What to Expect From Men’s Street Style This Month
Phil Oh has been covering street style for Vogue since 2011, but it wasn’t until 2016 that he shot his first men’s Fashion Week. It marked the first time we really saw men in street style at all; they certainly attended the women’s shows, but let’s just say their outfits didn’t catch Oh’s eye. Compared to the excitement around men’s fashion today—and the diminishing relevance of gendered clothing as a whole—the menswear scene was pretty low-key back then, mostly rooted in tailoring.
That changed quickly with the rise of streetwear, followed by years of surprising, boundary-pushing fashion by new talents (like Martine Rose, Grace Wales Bonner, and Charles Jeffrey) and more established ones (Rick Owens, Jonathan Anderson, Craig Green). By now, it’s hardly a surprise to see a man in a skirt, head-to-toe pastels, or layers of jewelry, on or off the runway. In fact, Oh admitted that he’s more excited about menswear these days: “Right now, I actually find men’s street style to be more interesting, because most of the guys are just putting together stuff they have,” he explained. “With women’s Fashion Week, it’s gotten to the point where you don’t even have to know the schedule—you know what show happened on which day, because you see 10 girls wearing looks [borrowed or gifted] from a certain brand. I wish people would just wear their own shit again!”
We tend to agree. On that note, we have a lot to look forward to this month, because the fall 2020 menswear shows kick off in London today. We have a few ideas of what we’ll see on the runways and the streets, but let’s hope the new decade has everyone in an experimental mood. Dip-dye, louche tailoring, patchwork , and other big runway trends of 2019 are sure to make a few appearances—and that goes for guys and girls alike.
Here, we’re sharing our predictions of the trends you’ll see on the streets this month and seasons to come—then don’t miss our coverage of all the action in London, Florence, Milan, and Paris.
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’70s Spirit
It took hardly any time for men to adopt the lean suits and ’70s-era feeling Hedi Slimane has put forth at Celine. Narrow tailoring, sweater vests, and leather pilot jackets became the uniform for many guys last year, often topped off with groovy shoulder-length hair and neck scarves. It helps that the vibe of the ’70s—free love, rock and roll, flower power—fits with the modern millennial or Gen Z-er’s attitudes about the earth and culture, too.
dip dye gallery
Swirls and Splatters
First came tie-dye, then streaks of paint and acid wash. Both were major trends on the spring 2020 runways—see: S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA., Martine Rose, Ermenegildo Zegna—but several guys seemed to anticipate the trend and wore acid-wash jeans and dip-dyed jackets all season long. Consider it another trend men and women alike can get excited about; Aleali May wore head-to-toe splattered denim in Paris, and Stella McCartney’s acid-wash jumpsuits have become a signature over the past few seasons.
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It’s the Fuzz
Can you even remember a time when furs and shearlings (real or faux) weren’t trending in women’s street style? Lately, it’s guys who have been trying out the look, particularly with cloud-like sherpa jackets and enveloping teddy coats. Luxurious outerwear was popular with men last season, too, a happy upgrade from hoodies and parkas. Shearling has the added benefit of being seriously warm, so it’s safe to assume the streets will be ultra-plush this year.
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The Bode Effect
Emily Adams Bode opened her first-ever store on Hester Street just a few weeks ago. It’s a beauty and a milestone that further cements her influence in the fashion world. In addition to bringing a softer, craftier sensibility to menswear—one that appeals equally to Harry Styles, Ezra Miller, and low-key New Yorkers—she’s made patchwork jackets a staple piece of our wardrobes. Many have copied her, but few knock-offs compare to a Bode original, which might be pieced together with old tablecloths, drapes, and bits of lace. Patchwork fever has trickled into knitwear, too, even piquing the interest of Colombian singer Maluma.
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Skirts Are the New Trousers
The most game-changing trend of 2019 was skirts and dresses for men, and we’re guaranteed to see more of them in 2020. The spring collections of Loewe, Jil Sander, and Louis Vuitton all featured tunics and extra-long shirts, usually styled over trousers, but let’s be real: They were dresses. Women will certainly wear them that way, and guys should, too. It might take a while for the look to go mainstream—as in, possibly a few years—but when it does, it might close the book on gendered fashion for good.
Originally Appeared on Vogue
