From baggy jeans and flashy sneakers to high tops and distressed denim, streetwear is a versatile fashion language. Gone are those days when streetwear was only for musicians and fashionistas; you can hardly walk through the street without spotting people in the style. With its popularity, we often find ourselves asking how it even started in the first place. In this article, we’ll briefly explore the history of streetwear.
Where did streetwear originate from?
Streetwear is everywhere– from fashion capitals like Paris and London to unknown streets in the United States. For this reason, it’s hard to pinpoint where the trend began.
In the 80s and 90s, streetwear originated among New York rappers, skaters, and other musicians. It soon became widespread, becoming widely accepted in London, the whole of America, Milan, and several other countries worldwide.
What was the initial significance of streetwear?
Just like any other fashion subculture, streetwear had a deeper meaning than it is depicted to mean today. In the 80s, streetwear was a symbol of rebellion– it showed you didn’t conform to people’s expectations.
Rappers developed streetwear in a bid to express themselves better- since only a few brands made clothes that matched their style. Musicians and skaters developed streetwear by combining clothing pieces that looked unique and reflected their fashion ideas.
Is streetwear for everybody?
This is one frequently asked question regarding streetwear fashion; the history of streetwear also involves who it’s meant for. Today, streetwear is for anyone who wants to feel comfy and turn heads.
Well, it was all about expressing oneself anyhow you deemed fit in the 80s. Being a youth culture, streetwear was originally for outcasts, people who were crazy enough to interpret fashion exactly how it occurs to them, like the 80s and 90s skaters and musicians.
The rising popularity of streetwear
You may have heard your cool aunt tell you that streetwear isn’t just a trend, and they’re right. Streetwear is a movement initiated by youths who didn’t want to be limited by social expectations that defined fashion.
More people are coming to the light of streetwear because they want to be identified with the unique movement. Furthermore, the fact that you can always mix and match fashion pieces makes streetwear a more preferable option- always.
Streetwear: Now and the distant future
Many people make the mistake of referring to streetwear as simple and fashionable clothing. However, streetwear has become a large industry accommodating different personal and unique fashion tastes. Today, major brands are collaborating to produce streetwear.
In the future, we can safely say streetwear will become one of the most sustainable fashion subcultures. As emphasis is being placed on where each streetwear piece comes from, producers tend to shift towards practices good for the planet.
