Athletes, rappers, artists, and fashion men are all wearing the same thing.
Follow your favorite artist and see what they’re wearing. The typical setup includes baggy jeans, oversized tees, sneakers, and, of course, the waist chain.
The average man in Detroit is most likely wearing a pair of Buffs.
My honest thoughts
It’s a fashion crime. Men’s fashion is horrible currently and lacks expression.
It’s copy and paste. It’s lackluster.
Not every man can pull off baggy clothes and not every man should.
Bring back individuality in men’s fashion.
There I said it!
The classier way to put it
Men’s fashion is stuck.
The streetwear, high-end era was a hit for men’s fashion. Even women adapted to the baggy oversized looks – big jorts, paired with gym shoes, or the gigantic, almost to your knee jersey fits paired with snapbacks.
It truly was an era.
If you’ve been keeping up with the previous fashion collections from New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week, you will see that the streetwear era is in a mid-state.
Brands are pulling away from it, but it’s still trending because now you have the fashion influencers who won’t let it die.
If every single day, a new influencer is born, influencing the trend that was once popular a year ago, what do you do?
Some brands are ignoring the fashion influencer era on social media, while others are adapting to it.
So, where does that leave men’s fashion?
Where is men’s fashion today
Tunnel Runway Action
Tunnel fits are pretty big right now. We see basketball players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander become part-time fashion models from wearing bold choices from MSCHF’s viral big red boots, partnering with Skims or collaborating with sneaker brands like Converse.
He’s on GQ.
We see former football players like Marcus Allen walking for Paris Fashion Week with luxury fashion brands and becoming fashion models after life off the field.
Athletes dabbling in fashion isn’t new. In the early 2000s, athletes took chances with fashion, crafting looks that influenced Black culture. The big jerseys, “basketball slides”, and hoop shorts became a staple. If you grew up in Detroit, you knew if a guy had that outfit on, he was ready to play a round of 21 any day, any time.
Even down to the style of the cornrows on their head.
Allen Iverson was the king of that.
Athletes have always been a pioneer for fashion… just not high-end fashion like we see today.
Back in the day, athletes posed in windbreakers, shorts, crew necks and gym shoes, giving that collegiate jock look paired with baseball caps.
Now you can find athletes wearing leather pants, cowboy hats, long overcoats, suits and loafers coming down the tunnel.
Visiting Paris Fashion Week, walking for shows and being a part of the scene.
Oh, and don’t forget their vintage Chanel pearls and Hermès luggage bags.
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Rappers are obsessed with streetwear
Hip-hop created streetwear. It’s no strange occurrence to see rappers wearing gold chains, oversized clothing and the latest fashion fads.
Adidas became “cool” because of Run DMC and helped bridge the gap for fashion brands and rappers to collaborate. (I did my research, do yours!)
Now it’s Bottega Veneta, Prada, Rick Owens and don’t forget the Patek Philippe.
Thanks to the latest Atlanta rappers like Jeezy, Future and Lil Baby.
Since hip-hop is the foundation, aka the roots, for streetwear.
It’s never leaving its foundation. We will forever have streetwear as long as we have hip-hop. Cough, Black culture.
That’s why we’re seeing artists like Pharrell becoming the Men’s Creative Director for Louis Vuitton.
Not every rapper layers their fits with hoodies, bandanas, or even wears loafers. Some keep it simple with Undertaker fits (leather two- pieces), graphic tees and Amiri jeans.
Even the skater boy era didn’t last long in hip-hop; it was just a sector. Plus, it was a nod to the West Coast and their palm tree skate culture.
In the early 2010s, we saw groups like The Rangers, Cali Swag District, New Boyz, and rappers like YG coming from California, making Cali look cool. The West Coast music scene was trending, and it made their style culture trend too.
Everyone was wearing or wanting an OBEY or Supreme beanie, or a pair of NikeSB sneakers, or a Tisa Vision hat, which we often saw artists like Tyga or Chris Brown sporting.
It was a sub-genre of what was obviously popular at the time – everyone wanted to be from Cali! People wanted to go to the fashion district and Rodeo Drive to shop the drip!
80s and Beyond
Men’s fashion has always been a bit feminine; the men of yesteryear had more swagger to pull it off. Or did they?
Tight slacks, black heeled boots, or loafers paired with tight-fitted blouses that hugged their muscles.
Don’t forget their big Afros.
My grandpa was a bell-bottom bandit.
The fashion of yesterday always has a big impact on where fashion goes. I can confidently say, though, that Gen Z as a whole does a great job at mixing all the eras. While it was a little scary with the Y2K wave, I can say our nature to thrift and not be afraid of being “different” does help.
So thank you to the older generations for your bold fashion styles. You did your thing, now we’re just elevating those looks.
