This leads to a generally more palatable style. Also, by remaining exclusive to a relatively hardcore fanbase, they tailor to the tastes of those who wish the original style to continue, perpetuating (overall) good, strong, style. However, as seen in this season, some shit is still whack as fuck.

            [–]Colakim3 4 points5 points ago

            I heard buttoning the top button is a thing in streetwear. Is it only allowed for: people who knows how to break the rule?

            [–]absurdmind 3 points4 points ago

            Good guide but if any sneaker heads come here they might be upset that you shit on some of the most sought after Nike SB's in the game.

            [–]ramseames 7 points8 points ago

            I stand by what I said initially, streetwear isn't something you can write a guide for, and it shows.

            [–]MAJhacks 2 points3 points ago

            i really enjoy the ~streetwear~ style

            [–]Inverse0 0 points1 point ago

            How does it show?

            [–]60CycleHomme 4 points5 points ago

            I dunno, this guide reads like it was written by someone who read about street wear on the internet and hasn't actually spent time in a proper city seeing real people who define what street wear is. Most of the brands, actually almost all of them aren't even street wear brands and the suggestions are really conservative which is pretty antithetical to street wear.

            basically just the usual MFA recommendations in drab colors + something from supreme + a pair of Nikes = street wear, is what this says to me. Pat on the back for all the effort, not a great result.

            [–]jmicah 0 points1 point ago

            yeah. it's weird seeing j.crew listed for everything.

            [–]genteelblackhole 2 points3 points ago

            I really wouldn't call this streetwear. The look is quite popular with people of his age over here in the UK, and I really don't think it's similar to streetwear. And also he was called out for being buttoned up to the top with no tie, yet in one of the other sections you've got a bloke with a shirt buttoned up all the way as an example of good streetwear.

            On the other hand, I'm gonna have a proper look at this and I'm sure it'll be very useful. I just think that you've lumped some looks into the wrong "genre" here.

            [–]gilbertAAA[S] 2 points3 points ago

            its not streetwear, i specify it as something to avoid.

            [–]bigcatjesse 3 points4 points ago

            Personally I think streetwear is the best. I don't understand how people always say "It's just sneakers, jeans, and tees". I could do the same thing and say, "It's just an OCBD, chinos, and desert boots."

            Your thing about sticking to original colorways for Jordans is not true. Yes, Doernbecher 4's and Bel Air 5's are hideous, but Doernbecher 3's and Fear Pack 4's are some good "new" colorways.

            Brands like Obey are sold at zumies and bought by fuccbois, but looking at their 2013 Fall Lookbook, I would buy some of those items. If it's a nice item, I don't care about the brand, but that giant Obey logo is ugly. It's not like everything Supreme makes is genius. Anyone can make some wack shit. Supreme's much more limited and respected than other brands, but fuccbois still manage to get a hold of it.

            [–]jmicah 4 points5 points ago

            i love the supreme power corruption lies hoodies and vans. just because those people fuck it up doesn't mean it can't be used well. which it fucking can because it's probably the best floral that has even been made.

            [–]bigcatjesse 1 point2 points ago

            I'm not a big fan of it but I agree with you, some people can probably make it look really good. Like I said any brand has people that find a way to ruin it lol.

            [–]lmahotdoglol 4 points5 points ago

            You ask generally anyone in streetwear and they will say that the Supreme shirt is a better shirt. Better in every respect of the word. Most people would say, "Well its practically the same fucking shirt. Same colors, same design, and similar lettering. Just different words and size. Why aren't both just as cool?" The reason the Supreme shirt is better than the Obey one is because the streetwear society has given it a more respected name.

            doesn't that imply that even by fashion standards, "streetwear" is utterly vacuous, has everything to do with marketing and branding, and nothing to do with style?

            [–]tPRoC 0 points1 point ago

            to be fair, supreme usually has better designs and nicer construction than obey

            [–]jmicah 0 points1 point ago

            it's not just wearing the right items, it's about wearing them well. that means not just the brand, but the piece and how you combine it with everything else.

            you can paint better pictures with better paint but you can also paint shitty pictures with great paint.

            not to say that you can't paint great pictures with bad paint, it's just more difficult.

            load more comments (3 replies)

              [–]cloudedfish 1 point2 points ago

              Pic #1 and #15 are the same.

              Edit: Second Backpack image is broken. Two Leather Strap Knapsack

              [–]mangatroll 1 point2 points ago

              It took me until writing this post to realize I was in mfa, and not /r/streetwear. But OP already said this isn't THE streetwear guide, but it definitely hits the nail on the head in some aspects.

              It tells you a lot about what's played out and helps you identify with what you want your style to be.

