The Colors I Wear

In my journey as a designer these past few years, I have been able to develop a style that is unique to me. While it is a mix of multiple different influences that are popular to many, I feel my style is my own and is shared by nobody else. It is a taste that not only stays in the art and design realm but also stretches into the clothes I wear, the music I listen to, and the media that I watch. In this post, I want to share where I stand when it comes to one of those aspects, fashion.

Before my interest in art and design sparked to what it is today, my style in terms of clothing was not unique in the slightest. If I remember correctly, it basically consisted of what I like to call, "The Midwest Look." Essentially this look is made up of 4 big components: shirts from events you went to, sweatshirts of sports teams, athletic shorts (even in the lowest of temperatures), and athletic shoes (most likely Nike). This, I would say, was my main look throughout middle school and into the beginning of high school. Luckily, as I became more interested in how things looked, I began to enjoy what I was wearing less and less. It was at that point where I found a new style of fashion that went against the norm and really allowed me to make it my own. A style of fashion that has no bounds, streetwear. Streetwear is essentially casual clothing that has created its very own culture. This culture is mainly made up of the younger generations and is exploding in popularity as of recent. In fact, popular companies like Adidas, Nike, Champion, and Vans are all quite prominent brands in the streetwear scene.

The big reason why this sort of fashion culture appealed to me so much was because it was basically wearable, aesthetic designs that let you portray who you are through clothing. As I first started looking at the different brands within streetwear, I just became fascinated with how the clothing was pushing the boundaries of not only design, but fashion itself. Brands like Supreme, Off-White, and Balenciaga are known for doing this on a regular basis. Whether it be as cool as Off-White's Jordan 1's or as confusing as Balenciaga sewing a long-sleeve shirt onto a t-shirt, these brands and other streetwear companies create very interesting pieces of clothing. So on that thought, I want to share with you all my 3 favorite streetwear brands.

1. Adidas

Adidas has to be one of my favorite brands in general! Their trademark three-stripes just have a special place in my heart. This brand just understands fashion very well and produces some of the highest quality stuff out there. I would say a majority of my closet is made up of Adidas and I'm totally happy with that! The line I am most obsessed with from Adidas is the Adidas Originals Hu Collection. In collaboration with Pharrell Williams, this line just has a really aesthetic and simplistic vibe to it. It uses bright and pastel colors, and the insanely creative mind of Pharrell to create some pretty awesome stuff.

2. ASSC

ASSC, or Anti Social Social Club, is another one of my favorite streetwear brands simply because of the name. I don't know why but their name and logo is just so appealing to me. Maybe it's the cool wavy effect or even the font choice. Whatever it is, this brand just has a really nice vibe in its design and I hope that one day I will finally be able to get my hands on a hoodie before they sell out per usual.

3. BBC

BBC, or Billionaire Boys Club, is another brand I love that was created by the one and only Pharrell Williams. Like ASSC, what first drew me to the brand was its logo. Their logo is basically a crude drawing of the face of an astronaut. What I really enjoy about this brand, however, is the patterns that they use along side their space related theme. It helps that I am a sucker for space and futuristic themed design! It is just that this theme rides the line of fiction and reality. For example, technology in sci-fi shows and movies 20 years must have seemed impossible, but look at the incredible tech we have today. All in all, BBC is just a quality brand I look to for both design inspiration and a good outfit.

So in short, streetwear culture has become a pretty big part of my life in terms of my style both in art and fashion. I would suggest that everyone should go and at least look at some of the clothing in this style. Yes some of it may be absurdly overpriced or look very dumb, but a larger majority of it is very cool to look at. I promise!

- Jared