Where it’s headed
I’m seeing men now being brave on the runway in crop tops, sheer tops, it’s giving the early disco era. (We’re truly entering the era of disco) or kinda sorta leaving buuuuut we’re totally also in a bell-bottom bandit phase as well.
While runway fashion is a little risky with men’s fashion looks, the temperature of local fashion is still in the streetwear era, with boxy graphic tees with bold designs or beanies plastered with vinyl. The latest hot commodity is the “workwear” shirt. It’s a boxy, cotton-made, collared button-down shirt with phrases typically on the front and back.
Think Dickies.
Popular Detroit brands like Engineered By Dre have created one of the most popular workwear shirts that has been trending for a few years now, which is occasionally worn by Detroit rappers like Veeze, GT, or our West Coast cousins, Larry June.
What makes his shirt popular is the graphic design elements and the story behind each collection. Making his workwear shirt a classic of its own.
At Indie Fashion Detroit’s August 2025 runway show, I saw something I liked from a brand called Vera Sacrum. They’re a streetwear brand, but they switched it up. We saw trousers, knits and more sophistication in the annual streetwear collections.
I liked the direction of style the brand is going with because it’s not losing its streetwear roots, but more so going the high-end route, which is something new and innovative for Detroit.
Now you can pair your Buffs with knits for a classy Detroit staple.
However, this drives me back to the point that the baggy era of streetwear is decreasing. We are moving away from that boxy, oversized tee and into sophistication.
Local designers are getting it,
Are the men getting it, though?
What OG luxury brands are doing
Ralph Lauren is taking 2026 for men’s fashion. However, now we’re about to see remakes and dupes everywhere. We have an upgraded version of the “Purple Label” to look out for.
The collection screams the perfect men’s fashion era and sets a tone, but was it too perfect?
The reason I say it was too perfect is not to crack on the brand; they did their job. The problem is when a collection is just right, classic and unique in its time – every other brand will try to mimic.
As I always say, you can never outdo the OG, because moto jackets were already popular, three-color wave shirts were making a comeback and we have seen the academia era in the industry for the last few years.
It’s the blending of early 2020 fashion trends combined with the typical Ralph style that made this collection trending, which also made it an eye catcher.
People love the collection because it dabbles into what they already see, but with a more classic and high-fashion tier.
Plus, we still have the business casual Ralph, the one who started with a tie.
The Solution
Maybe men’s fashion isn’t in the pits of … lol.
Men’s fashion may slowly take over, with the better quality of fabrics – the 100% cotton graphic tees, hard-constructed denims and 100% wool sweaters and cashmere.
Maybe it’s time women’s fashion took quality notes. It’s been years and women have been limited to polyester blends at a price point that seems to consistently rise, but quality drops; that’s a conversation for another day.
I mean, I have no shame in wearing clothing from the men’s department, because I know it’s better quality and sometimes the pieces are cooler. Fashion isn’t really about gender. It’s about how you style it.
And that’s where men (not all) are lacking, they’re not STYLING LOOKS. They’re putting together outfits and it’s chaotic and not in a “oooh that look was tea,” it’s more of a “I just saw that popular guy wear that yesterday,” and now you got it on and the remake is a mess.
Don’t get me wrong, models and fashion influencers like Wisdom Kaye are top-notch in their styling, but his style is so unique to him that copying it will never fit. Every man cannot dress like Shai or ASAP Rocky, either.
Where does that leave the men who just want to look good and need a place to start? A sweet spot.
“Men need stylish women.”
In their lives to help them get their groove back. (Just kidding, well not really)
Every stylish woman deserves a boyfriend to experiment with her men’s fashion sense. It’s only right.
All jokes aside –
Men’s fashion needs experimentation, not unconventional clothes that you will only see on a runway and never again in life.
Real experimental fashion.
It’s time for men’s fashion to get out of the track suit, two-piece, athleisure streetwear bust and go into a mixture.
I am thinking trousers, crew necks, and bringing back the caps for men. Let us see you in knitwear, give us more bold colors. Fewer neutrals, some oranges, a bit of yellow. Step away from the greys, the sage greens and try mint.
A girl is tired of seeing men dressed in denim and black. New patterns and textures like zebra, or maybe even a little corduroy, to spice up your look.
There are more patterns and hues for you to style looks in. And being experimental DOES NOT MEAN ADDING A MAN BAG TO EVERY LOOK.
It’s an accessory and can elevate a look, but as I always say, a good look starts with intention.
- What are you trying to convey?
- Do the clothes in your closet fit who you desire to be?
- How can you convey the message you desire without breaking the bank?
- Can you create a personal style?
Those are just a few questions to ask yourself; however, don’t lose faith and know that fashion is still just another social activity. Style is forever, though.
Let’s Talk About It
How do you see men’s fashion currently?