              But sorry, /u/gilbertAAA, I have worn my Baby G's and G-shocks since I was a tiny little asian baby and these hypebeasts can't take that away from me!

              [–]gilbertAAA[S] 0 points1 point ago

              and thats perfectly fine. you can chose what you want to do.

              [–]NiggaIGetBuckets 9 points10 points ago

              So street wear is about brand whoring? Good to know haha... I appreciate the guide and everything, but not everyone wants to spend an absurd amount of money to simply buy a shirt because it is Supreme...

              [–]ADangerousMan 11 points12 points ago

              you've appeared to miss most of the points layed out in the guide.

              [–]NiggaIGetBuckets 2 points3 points ago

              No I read the guide and it is valuable, but there are multiple times where he simply says "buy this because it's a good brand and it's a classic"... Shit like that really turns me off to fashion and especially street wear. Intuitively you would think that street wear should be on the cheap end, but then you realize that you have to buy $25 t's (and thats on the low end hahaha) to fit in with trends... Absurd honestly.

              [–]hooplah 6 points7 points ago

              you don't buy the tees to fit in with trends, you buy the tees if you like the aesthetic. same with the brands--there is always going to be some amount of blind label fanboyism but if you like supreme, you're gonna like most of the stuff supreme puts out; if you like wtaps, you're gonna like most of the stuff wtaps puts out

              [–]ADangerousMan 4 points5 points ago

              again, you're missing the point. You haven't been commanded to follow any trends or buy any specific brands. There are brands that are listed on there as being good, yes. But at the top of the guide, the phrase that seems to be being repeated in this thread of comments is

              "I don't want you to follow everything I say in this post. Streetwear is an ever-changing look that is changed with personal influence. So do something that you like when you dress."

              One of the most common brands listed on this is uniqlo, for fucks sake. Any style can be cheap and can also be expensive depending on how you purchase things and what you purchase, and both can look good. And 25 dollars for a t shirt IS cheap, because cheap is relative.

              [–]jmicah 0 points1 point ago

              some things are classics and if they are they it should be said. however he should also explain why its classic.

              it might be intuitive to you that streetwear is cheap but that was never the truth and no one is saying that's the truth. a lot of the styles in streetwear come from people wanting to peacock and streetwear has long been label intensive. its based around famous people who have a lot of money and to look like those famous people you often need a lot of money for those specific pieces. (brands worn that can be very expensive- supreme, louis vuitton, gucci, prada, givenchy) when then those famous people release clothing lines (kanye with apc, odd future with supreme and vans and more) of course that will be expensive. a portion of streetwear is looking different and better- and one way to do that is by wearing relatively inaccessible pieces. the pieces are often inaccessible because of price.

              and also the trends are followed by many not because 'i want to follow trends' but because 'i want to be cool like tyler or kanye' and then you buy into what also happens to be a trend. there is a difference in intent and sometimes a difference in the intended result. hopefully the former will come off as more sincere and fitting in the outfit. you may be able to tell if a person genuinely buys into the piece they bought or if they are simply following trends.

              hopefully i cleared some stuff up for you.

              [–]ADangerousMan 1 point2 points ago

              your logic on grouping supreme with LV and Prada is interesting at best, but your point on it being label focussed and at its core a bit peacocky is pretty sound. Also, streetwear never was at its core based around people who have a lot of money / wanting to look like you have a lot of money. As a second thought, the thing on trends is kinda redundant, since you're just sorta saying "you're not following trends, but yeah you're kinda following trends".

              [–]solomon081 0 points1 point ago

              wait when did odd future release clothing with supreme...

              [–]jmicah 0 points1 point ago

              i dunno i was kinda making stuff up. please don't hate me

              [–]Jonathan_Rambo 4 points5 points ago

              A++++++ for effort, would chuckle while reading again

              D++++++ for execution, this is like a lamestreamers guide to looking like you've shopped at a mall near a college campus before

              A good amount of the fits are decent, some are even pretty nice but I feel like you're preaching to the choir here since this is the same generic look people always post in WAYWT threads except you trying to explain why the look is cool, only instead of being cool its usually pretty average

              [–]_flatline_ 1 point2 points ago

              My problem with streetwear is the exclusionary nature of it all - in the OP, it is plainly stated that things become uncool when they reach a certain saturation or are picked up by an 'undesirable' demographic.

              I actually kind of hate that the sub is called "Male Fashion Advice" because I always think of fashion as being fickle, ever-changing, and exclusionary - if you can pick it up at the mall, it is probably Bad. I much prefer Style over Fashion - stuff that you can wear year after year, regardless of label or trends.

              That said, I absolutely love a lot of Street looks, I just hate getting caught up in the race for Swag and how quickly things can become cool or untouchable.

