Street Chic: The Details that Make Up the Look

Words: Jabulile Dlamini-Qwesha | Images: REX Features

Streetstyle’s domination of the fashion scene over the past few years is an interesting phenomenon to note. With various elements at play, fashion and street style have come into a symbiotic exchange of inspiration where influences flow from the streets to the runway and vice versa. A trade-off that was unusual at first, but became inescapable with the rapid rise of streetwear and influencer culture. The adoption of which has resulted in a street chic look of mixing highly fashionable pieces with streetwear staples. A versatile aesthetic that lends itself to most tastes, there are a few microtrend details that fit within the street chic look, here’s our top five…

Hypebeast Athleisure

Activewear elevated to star style status is a look that isn’t going anywhere any time soon, especially when you look at how many legacy fashion brands are making sneaker drops of their own or collaborating with sportswear brands. As streetwear evolves and carves its place in the fashion space, this trends is probably going to take many shapes over time.

Luxe Bohemian

The “rich hippie” look has been a fashion favourite since Yves Saint Laurent made it a thing in the ‘60s - inspired by seeing actress Talitha Getty in Morrocco. With 2014 having been the year the designer was celebrated in film with screenings of two of his biopics Saint Laurent and Saint Laurent at Cannes Film Festival, la boheme became the look du jour in Christopher Bailey’s Burberry Prorsum. And well, you know how it goes: when Burberry sneezes, the fashion world carries the cold for seasons and even generations to come. So, the look’s 2018 reboot contrasts its anti-fashion flowy florals and paisleys with fitted chic pieces, making it luxe bohemian and not boho chic, as the Olsen twins had made us know and love it.

Gorpcore

Fashion’s wildest trend, right now, gorpcore is basically the look for when you need to be at fashion week at 14:00pm and on your mountain campsite by 17:00pm. Inspired by the daggy dads and Balenciaga’s obsession with ugly sneakers, crocs and utility puffers, this look caught on the street and celeb style circuit like a wildfire and it’s only a matter of time before it becomes readily accessible.

Collegiate Cool

Taking reference from Gossip Girl and Gucci Pre-Fall 2017’s geek chic revolution collegiate cool is a preppy look featuring plaids, pleats, knee-high socks and boots and anything that Blair Waldorf or Jenny Humphrey would approve of, really. As youthful as this trend may be, simple updates like choosing longer length skirts, opting for ankle boots and injecting a little colour with accessories can give it a slightly mature twist.

Power Dressing

With how the conversation on gender equality is escalating, a trend that cannot be ignored is power dressing. Whether it be with statement suiting, trench coats and deconstructed shirting, it’s all about being bold in corporate chic classics with an androgynous history.