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These are the hottest men’s streetwear trends and key pieces dominating the street scene in 2024, plus how to get the look for yourself.
Back in the late 80s and early 90s, ‘streetwear’ was a broad term that was used to describe how all the cool kids dressed. Combining the hip-hop sensibilities of the East Coast with the surf culture of the West, it was all about baseball caps, basketball jerseys and very, very baggy shorts. But as with all things in life, the streetwear fashion genre slowly but surely began to evolve. All of a sudden, punks and skaters started getting involved, and the aesthetic eventually made its way across the world to Japan.
As soon as it landed on the tarmacs of Tokyo, streetwear fashion trends blew up almost overnight. All of a sudden, this once-niche genre of fashion began to spawn its own sub-genres and cliques. During the early 2000s things got pretty chaotic, with the emergence of hundreds and hundreds of different style tribes, all with their own little details and intricacies that set them apart from the rest.
Thankfully, two decades later, things seem a little more defined. From gorpcore to workwear, we’ll be diving into 10 of the most hyped streetwear trends of 2024. So, let’s get to it.
Good ol’ raisins and peanuts
Kith
Dickies @ Urban Outfitters
Zara
Kith
There’s no way you can talk about the current biggest streetwear trends without giving Gorpcore a special shoutout. The term ‘gorpcore’ was first coined by writer Jason Chen in an article for New York Magazine’s fashion blog The Cut in 2017.
Unbeknownst to many, it’s an acronym for ‘good ol’ raisins and peanuts’, which is a popular snack among the hiking community. This year, the Bear Grylls-esque aesthetic made its way from the peaks to the streets, introducing technical garments like raincoats, puffer jackets, fleeces, hiking boots and trail shoes to everyone’s wardrobes.
It was a little jarring at first, especially when you’re witnessing someone in full Arc’teryx and Salomon gear running around a bustling city in the middle of the afternoon. But after a while you get used to it, and with the climate as unpredictable as it is, it begins to make a whole lotta sense.
Go big or go home
A Bathing Ape
Urban Outfitters
Noah
MKI Miyuki-Zoku
While baggy shorts were a big thing (literally) during the dawn of streetwear, this year, absolutely everything went massive. Thanks to fashion houses like Acne Studios and Vetements, everything from hoodies to pants were made to fit like they were three or four sizes too big. And to everyone’s surprise, the oversized aesthetic completely skyrocketed.
It wasn’t just apparel though, graphics and prints were also turned up a notch (or 10), and sunglasses became more gigantic than ever. For example, searches for Loewe’s highly controversial Inflated Sunglasses rose by over 200% over the few months alone, and the label’s equally-as-humongous Flower Sunglasses shot up by a crazy 1,600%. Those are some pretty big numbers for the men’s streetwear trend.
When getting the look for yourself, stick to one oversized piece – baggy jeans, wide-leg pants, an oversized hoodie – then create balance by keeping the surrounding garments more fitted. This stops it from looking like you’re drowning in your clothes or have raided your older brother’s closet.
Normcore reinvented
Alex Mill
Noah
MKI
GANT
Normcore is a pretty difficult streetwear trend to define. The term itself was first introduced in 2008 in the webcomic Templar Arizona, and was used to describe ‘normal’ looking clothing. With this aesthetic, you’re meant to look as average as possible so that what you wear doesn’t define who you are. But, 15 years later, this doesn’t really make that much sense anymore.
New York City labels like Aimé Leon Dore and Kith have totally reinvented normcore from the ground up, and while it’s still based around basics and essentials such as T-shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts, it has now been inspired by vintage Americana and the Ivy League. And it looks really, really good.
So, while the original definition is dead, gone and buried, the new definition is surviving and thriving, and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere, anytime soon.
Kick, push
Dickies @ Urban Outfitters
Noah
Carhartt WIP
Wax London
Back in the mid-90s, skater kids from New York City, Los Angeles and everywhere in between successfully infiltrated the streetwear scene. Introducing a rebellious spin to the then-new aesthetic, it suddenly became all about big graphic tees, very loose jeans and cuffed beanies. Around this time, James Jebbia opened his first Supreme store at Lafayette Street, and this quickly transformed into a hub for sk8r bois both in the Big Apple and beyond.
Though the ‘World Famous’ label isn’t as hyped as it used to be (let’s face it, nothing’s been the same since they were bought out three years ago), skatewear is still very much alive and kicking.
While it’s now worn mostly by dudes who have never even touched a board in their life, that hasn’t stopped it from looking hella fresh.
Smells like teen spirit
IRO Paris
Fear of God
ALLSAINTS
Urban Outfitters
Grunge is another style that debuted back in the day. Unlike most streetwear sub-genres though, which are usually extremely bright, bold and poppy, grunge is painted in black, black and even more black.