              [–]ADangerousMan 11 points12 points ago

              style over fashion

              pls stop saying this, thank you.

              [–][deleted] ago

              [deleted]

              [–]_flatline_ 2 points3 points ago

              I'm sure part of it is that I am a grumpy 30 year old.

              On one level, I get it - when I was growing up in central PA, every cool guy in middle school wore No Fear t-shirts, and if you had newer ones that other people didn't have, even better. It's just as s a kid who wore grey sweatpants with elastic cuffs almost until high school, I kind of hated that mentality.

              At the same time I absolutely understand the frustration other people have with the #menswear look, since you can boil it down to a fairly rigid prescription that doesn't leave a lot of room for individuality (hur hurr let's all dress in alphas and CDBs, MFA uni amirite?). It's not like I'm completely immune to exclusivity; if you scrape my post history you'll see that I scooped up some Converse x Reigning Champ All Star collabs that I loved.

              Nothing is black and white, except the things that are.

              [–]totallysharky 1 point2 points ago

              this is too much reading for my brain without coffee but good job putting in all this effort

              [–]itsall-suicide 1 point2 points ago

              Sorta surprised you didn't mention Yung Lean in your paragraph on bucket hats, but other than that, great guide man.

              [–]stickygazelle 6 points7 points ago

              #arizonaicedoutboys #sadboys2003 #emotionalshawtys

              [–]stonehandserick 1 point2 points ago

              2cry4me

              [–]itsall-suicide 0 points1 point ago

              Man I love Yung Lean.

              load more comments (1 reply)

                [–]Friedgerbil55 1 point2 points ago

                Upvoted, saved. Jesus christ, Gilbert.

                [–]Ques 0 points1 point ago

                to any admins considering putting this in the side bar please note the usage of the word fag in it

                [–]gilbertAAA[S] 1 point2 points ago

                this aint goin in sidebar dont worry

                happy cake day

                [–]Ques 2 points3 points ago

                whats a cake day

                [–]gilbertAAA[S] 1 point2 points ago

                look at your name dude. this you joined reddit exactly one year ago.

                its your fuckin reddit birthday breh

                [–]Ques 5 points6 points ago

                since i joined reddit because of mfa that means it's my mfa-birthday tear

                [–]CleanThug 0 points1 point ago

                lol

                [–]stickygazelle 3 points4 points ago

                good work man. i think you did a great job. this is quite a subject to tackle, and i think you got a lot of good info out.

                [–]mechanicalmatt 0 points1 point ago

                God...58 is so good. Any idea what the knit is?

                [–]cloudedfish 0 points1 point ago

                Just about lost my shit (in a good way) over this kid

                [–]Grimmnir 0 points1 point ago

                That jacket in thr 3rd pic... I want it... anyone tell me where to buy?

                [–]philchen89 0 points1 point ago

                i gradually got more scared of what would come up each time i clicked "this looks silly"

                [–]borge689 0 points1 point ago

                I can't thank you enough for writing this. I hope some more people might expand on this!

                [–]DOPESPIERRE 0 points1 point ago

                In the section on fitteds, that picture of jay wearing the Yankee cap, that's a snap back not a fitted

                [–]CleanThug 0 points1 point ago

                Could you change the imgur album to make it easier to view?

                [–]empw 0 points1 point ago

                Any reason why you didn't include The Hundreds?

                [–]ADangerousMan 2 points3 points ago

                their designs are the epitome of most of the things he finds wrong with streetwear, if I had to wager a guess by the examples he included. Probably the same reason Diamond Supply didn't make the cut.

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                  [–]Kicker36 0 points1 point ago

                  Do you think anybody can do street wear or does it just not clash with some people?(I guess based on their looks/body structure). I love some of the aspects of it(Especially things like the floral patterns, particularly on button downs) but i just feel like i wouldn't be able to "pull it off" so to speak

                  [–]rjistheman 0 points1 point ago

                  this is great man, keep up the good work!

                  [–]callmeRichard 0 points1 point ago

                  The top button things seems to be popular even though you say it looks silly (which I agree with). I'm thinking ASAP Rocky for example. And I saw it a couple times in the inspiration album OP posted.

                  [–]NiteClaw 0 points1 point ago

                  Random question and kind of off-topic, but how tall are you? Good guide btw, I can tell you put a ton of work and effort in to this and even though not everyone agrees with it or likes it, the amount of effort you put into this should still be recognized, thank you.

                  [–]vitamenc 0 points1 point ago

                  http://www.lememe.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MIKE-THE-RULER-MY-HERO.png

                  I'm dying hahahahahaha, this cant be real.

