The reverberations of men’s fashion weeks have left us with a few new styling points to add to our repertoire. Headwear has become the pièce de la résistance of outfits, transcending practicality, and emerging as a statement of flamboyant flourish. It would seem hoods are no longer added features, but instead the ostentatious punctuation adding to the language of attire.
Streetwear aficionados, the avant-garde ambassadors of fashion’s future, are crafting a new course towards “Hoodies 2.0”. The hood is no longer associated with gym goers, and lazy loungers, but has now become a declarative outfit embellishment.
In the shadowy enclaves of Paris and Milan, the fashion audiences are beginning to don head-turning accessories and darkened lenses, giving an air of mysterious insouciance. From knitted berets and bonnets, to more transformative pieces – including detachable hoods that melt into snoods and then fold into scarves – the fashion select seems to be bundled up with a touch of drama. It’s a subtle retreat into clothing, a chic way of navigating the backstreets of the crowded fashion calendar.
In a world that once embraced loud and proud style, these newer trends indicate a gravitation towards a more muted chicness and nonchalance. Yet, what compels this shift towards cooler and more enigmatic aesthetics? The answer, like the allure of the hooded enigma, beckons us to unravel the mysteries of fashion, personality, psychology and expression.
Heads down, hoods up, is headgear the new uniform of the fashion ranger?
Written by Hebe Street from GLITCH Magazine
