Dear Leon,
Although I may not be male, as a single girl with a very specific type who hopes to one day share clothes with her future boyfriend, I know the look you’re going for. Men who drink niche hazy IPAs in cool indie bars, have 80s style moustaches and maybe even paint their nails once in a while. Men with random patchwork tattoos, or Sailor Jerry ones. Men whose bedrooms are full of potted monstera plants and cool framed graphic prints they picked up whilst they were ‘abroad’. Lucky for you, this is my aforementioned ‘exact type’ and therefore, somewhat of an area of expertise for me. If you’d wanted help styling neon Nike Dri-FIT tops and ripped jeans in the aim of resembling a Love Island contestant, then we might’ve run into some problems.
In men’s fashion streetwear brands are very important. So, what’s in and what’s out? In – Carhartt, Dickies, Stussy, Levi’s, Vans. T-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies from these brands can form the staple base for your wardrobe and can be found second-hand on Vinted or Depop. Shopping here mean’s you are likely to find deadstock pieces that aren’t sold new anymore. However, in the case of brands like Stussy, Depop is full of fakes. If this isn’t something you mind, just make sure you aren’t paying genuine article prices. If it is something you want to avoid (and I recommend you do, because of the poor quality of fakes), then you should authenticate the item through your chosen second-hand platform’s authentication service; they all have one.
Out – basically anything you’d find in a JD Sports. You mention you’ve mostly worn sportswear previously, so you likely own a lot from these brands and have likely recently noticed they give off the vibe that your well-meaning, yet slightly clueless, mam picks your clothes for you (sorry!).
But it’s not all about brands – if you see a random graphic T-Shirt that you think you can style well, pick it up! Layering short sleeved shirts over T-Shirts or plain white vest tops also looks really good; you can pick this type of shirt up at basically any charity shop for a bargain price.
For jeans, skinny is out and has been for a while. Baggy and relaxed fit Levi’s are the way to go and are available vintage from car boots, vintage shops or online. Cargos are also a safe bet; go for a pair from Dickies. Wide leg, pinstripe suit-esque trousers are also big if you want to look a bit more dressed up. For trousers, the main thing is stick to neutral colours; that way, you have a versatile piece that can be styled with t-shirts and hoodies in brighter hues.
It’s summer, so for shorts, jorts are everywhere. You can even make a pair yourself by buying some jeans and cutting them up – but don’t blame me if they turn out looking like part of a pirate Halloween costume.
Jacket-wise, the Carhartt Detroit jacket reigns supreme. Typing this into Vinted will produce a whole load of ‘reworked’ options, meaning the jacket has been made from cut up bits of other jackets from the brand. The Snatch team have mixed feelings on reworking; I, personally am not a fan, and think it’s more worth your time to find a genuine article. However, reworked items are often cheaper and are undoubtedly more sustainable, so I’ll leave that at your discretion.
In terms of accessories, don’t shy away from jewellery, embrace it! Rings paired with a chain are the icing on the cake for your new style. If you wear a watch, go for a digital Casio; they have a really cool retro look and aren’t as finance bro as circular dial analogue styles. Piercings are also the perfect edition to any look, though they are obviously a bit more of a commitment than a wardrobe overhaul.
Hats are another good way to spice up your fit; ASOS Marketplace has a huge selection of vintage men’s caps which are often much trendier than those bought new, as they can look a bit ‘do you want a lift to Maccies in my Corsa’. Beanies are another great choice, especially branded ones; they also have the secondary function of concealing a bad hair day.
Well, I hope this column was useful for the wardrobe glow up you’re pursuing. If I could make all men dress like this, I would – and I totally don’t have any ulterior motive for that…
Pictures: Rosaleen Harris-Davison
Designs: Pius Bentgens