What is Street Fashion?

Over generations, different forms of style have been developed, influenced by popular culture, music, and even political activities. One of the most prominent types of style to come out of the hip-hop era has been street style, a fashion trend that has taken over the world, being seen in major cities all over the globe! While this style was started by hip hop and rap artists of the 1990s, it was continued on and shaped in new ways by different subcultures, becoming a part of the skater look and diverging into other fashion subcultures and influencing them. While many believe that street style originates from the more poverty-stricken suburbs of New York, it actually comes from British fashion cultures, and it swiftly made its way around the globe. This style was influenced by people's desire to diverge from the norm and was a way for members of society to make statements about how they were feeling at this point in time. 

While street style aesthetics became more prominent in the 90s, as fashion icons, sports players and celebrities took to styling this look, it has been around since The Second World War, as the new generation needed a way to better dress in a world where fancy clothing was just not affordable or appropriate. Street style looks consist of many different looks, though one of the more famous associations has been with the classic baggy pants and t-shirt look. Another very popular defining factor of this style was sneakers looking to find ways that they could profit from the heightened popularity of this trend. One of the biggest influencers of the famous ‘sporty look’ trend that has encompassed most fashion trends over the last few years has been this street fashion look! This shows how these different subcultures of fashion diverge and influence different trends! From the 90s street style to how we dress this look today, it is not hard to see how this fashion has influenced fashion subcultures today. 

How is Street Fashion Shaped by Seasons?

One aspect of fashion that is an incredibly big influencer of style trends is definitely the different seasons of the year. As the weather gets colder or warmer, certain styles have to be adapted and through this, new fashion trends are born! As winter approaches, many street fashion looks have to be adapted and a major development within the style due to this change was oversized jackets. Thick, bulky and large jackets became a prominent look for those who were still hoping to keep with the street style trend while remaining warm. The winter street style bulky look still kept with the oversized clothing trends that were popular at the time, but instead of oversized shirts, jackets were rather worn. 

Autumn street style looks often encompassed a seasonal change of clothing, whereby people looked to slowly transition from summer to winter looks, using elements of both seasons to style certain looks. Summer street style involved finding ways to still stick to the baggy looks without being too hot, and so shorts and short sleeve shirts became the popular go-to. From baggy cargo shorts to sportswear, the summer look was quite different from winter styles! 

How is Street Fashion by Country?

Street fashion has been influenced by many different things, and each part of the world has taken this style and made it their own in exciting and unique ways. Looking at the different countries and regions to explore how different influences have impacted this look can further delve into how it became so popular! The following is a look at street fashions according to different countries and how they were individually influenced in unique ways. 

UK Street Style

As the UK was the place where street style began, it is only appropriate to discuss how this form of street fashion developed in this country. In the past, London and the UK as a whole were considered a place where traditional clothing was considered to be the most appropriate styling choice, as many from around the country look to embody the aristocratic society. UK street style was a way for those from poorer and less aristocratic backgrounds to go against societal norms and express themselves in a way that had not been seen before. With clothing brands looking to supply more comfortable and practical clothing, street fashion began to take off, particularly when it came to street style fashion for men. This was due to the war, as men needed to wear more comfortable and practical clothing as they went off to the army. Since then, many different kinds of street style clothing trends have stayed in fashion, developing over the years into what it is today! 

German Street Style

After the war, Germany became very concerned with gaining back notoriety, and the street styles that developed from this are quite classy! With trench coats, high-end pants and baggy looks, German street style has been uniquely adapted to suit the political and economic climate of the country, particularly as it looked to rebuild itself and its name after the war. Fashion trends diverged from the norms that were common in America and the UK in a unique way, creating a whole new identity that has shaped the way that street styles have developed and also how they are seen in a professional sense. 

Korean Street Style

Korean street styles have been influenced by many different factors from music to modern culture. Street styles in Korea are said to be quite similar to that of places like New York, with chunkier fashions and clothing being incredibly popular. As Asian street styles have become more and more popular, diverging from the more refined and elegant look of past generations to be more modern, new fashion trends have popped up! Many of these different styles have been influenced by modernity mixed in with a unique flare, often inspired by musicians, the entertainment industry and celebrity street style in Korea! If you are heading to Korea anytime, soon be sure to look at the most popular street styles and pack to dress for the occasion. 

New York Street Style

New York street style has developed in so many ways since the 90s, with new trends and fashions being highlighted and created thanks to the diversity of this city! From the streets of Harlem in the 90s to the styling progressions seen in SoHo today, New York street style has grown in so many ways over the years. Today, street fashion is seen to be a wide variety of different looks, highlighting the diversity of this multicultural city. Just walking along the street you will notice tons of different trends and types of styles! 

What Has Changed in Street Fashion From Past to Present?

So much has changed in street fashion over the last few years, with certain looks and styles rising and falling in popularity when it comes to different kinds of outfits. Street style has been combined with more modern looks as the years have gone on, and while baggy pants, shorts and jackets were all once worn together for one outfit, many streets styles have taken a more modern approach and now comprise of just one or two baggy items while tighter fits have been developed to compliment these styles. Casual street style outfits are definitely still a very popular style, but many have taken to accentuating the look in new ways, including creating outfits that are fancy and elegant! How we wear street style clothing has definitely changed over the years, but the edgy look still encompasses many fashion trends that we see today. 

What are The Most Preferred Products in Street Wear?

From hoodies to jackets to sneakers, there are many different kinds of styles and clothing options that have become prominent throughout the development of this look. As new fashion trends have risen and fallen in popularity, it has become necessary to look at how certain products have stayed with society through the years. While baggy pants have still remained popular, flowing into baggy jean styles and other sorts of looks, many people have chosen to style this with a tighter fit. Women's street styles looked to stick with the concept of baggy pants but rather combined this look with tighter and shorter tops, being one of the first styles to introduce the cropped look! This was an important development within the fashion world, and today, just about every fashion brand will sell an assortment of cropped tops to go with this unique fashion trend. 

Another popular kind of look was the sneaker, as these kinds of shoes grew in popularity within this style trend. Sneakers were easy to wear and looked good with the style combination, making them a favoured choice when it comes to footwear for your street fashion look. As sneaker brands became more popular, they also diverged to create more unique looks and styles to complement the growing trend! 

Street Wear Suggestions

For the ultimate street style look, you can combine different colours and styles of clothing to find that perfect combination! When it comes to streetwear, having a few signature pieces combined with a few staples, you can make it look like you have many different outfits as you create stylish combinations!