                  Gonna go read through the rest of the guide when i stop laughing

                  edit: Damn, probably one of the most detailed guides I've seen. Hope too see more streetwear in this sub, I personally think it looks better than every other style

                  [–]gilbertAAA[S] 0 points1 point ago

                  look up miketheruler on instagram

                  [–]Deejayce 0 points1 point ago

                  Now I finally have an excuse to never button the top button other than, "it looks weird and people will think I'm weird"

                  [–]Mc_Puffin 0 points1 point ago

                  Quick question...what about Dockers Alpha Khakis for chinos? Too dressy?

                  [–]Dick_Dousche 1 point2 points ago

                  they're about as casual as chinos can go besides 5 pocket twill pants. You're good

                  [–]kennzilla 0 points1 point ago

                  Jacket in 7? I want something like that really bad. My guess is Penfield?

                  [–]Dick_Dousche 0 points1 point ago

                  Looks like a penfield kasson. Should be re-released for fall/winter '13 in a few weeks.

                  [–]_Charlie 0 points1 point ago

                  I love supreme as a brand but I feel intimidated to buy and wear them as I actually hate the people you see wearing them. Like the 'I smoke weed' 'fuck society' like sheltered teens. It's a nice brand but they did the same with obey, now supreme.

                  [–]Underoathftw 0 points1 point ago

                  Very well thought out guide. I've recently been building up a collection of streetwear and trying to incorporate some J Crew and H&M shirts into my rotation. My shoe game needs some work so I'll use this as a reference :)

                  [–]poop_lover 0 points1 point ago

                  While you mention Camo is important, I think it should also be mentioned how easy it is to overdo camo.

                  I think this is a really awesome guide. If I could add my own thoughts on the mentality section, I'd say big things for streetwear heads are to blend in to a crowd while standing out to the right people.

                  You want to be able to not look like some flashy idiot, or a prep, but you also want your fellow streetwear enthusiasts to recognize that you have good taste.

                  I'd say the best streetwear collections are put together over years, and not something that you can just go out and buy an outfit. Creases on your sneakers fades in your jeans and a spec of pain on your jacket go a long way as well.

                  [–]peacemonger1995 0 points1 point ago

                  I was looking at the Uniqlo website and some of the shirts are listed as "dry packaged". Can someone please explain what this means?

                  [–]yoyo_shi 1 point2 points ago

                  they're a cheaper, thinner, boxier shirt. go for the premiums.

                  [–]peacemonger1995 0 points1 point ago

                  Ok thanks!

                  [–]Friedgerbil55 0 points1 point ago

                  Can anyone recommend some streetwear brands in xs?

                  [–]1amathrowaway 0 points1 point ago

                  No mention of any high end Japanese brands whatsoever (I guess unless you want to count visvim)? Not even the raw denim section at the very least? (not to mention the fact they make the best hoodies and tshirts as well)

                  [–]komali_2 0 points1 point ago

                  You want good streetwear on the cheap come to taiwan. You want the best streetwear come to japan

                  [–]thecynicroute 0 points1 point ago

                  Haha I'm on the album. I used to go by the username "SwagTeam" on the Hypebeast forums until the last couple of years where I've been using my money on other things.

                  [–]isetmyfriendsonfire 0 points1 point ago

                  One thing I really don't agree with was your supreme and obey point. I went to a school that with a lot of kids who wore supreme, almost as much as obey. It's an extremely popular brand.

                  Also on another subject I don't agree with your top button comment, it's another thing I see done a lot. In fact I always considered it a street wear esque thing to do.

                  [–]ared38 0 points1 point ago

                  Fantastic guide, more thorough than most of the existing ones. Ignore the haters.

                  [–]Kyassir 0 points1 point ago

                  I didn't like how you didn't say anything about smaller brands. Smaller, upcoming brands give streetwear its uniqueness and its name. Small brands are the biggest part of streetwear, bigger than all of the big brands combined, you should add a guide to finding smaller companies, I'd be glad to help.

                  [–]jefexp 0 points1 point ago

                  Can anyone name the pair of shoes the guy is wearing on the right in this picture from the album? http://i.imgur.com/YI4wcgj.jpg

                  I believe they are New Balance but I can't seem to find the exact model.

                  Thanks!

                  [–]thmz 0 points1 point ago

                  You didn't mention LRG clothes. Your opinion on them?

                  [–]crewnex 0 points1 point ago

                  super specific question, but can anyone identify the olive cargos in the 3rd picture of the inspiration album? they're pretty perfect.

                  [–]ilike13acon -1 points0 points ago

                  Not a bad guide overall man. You definitely deserve props for all the work you put into this.

                  The only major issue I have with this is the introduction. I think it needs to be rewritten.

                  Edit - /u/thank_you_hyosung makes good points.

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