The Fashion Textbook: Five things you need in your closet

The Fashion Textbook: Five things you need in your closet

Emmy Johnson, Writer

Street style in New York City (NYC) has been a popular trend, starting off in alternative subcultures in the 2000s then moving into everyone’s everyday wardrobe. This style is increasingly popular and deserves the hype it gets. Here’s how to incorporate NYC fashion into your closet.

1: Leather anything

Leather products, whether fake or real, can make any outfit become professional or spunky lookingー depending on how it’s styled.

Wearing a large leather jacket over a tee and distressed jeans makes an outfit become a classic greaser fit with a modern twist.  Styling a pair of leather pants with a black turtleneck is a way to look chic in all black.

Leather can be worn day to night, with a simple jewelry change or shirt change. Vogue recommends leather pieces be fitted to your figure, with simple buttons or zippers- easy to customize- and says vintage is better and easily worn in the winter without looking tacky.

Leather is a universal material and was relatively cheap in the 70s and 80s. Punks in the 90s would style strappy leather outfits based on the rockers from the time, or buy it second-hand from thrifts for cheap, then styling it in rips or bedazzling them with spikes on the shoulder pads.

Greasers from the 50s coined leather turning it into a nice piece for any wardrobe. During this time leather jackets were known to be a material representing toughness and were relatively unknown. But now these pieces are bedazzled, scraped up, and fitted perfectly for anyone’s style.

 2: Platform Boots

Platform boots give everyone a look of sleekness and naturally lengthens the leg to make the wearer look taller. A pair of platform boots should be a staple piece in a winter or fall closet.

Platforms have been popularized in alternative subcultures, most of which are made out of leather or rubber with a matte or shine. These boots are accustomed to zippers and chunky heels, sometimes with spikes at the heels.

Platforms have become so increasingly popular that certain brands are made explicitly only for these types of boots. Demonia, a punk-based boot company accepts the idea of spikes, zippers, steel accessorizing and crazy platform boots and heels. The company has coined the name of “extreme,” but they do have less extreme options to wear daily.

Doc Martins is a house-hold name by now. With how popular the brand, almost everyone owns a pair of Doc’s. The shoe is relatively expensive and takes a while to be broken into properly, some smash the shoe with a hammer others protect their foot with bandages and hefty socks.

Platforms are a great way to spice up any wardrobe, and a great way to stay prepared during the winter.

3: Puffy Jackets

Many puffy jackets are seen as disfiguring or uncomfortable, and yet it can be worn as a way to stay warm during the cold months of winter. 

Styling puffy jackets are easy and yet many don’t wear them, despite it being easy to style this piece of clothing

These jackets can fit tightly or loose and oversized. The best way to wear puffy jackets is opened or zipped up with tight clothes, like a crop top or skinny jeans, to draw it in.

Puffer jackets are a great piece to incorporate into fall or winter closets. The jacket can be layered or left by itself and, if worn correctly, can be a comfortable piece of clothing.

4: Flared Jeans

Flared jeans have recently been back in style after the 2000s craze over them. Models have been wearing them low rise with a crop top and with winter on the way, pairing them with a puffy jacket is a nice throwback look.

Flared jeans are almost always lowrise, but highrise pairs have recently come out in the fashion world. These types of jeans are known to make your legs look longer and slimmer. They also widen the hips or shrink the waist depending on how you wear them.

The late 2000’s style has become extremely popular with many people appreciating the look of the figureーand with icons like Paris Hilton, Kendall Jenner, and Bella Hadid, it’s no wonder how many are jumping on the trend of these jeans.

5: Silver Jewelry

Silver jewelry has become a way to accessorize an outfit and turn it into a classic and neat or edgy look.

Layering these pieces of jewelry can turn a basic outfit into one that seems put together. Recently rappers have been layering their chains or layering diamond necklaces, this is also popular in goth subcultures.

Silver Jewelry is known to stand out on pale skin and white gold is best for darker skin tones. It’s best to layer a dainty necklace and thick chains together. 

 Buying a simple charm necklace and adding edgy charms with cute designs, or even large hoops or rings help your jewelry stand out. It’s recommended if you have double piercings to wear safety pins in your piercings or buying pinned earrings.

Silver jewelry has become universal and extremely loved in alternative subcultures and on the runway.