Before we dig into the specifics of what those staples are, here are a few signposts to get you started on the streetwear path:
On Fabrics:
Above any other material, cotton is king. You’re looking for classic
cotton textiles – jersey, Oxford cloth, chambray, twill and one more
essential that we’ll cover in more depth shortly. Some of the more
‘decorative’ fabrics like herringbone and seersucker are nice, but they
technically skew more #menswear than straight-up streetwear if you ask
me.
On Shape: See me, I’m a classicist. I’m
enamoured of that early 1990s Ralph Lauren-led interpretation of
streetwear: slightly loose-fitting chinos, baggy shirts, beanies, you
know the look. But if you want something more contemporary, then
longline cuts and dropped crotches should be your go-tos.
On Consistency:
As you’ll have gleaned from the points above, definitions of
‘streetwear’ are several and, despite my own preferences, all of them
are perfectly valid. But once you’ve made your choice, stick with it.
Mixing styles can be a winning combo, but trust me when I say your
double-layered street Goth shorts won’t work with those Wallabees. Just
here to help.
Now we’ve covered off the basics, let’s survey that list, shall we?
‘A Good Pair of Dark Blues’
Frank
Ocean knows what’s up. If your streetwear wardrobe doesn’t start with a
decent pair of jeans, then someone’s led you astray. This is the very
guts of any solid streetwear line-up, and the piece you’ll likely bolt
everything else onto. While selvedge isn’t vital, the tell-tale strip
running up the leg has become commonplace in the streetwear landscape,
and is generally a mark of superior quality and durability when it comes
to denim.
Then it’s a question of wash. And in most circles, it
isn’t even a question: raw denim all the way. Menswear mythology has
turned the gradual fading and distressing of denim into a personal
journey of self-discovery which you may or may not entirely endorse
(cough), but I’ll at least admit that wearing my first pair almost daily
and refusing to wash them (until a dog came up to me on the bus and
started licking the stale sweat, food stains and god knows what else off
my leg – true story, feel my shame) was something of an experience.
For
cost-per-wear, my money’s on Edwin ED-55s or A.P.C. New Standards – if
you’re plumping for the former, consider buying 2 inches under your
normal waist size to allow for stretch.
Key Pieces
Army Outerwear
While
menswear pieces have been lifted from other areas








