The source of this article is a complicated the definition of “style” debate. We discussed a lot in the team to realize that we didn’t even agree on definitions.
And that’s when we began to find concrete examples that our debate, otherwise pretty barren, became interesting.
Has Drake got style?
I’m serious, think about it.
You couldn’t call him the epitome of elegance. Especially with his chains, bright colors and showing off his muscles…Â Objectively, he isn’t the best dressed guy in the world, but you can’t deny that his style is very striking… You’ll immediately identify this style with the hip-hop culture.
Now have a look at this pictures. Same guy but a totally different image rendered to others.
Has Drake got style? This question has formed a real debate amongst the team. We’ve realized that, at the end of the day, we don’t really know what it means to ‘have style’
Cos there is often confusion between ‘being well dressed‘ and ‘having style‘
What’s being stylish all about?
- Only having labelled clothing?
- Is being well dressed the same as being stylish?
- Knowing everything about men’s fashion?
- Its history and all the technical details?
And your own style? Is it all that?
Can you see yourself in those photos in ads for preppy brands?
- A guy who is literally going to play polo in cheched shorts.
- Or play tennis in an Ivy League sweater?
- Or go to the beach in a bow tie and drink champagne on the terrace?
But, what could be style, then?
Wearing really wide and low trousers with huge sneakers?
Or lots of massive bling and pattered T-shirts?
So maybe it’s all about copying and pasting the style of the independent rock group that’s ‘in’ at the moment.
Very slim jeans and pointed boots.
Everything always in black and accessories such as hats from the beginning of the century
You’ve probably reached the same answer I did: NO! Please keep it real!
Finally, we’re getting our head above water a little bit. We already know what we don’t like, so we’re making progress. To help you find your style and to identify exactly what you like, I’ve prepared an little exercise in 2 stages.
Exercise 1: Personality
- Think seriously about the looks of those around you that you like and; most importantly, ask yourself WHY you like them.
- Is it because they give off a casual feeling? Masculinity? Elegance? A wild side?
- Look around you for the things you like and pick up strong themes that you could draw inspiration from for you wardrobe: music (rock vs hip hop) films, sport, art…
We’ve got a few ideas already. Be careful though, don’t go looking for short cuts! If you do, you’ll spend too much on items that aren’t really ‘you’ and you’ll want to resell them right away.Â
Your personality feeds your style…and your style feeds who you are!
You’ll meet Fabrice in a few days and he’ll tell us what happened the day he decided to wear a really nice jacket. Spoiler : He had better posture, people complimented him, and he had more self confidence.
Your style has to be linked to who you are. And I’d say this guy is a bit of an extrovert.
Exercise 2: Trying things on
- And if I tried something new? It’s FREE!
- I’ve everything to win! I can find my image by trying nice clothes while having a laugh!
- Post a comment with the item you have never tried but would like to: leather jacket, suit jacket, boots, etc.
‘That’s gonna give me ideas for my next articles, too!’
Go try a few items with a handful of friends.
But…
Identifying items we want is one thing…
…but knowing how to choose them and to put them together is another and there’s a lot of work involved!
It’s what takes the most time, too.
That’s where the Kinowear Program comes in (that’s right, it’s what I used to talk about as the Titanium project…)
Aim: giving you the necessary experience so that you never go wrong!
Over to you!
Go through the 2 exercices and share your discoveries in the comments.
Keep in touch, there’ll be things to come in the next few days.
Post a comment with the styles you like…or those you don’t like! I’d love to see where you’re at.
Kinowear Starter Pack
Get this free guide, and look better tomorrow!
It’s hard to say a celebrity, especially a Drake type, actually has a style that is their own. Many (especially rappers) pay for professional stylists who customize a wardrobe for every occasion, including the tailored Versace bathrobes for loungewear.
This reliance on a professional stylist (often paid ‘consultants’ of the haute couture firms) leads to the whole “Who wore it better?” phenomenon when two celebrities wear the exact same new item due to the inevitable overlap in brand-new designer piece.
That being said, stylist or not, some celebrities dress damn smart and can be learned from. But Drake, in particular seems to have an identity crisis if you compare him to other well-dressed rappers such as Mos Def or Andre 3000.
Not everyone looks like a celebrity. They came with every size
Hi chris,
Nice to see you here again.
Actually you’ve got a point! Have you read this personnal stylist info somewhere? I’d love to hear more about that. It makes sense to me that actors and actresses do it a lot, but do rappers do it that much too… I felt like they quite often wear their own line regardless of what the fashion industry would like them to put on.
Indeed, Drake isn’t the best dressed man in the US hip-hop landscape. Actually I didn’t know Mos Def was a good dresser but he really is.
?? I didn’t get you on this one…
The information on particular artists is often readily available by googling the artist + fashion stylist! Although with that amount of money, celebrities often go to different stylists for different occasions. And some (like Mos) have their own style which reflects their identity, but will use a stylist regardless. In fact, Drake actually himself got into some legal trouble a few months back with (one) of his stylists – whom he owes almost $80,000.
Wow! Very interesting, I’ll be happy to do some research on this topic.
Hi Des,
Well it’s basically about dressing timelessly and in a way that makes you feel confident VS following the trend regarless of what suits you…
This should help : http://www.kinowear.com/find-your-style-1
I agree that the difference between dressing well and having style can be subtle. My two cents: personal style is something…organic. It is something that emerges from numerous smaller yet significant choices in what one wears. Something that is not only adaptive to the details of ones life, but expresses their own unique sense of self and direction.
If that sounds a little vague, I’ll break it down and get personal.
My personal style is built around highs and lows. I balance my fondness for pairing ties, sport coats and pocket squares with my beard, tattoos and piercings. Though I may have learned to dress better, I still seek to communicate an idea of maturity, balanced with those parts of me that are less tame, less suitable for polite company.