Guide to Urban Fashion for Men: Important Pieces to Own

It seems as though no matter how fashion trends change, the style associated with urban clothing remains a constant. Even though constantly evolving like any other style under the sun, the core features of urban wear anchor the whole fashion trend around a particular aesthetic we associate with casual and street clothing found in big cities. It’s safe to say that dressing urban is in, but what makes the styles so recognisable and timeless? Let’s break down the staple pieces of the look and see what exactly appeals to every guy.

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T-shirts

When it comes to urban tees for men, nothing is off the table! To put it simply, urban tees for men come in lots of designs, varying in size, look and even feel. So, no matter your preferred fabric, colour, pattern or fit – every guy can find the tees they love to wear.

Simply put, the T-shirt’s versatility has a great deal to do with its ability to outlast most fashion trends. It’s the only piece of clothing that can be worn with every outfit – from under a shirt, with a suit, to the gym, the beach and to bed. It’s safe to say that mens tees are the most universal multipurpose piece of clothing that has ever existed.

When it comes to a proper fit, the way a T-shirt is worn says a lot about its wearer. The perfect-fitting tees men wear can emphasise parts of the body they’re proudest of, without drawing attention to the self-conscious areas. For instance, when it comes to the arms, whether rolled or regular, the sleeves should hit about the halfway point on your upper arm, in order to show off your biceps and triceps. To draw focus on the pecs and the shoulders, aim for a slim-fitting style that skims through these parts, leaving enough room for air to circulate. As for the abs and the narrow waist, guys with bigger chests and narrow waists should look for tapered cuts that won’t drape around their mid-section.

We won’t discuss style, colour and cut due to the fact that this is a personal matter, but we will however focus on fabric. Even though men tend to wear thicker fabrics in general, the opposite is actually true for mens urban tees and their materials. The T-shirt should feel like a second skin.

Almost all T-shirts are cut from cotton or some kind of cotton blend. The gold standard is Pima or Egyptian cotton, which looks thinner and feels lighter while being made from long-staple fibres that last longer. A moderate amount of elastane in cotton blends helps to maintain the shape of the T-shirt, whereas cotton-polyester blends come at lower prices and often creaseless.

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Hoodies

Nothing says urban like a nice loose hoodie. Though this is a bit of a cliché statement, if you’ve ever been in an oversized hoodie, you know that nothing can compare to the feel. Hoodies are worn by men of all walks of life, and most often than not, by the wearer’s girlfriend.

When it comes to picking a size for a hoodie that will be part of your urban outfits, pick up something one size bigger than your usual shirt size. Even if it’s a tall hoodie, this rule applies as it brings out the baggy characteristic without sacrificing comfort and style.

Design is essentially a thing left to the wearer’s preferences. There are zip-up styles, pull over and baggy hoodies to choose from. Zip-ups are the most casual and everyday type of hoodie, preferred by most urban folks, but again, what you choose is up to you.

When it comes to quality, no matter how good the hoodie looks on you and how well it fits, if the quality is poor, you’ll just end up throwing money away. Quality is by far the most important characteristic, as it defines how it feels on your skin and how breathable it is, whether it falls apart fast or lasts for years, the fabric is everything.

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Hats

It’s safe to say that having a cool cap is as defining of a trait of urban wear as anything else formally mentioned. Whether worn backwards, forwards or sideways, a cap says street like nothing else. In this day and age, trends may come and go, but for those who want to be part of them need to accessorise accordingly. A universal staple of streetwear continues to be the classic baseball cap, which in one way or another remains as important and irreplaceable as ever.

Any cap will do as long as you know what you like and what you want to combine it with. And with that said, here are some tips for wearing a baseball cap:

• First and foremost, remove the sticker;
• Make sure the fit is snug on your head;
• On the same note, make sure it’s not cutting off your circulation;
• Be careful when you wear it backwards and avoid the “sideways” look whenever possible;
• Simplicity over extravagance is always the best choice;
• If you’re going to wear a cap for the day, make sure that “hat hair” isn’t going to be an issue later on.

Kicks

There’s one last piece of clothing that goes without saying. To complete the urban street look, a good pair of kicks is just what the doctor ordered. They add much substance to the urban look, and the whole ensemble would just look empty without them.

Style aside, sneakers need to have a feature that no other aforementioned piece of clothing has, and that’s ergonomics. Proper fit is important when it comes to shoes, especially sneakers. One way or another, you are on your feet during most of the day, so if style trumps comfort, not only are you going to have a bad time, you are going to be less mobile than you would be with a good pair of kicks. Visit your local shoe shop and ask for recommendations for the best fit for your feet.