It’s rooted in heavy metal and punk rock, and while it was originally a way to reject societal norms and rebel against authority, it’s now about looking too cool for school.
Grunge is a lot more underground compared to other streetwear trends, but thanks to Balenciaga, Celine Homme and Saint Laurent, it has been propelled into the mainstream at a rate that we’ve never experienced before.
Band tees are now a staple in every man’s wardrobe (oh, you like AC/DC? Name three songs), and chunky leather shoes and combat boots are essential for any footwear rotation, no matter what season it is.
Thanks to Travis Barker of Blink-182 fame, pointy studs and necklaces with big, big crosses have also become the norm, even going as far as making regular cameos at your favorite Sunday brunch spot.
Stealth wealth
Officine Generale
Fear of God for Zegna
The Row
Brioni
While there’s some debate as to whether quiet luxury can even be called streetwear, it sits alongside normcore as a fad that was made to look ‘average’, even though everyone knows it’s not. Thanks to Succession, Gwyneth Paltrow and Sofia Richie’s wedding, searches for ‘old-money style‘ rose by around 600%, while ‘stealth wealth’ experienced a huge 900% jump. It’s wild how quickly this understated aesthetic has grown, but if you think about it, it’s not that surprising either.
For many streetwear aficionados, less is more. Fear of God spurred the growth of quiet luxury during the covid pandemic in 2020 with its Essentials line, but now, brands like Jil Sander and The Row are leading the way.
Everything is nice, clean and neatly tailored, and while it looks very plain and simple, it also looks very expensive – and that’s exactly the vibe lovers of this trend are going for.
Work hard
Abercrombie & Fitch
BDG @ Urban Outfitters
H&M
Alex Mill
You just can’t talk about the latest men’s streetwear trends without bringing up workwear. While most of the other ones in this article are fairly new, workwear originated back in the 1800s when it was made for railroad workers who were pretty much building America.
From chore jackets and cargo trousers to overalls, these pieces were all constructed from tough, durable materials that were made to last a lifetime.
Fast forward over two centuries, and things are a little different. Now, that guy down the road who has never worked a day in his life rocks nothing but Carhartt WIP, and your mate who spends his 9 to 5 holed up in an office has nothing but Dickies in his wardrobe.
Workwear is huge, and let’s be honest, if you weren’t a fan of it back in January, you probably are now.
Father time
Noah
Noah
Frank & Oak
Abercrombie & Fitch
Remember when your friends used to make fun of you for dressing like your parents? Well, who’s laughing now? Dadcore is one of the most popular fashion trends and it’s not going anywhere, anytime soon.
Inspired by the 80s and 90s, this fatherly fad is all about trucker caps, striped polo shirts, cargo shorts, noisy tracksuits, knit cardigans and blue denim jeans. Basically, anything that Jerry Seinfeld would’ve worn.
And you can’t talk about dadcore without mentioning the sneakers. From Asics and New Balance to Nike Monarchs, if you want to take this aesthetic seriously, having the correct footwear is essential.
Anything chunky and white will do, but some things that will elevate the look include a pair of all-white crew socks, a nice six-pack of beer and a brand-new pair of tongs to fire up the BBQ.
Gender fluid
Kith
Aime Leon Dore
Represent
Fear of God
Gender-neutral clothing brands have always been a thing, but this year, they played a particularly prominent role in streetwear trends. Challenging social norms, when you think about it, the fact that the pieces of fabric we put on our bodies can be categorized into different sexes is a pretty weird concept. Anyone should be able to wear whatever they want, no matter what age, gender, or race they are.
That’s why brands like Juun.J and Sacai have been channeling all of their energy on androgynous collections. Even tracksuits from the likes of Adidas and Nike are mostly gender-neutral now, which is ideal for those (weird) people who like to match with their significant other.
On your bike
Gucci x Palace
P&Co
AllSaints
Diesel
Chances are you’ve never heard of Motocore, but we guarantee that you’ve seen it at least once or twice this year (or a thousand times, even). An aesthetic that’s heavily inspired by racing, it utilizes the culture’s love for bold color palettes and logo-mania patching.
There’s lots and lots of leather, statement-making hardware, exposed zippers and studs, and truckloads of distressed denim.
Palace Skateboards and Supreme have both taken on this trend this year, while the runways at Gucci, Diesel and Marine Serre were all about Motocore. That’s why you’ll find so many biker jackets at your local thrift store, albeit at 10 times the original retail price. This can be a little annoying, but that’s a small price to pay to look like Tom Cruise as he rides off into the sunset in Top Gun.