Can grown women wear streetwear?
I see streetwear and wonder, can I use these clothes even though I think that "Supreme" refers to Diana Ross's group, not a clothing brand?
Women my age—hell, women young enough to be my daughter—worry about looking silly. What to do? Try some on; let your eye adjust. I find it's often shortsighted to judge from a mannekin.
This is neither denim world nor yoga-wear land. (If you think "streetwear" means hootchie-mama, you've been hanging out on the wrong street, sister.)
Nor is "street" a trend; leisure wear has long been inspired by surfers, skaters, and thrift-store devotées who prefer functional, somewhat unisex items. If you wear a hoodie, you already have one foot in street style. A simple rule is that nothing 'street' ever needs to be worn with shapewear, let alone heels.
Think you're too old? Moon Lin, a 90-year old Taiwanese woman with a huge Instagram following, has smoked your game.
The good news: many items have plenty of stretch and layer well; the shoes are always flat, the techno-fibre clothing washes and dries quickly. You don't have to dress like Rihanna (and good luck); 'soft street' looks great on grown women.
The bad: You'll need epic kicks and they will not be classic Keds. Examples:
Mephisto All-Rounders: It's those baby blue spikey thingys: dope. About $185.
Sock sneakers: Balenciaga's cost a grand; these Adida Parelys are way less and you'll get cred from your crew.
Key pieces
Don't work too hard. Pull on a pair of bottoms in a techno fiber, simple tee, and vest. This NorthFace vest is street, but with a refinement that bows to the best Japanese designers. Just a terrific piece. And as Macklemore says, "Whatcha rockin' on yo' noggin?"
Left: North Face Cryos down vest, about $US 305
Top right: Löle Linnet pants, $CDN 140
Bottom right: Maison Kitsune hat, €65
Stealth 'street'
You don't have to turn over your entire closet. Just keep it loose and easy; pick solids, colour blocks or stripes rather than sweet florals and repeating prints; park the ballerina flats, anything with femmy details like bows or flounces, and channel the inimitable "Accidental Icon", Lynn Slater:
The one item that will street up your wardrobe is a pair of trousers with side-striped detail, whether joggers or wide-legs like Lynn's. This navy Cresswell pinstripe trouser by Boden combines a pinstripe and hot pink grosgrain side stripes. Now on sale; sizes up to UK 20.
Side-striped trousers are also available in women's sizes; check these contrast-piped wide leg pants from Asos, about $41, available in plus size up to US 28:
Tops
Street style is athleisure with attitude; street plays with quirkier proportions. Rather than yoga wear's serene shades, choose a top with a pixellated or graffiti-themed print, a spacey abstract, or a polo far from from the preppy classic.
Left: Burberry stretch graffiti top, $290 (sale price), Burberry
Centre: Aries mesh top, £165
Right: OK, hideously expensive—but Cecile Bahnsen's Pamela polo, $735, shows the difference between old-school preppy polo and street.
Grab your bag! Leave the structured styles aside and choose a Fjällräven Totepack #1, which converts to shoulder, backpack or cross-body: the street is meant for moving! This bag comes in a wide colour range.
So the answer is a qualified yes. "Street" is pricey in the culty extremes, but cheap sportswear of any genre is a mistake, and you can put together a street style from thrifts... except for one thing.
My friend Diane (somewhere in her 50s) showed up for coffee in a thrifted orange Uniqlo-type down vest, a soft grey long-sleeved tee, a pair of trousers—navy with pale blue side stripes—from a sale rack, and a beanie gifted by her nephew, who said, "Aunt Di, your kicks are snatched!"
It's the sneakers that anchored the look. Hers were Nike Pre-Loved OX's:
Women my age—hell, women young enough to be my daughter—worry about looking silly. What to do? Try some on; let your eye adjust. I find it's often shortsighted to judge from a mannekin.
This is neither denim world nor yoga-wear land. (If you think "streetwear" means hootchie-mama, you've been hanging out on the wrong street, sister.)
Nor is "street" a trend; leisure wear has long been inspired by surfers, skaters, and thrift-store devotées who prefer functional, somewhat unisex items. If you wear a hoodie, you already have one foot in street style. A simple rule is that nothing 'street' ever needs to be worn with shapewear, let alone heels.
Think you're too old? Moon Lin, a 90-year old Taiwanese woman with a huge Instagram following, has smoked your game.
The good news: many items have plenty of stretch and layer well; the shoes are always flat, the techno-fibre clothing washes and dries quickly. You don't have to dress like Rihanna (and good luck); 'soft street' looks great on grown women.
The bad: You'll need epic kicks and they will not be classic Keds. Examples:
The high-tech sneaker has been raised to a degree of pretentiousness by some designers, but that's easy to avoid, unless you think $800 sneakers are somehow okay. Left to right:
Puma Muse Maya Luxe, about $100; I'm digging that gold detail.Mephisto All-Rounders: It's those baby blue spikey thingys: dope. About $185.
Sock sneakers: Balenciaga's cost a grand; these Adida Parelys are way less and you'll get cred from your crew.
Key pieces
Don't work too hard. Pull on a pair of bottoms in a techno fiber, simple tee, and vest. This NorthFace vest is street, but with a refinement that bows to the best Japanese designers. Just a terrific piece. And as Macklemore says, "Whatcha rockin' on yo' noggin?"
Top right: Löle Linnet pants, $CDN 140
Bottom right: Maison Kitsune hat, €65
Stealth 'street'
You don't have to turn over your entire closet. Just keep it loose and easy; pick solids, colour blocks or stripes rather than sweet florals and repeating prints; park the ballerina flats, anything with femmy details like bows or flounces, and channel the inimitable "Accidental Icon", Lynn Slater:
The one item that will street up your wardrobe is a pair of trousers with side-striped detail, whether joggers or wide-legs like Lynn's. This navy Cresswell pinstripe trouser by Boden combines a pinstripe and hot pink grosgrain side stripes. Now on sale; sizes up to UK 20.
Side-striped trousers are also available in women's sizes; check these contrast-piped wide leg pants from Asos, about $41, available in plus size up to US 28:
Tops
Street style is athleisure with attitude; street plays with quirkier proportions. Rather than yoga wear's serene shades, choose a top with a pixellated or graffiti-themed print, a spacey abstract, or a polo far from from the preppy classic.
Left: Burberry stretch graffiti top, $290 (sale price), Burberry
Centre: Aries mesh top, £165
Right: OK, hideously expensive—but Cecile Bahnsen's Pamela polo, $735, shows the difference between old-school preppy polo and street.
Grab your bag! Leave the structured styles aside and choose a Fjällräven Totepack #1, which converts to shoulder, backpack or cross-body: the street is meant for moving! This bag comes in a wide colour range.
So the answer is a qualified yes. "Street" is pricey in the culty extremes, but cheap sportswear of any genre is a mistake, and you can put together a street style from thrifts... except for one thing.
My friend Diane (somewhere in her 50s) showed up for coffee in a thrifted orange Uniqlo-type down vest, a soft grey long-sleeved tee, a pair of trousers—navy with pale blue side stripes—from a sale rack, and a beanie gifted by her nephew, who said, "Aunt Di, your kicks are snatched!"
It's the sneakers that anchored the look. Hers were Nike Pre-Loved OX's:
Comments
Thank you for a very helpful post. I am retiring in a couple of months and I've been aiming for a more 'funky casual' look but didn't know where to start. This makes it all sound so much easier. I will be 'practising' this weekend.
Christine