Ellie Prince
One of the most fun things to do when changing up your wardrobe is to check out true street style. Note: we’re not talking about Pinterest “street style”. No bloggers dolling up and posing in front of graffiti here! Legitimize your look from the 80’s or 90’s and take a cue from skate style. It’s good to have a little edge here and there. Rediscover your youth and never let it go!
Skate Style or Die
A skateboarder’s shoes are probably the most important part of his equipment aside from the board itself. Skate style can be as simple as adding Vans high or low tops to any simple outfit. We especially love culottes this summer so check that article out as a perfect pants partner. If you keep your look fairly monochromatic (preferably black), you can get away with a pair of Vans at any age. Stick with the classics; we love the Old Skool low tops or SK8-Hi high tops in any color.
Skate Socks
Crew socks are also classic with skate shoes. Implement skate style into any outfit with the simple addition of crew socks. Tillys is the one-stop-shop for socks and skate wear in general. Right now we are digging Stance Hayley’s Dozen Womens Socks for the cool floral and sport stripe combo. Stance socks hug feet so well, you might start wearing your skate footwear with just about everything. Well, go for it! Skate socks and shoes look awesome with skirts and slip dresses too.
Holes in the Knees
Rather than go for the ripped skinny jeans look, make your pants a little baggier for true 80’s and 90’s style. Wide black pants or culottes are a little more chic for work or school. Boyfriend jeans with the knees torn out look best with girly details. Check out our article on ruffles and tie front tops for ideas on how to keep your skate style feminine. Mixing tomboy bottoms with uber girly tops keeps the yin yang balance.
Thrasher Tee
Back in the 80’s we used to pour over Thrasher Magazine for amazing photos of the latest street skate and ramp tricks. The ultimate skate style graphic tee should have a Thrasher print or the logo of your favorite skater. Check out our article on graphic tees for a myriad of ways to incorporate one of these into your wardrobe. Step outside of the band tee box and hit up Thrasher Magazine’s online shop instead. Super cute with a skirt or a pair of overalls from our summer article. (Also, first come – first serve: trendydreamers on Etsy has a reworked Thrasher tee that is pretty cool with a lace-up front.)
No Sleeves, Please
If you’re shopping for vintage tees get a size or two larger and cut off the sleeves. Flannels are also total skate style and look great sleeveless. Layer one over a graphic tee and leave the sleeves frayed if you want. Super cute with black skinny jeans and messy hair. This is a look you can definitely wear into Fall and Winter. For Winter styles, layer the flannel under a jacket for added cool factor.
Trucker Hats
Finally, sticking to that fem/masc theme, add a trucker hat to a super girly outfit. Boom! Trucker hats are skate style hair havens and look great in unexpected ways. Stick with pinks, ruffles, pinafores, polka dots – whatever – and then throw on a hat. Backwards or forwards, whatever floats your boat. It keeps your look easy and maintains the proper balance. Go to Tillys for the best assortment of trucker hats. They have kind of a surf/skate vibe, but we especially like the black Adidas Originals style or the light grey Ruca VA style for these purposes.
80’s v. 90’s
No offense to new-school skaters, but we are really going to have to stick to vintage looks with this one. Skate style from the 80’s and 90’s have the proper amount of nostalgia that keeps your tomboy look fun. You can take a look at our hip-hop fashion guide from the same era for more inspiration (think Beastie Boys). The most important part is a carefree attitude, which is the ultimate age-defying factor. Then, hit the streets!