Skate Clothing & Skatewear Fashion
Origins
Skate fashion was one of the most iconic styles to hit specific youth groups in the 1980’s but really came into its own form in the 1990’s where youths wanted understated clothing that was loose enough to skate in, but robust enough to skate in for days at a time. Skateboarding itself is almost over 60 years old, however the sport didn’t particularly become the said sport until the late 1970’s. Around 30 years after the sport appeared, it became a major craze. In the 1970’s it was common to skate in the streets, however as groups gathered in public places, residents, store owners or parents became more and more annoyed as it seemed that large groups would only cause trouble. Some groups were banned from public highways and skaters took to desolate locations where they could skate freely. They eventually used discarded oil canisters and wooden boards to skate up and down, developing some of the simple tricks we base new and more complex tricks on today. Skate fashion really didn’t become so iconic until a little after the sport became so popular in the 1980’s. It is often said that skate fashion was taken from punk and metal sub-culture style, yet at the time skaters simply wanted styles that weren’t over extreme, like punk or hip hop fashion. The Western world were taken by storm when punk moved onto grunge and the music created by bands like Nirvana and Rage Against the Machine appeared. Skate fashion was born following the almost rebellious stage of the grunge scene. It blended and merged with punk and the result was skate fashion that was at its peak towards the late 1990’s. The old punk and grunge style clothing took a turn and a new style of fashion was eventually created. Baggy jeans, or straight leg low-rise jeans, loose tees and hoodies are landmarks of the fashion style, although it has evolved from its musical origins and become just as edgy, yet not as radical, as grunge fashion was.
Evolving
As all fashion styles, skate fashion has evolved, even though it is a relatively young trend. Youths would pay homage to nu metal bands that were emerging in the 1990’s and bands like Green Day and The Offspring would set the scene. Where fashion was concerned, it was to follow quite a simple design path with most of the interest being in the cut and fit of the clothing, and focus being on hoodies and tees showcasing the designers label or tag. Later on as bands like Linkin Park and Papa Roach, skate fashion was taken in a slightly different direction and has formed what is todays skate trend. It’s no longer anything like the punk style of the 1980’s, but the skate trend has firm roots in the music and street scenes, yet the clothing isn’t as hardcore as streetwear or hip hop fashion.
How to Wear Skate Clothing
With the new age of skate fashion, its quite easy to look good and wear clothes that are branded but not over priced. Volcom are ever present in the world of skateboarding, and also surfing, and they dabble in a thrashing music scene which allows skaters to attend events, watch the pro’s at work and listen to raves. Along with some other big brands, Volcom do produce unusual yet simple clothing that appeals to skaters and surfers because of its subtle yet fantastic quality designs. As far as what to wear goes, Dark hoodies are common amongst regular skaters. Slogans and labels on the hoodies are usually popular too, with t-shirts being loose and baggy enough so the skater can move with ease. Comfort is key and its not necessary to wear skate branded clothing all the time. Plain hoodies and tees are just as good looking as branded arty clothing, and logo/slogan shirts are good too. Jeans are usually pretty baggy, having developed a functional ‘utility’ style that not only looks good but feels good. Some skaters opt for straight legs with a low rise, worn low the crotch area is loose and the jeans are normally teamed with a particular style of skate shoe. DC Shoes, DVS and Vans are a popular brand among skaters. Skater hats are on the scene too and look pretty fitting with the rest of a skate outfit. And footwear should be purchased for skating comfort and not for how they look.
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