A$ap Rocky modelling the Needles x Awge collab on his Instagram (@asaprocky)
Every year, we see a wave of new trends come about on the fashion scene. Street style is one of the most popular trends this year. For 2018, some of the biggest trends in streetwear were tactical wear, dressed up slides or sandals with socks, and track pants with stripes and branding along the sides.
Courtesy of @ianconnorsrevenge on Instagram
One could argue that tactical gear is the biggest trend of 2018 in streetwear. Pieces such as tactical vests, chest rigs and holsters did appear before 2018, but the trend really took off this year. For instance, Ian Connor posted a picture of himself wearing the chest rig created by Alyx Studios in late November of 2017. At the time, Kanye West did not have an Instagram, but pictures began surfacing of him also wearing the same exact chest rig worn by Connor. Kanye and Ian are two of the most influential people when it comes to street fashion and setting trends, so it was no surprise to see the chest rig be one of the trendiest items in 2018.
@shopblackroses on Instagram
@brittanymbyrd on Instagram
In addition to the chest rig, the tactical vest was another military-inspired piece that has been significantly popular in 2018. Many people began wearing fishing vests and bulletproof vests, which give off the same aesthetic as the tactical vest.
As the chest rigs and tactical gear have been around since the beginning of the year, spring and summer saw more and more people begin to wear slides/sandals with socks, giving off a cozy aesthetic. The slides we started seeing are bulkier than the typical slide that has been trending for a while now. Suicoke is the main brand associated with the bulky slide trend. Some of their collaborations are with Bape, Mastermind Japan, Palms Angels and an upcoming collaboration with Tyler the Creator and his brand Golf Wang.
Courtesy of A Bathing Ape (@bape_US) and Suicoke (@suicoke_official)
Visvim is another brand that has had their own version of a slide that was bulkier and more stylish than normal slides. Even high-end brands such as Louis Vuitton released their own slide/sandal, which only added to the hype. Multiple celebrities including A$ap Rocky, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott and Ian Connor have all been seen wearing some version of a more stylish slide, which gives this trend considerable traction.
@sangiev on Instagram
To go along with the cozy aesthetic that has been trending this year, track pants have been gaining traction throughout 2018. Several streetwear brands, as well as fast fashion chains, all released track pants this year. Nearly all of them have had some sort of striping going down the side. The brand Needles began getting a lot of attention earlier this year because of their tracksuits collection with Awge, A$ap Rocky’s creative label. A couple of other notable brands that put out tracksuits were Gucci, Palms Angels, and other traditional sportswear brands that have always had track pants like Nike, Adidas and Puma. Many, if not all, fast fashion retail chains such as Pacsun, Forever 21, HM and Urban Outfitters have been selling track pants for the majority of 2018. With autumn and winter on the way, track pants will be a common sight on the streetwear scene.
@dualipa on Instagram
These are certainly not all of the trends for 2018, but definitely some that stood out this year. With the weather becoming colder for many regions, more trends will appear in these last two months of 2018 and even into 2019. All of the trends mentioned can be easily transitioned into looks for the different seasons. Many will incorporate the trends mentioned into their wardrobes for this fall and winter.
