Style Highlight: City Boy - Topic of the day 4/16/24
A term coined by Popeye magazine, City Boy is a style popularized in Japan that reinterprets American prep and French/British workwear with a twist of skater culture and W I D E pants. Do you dress in this style at all? How do you even define it? What are your favorite city boy fits? Is it trending hard now or is it on its way out? Share some inspo or discuss anything and everything City Boy in today's TOTD.
15 Replies
Good style
Feel like the type of thing in the image above with heavy 50s influence, big coats, etc. is not as big any more but a lot of the same fits and stuff are still really hot in Japan. But there’s a bigger techwear influence now with brands like Daiwa pier39 getting mixed in
Big pants seem as popular as ever (in Japan)
City boy to me is still a great look and looks a lot more “on trend” than other styles that were popular in the late 2010s.
It also looks rather accessible because the pieces are recognizable - wool trousers, overcoats, casual shirting, etc.
In reality though the style relies on fitting so oversized that I think you need to commit quite hard to the look to make it work. Like even a mildly oversized shirt probably isn’t big enough. The only thing that an ivy wardrobe could carry over is the shoes and accessories.
I think it's a cool style. Following what heckle said, it's hard to find stuff that would fit me as oversized as a lot of the looks I see
@chicago beef doss this rlly well
Linking the two Popeye/fashion mag scan albums I made for the Reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/s/wIz631Raki
https://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/s/EmbPVUaFSj
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From the malefashionadvice community on Reddit: Japanese Fashion Ma...
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From the malefashionadvice community on Reddit: Japanese Fashion Ma...
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Hahaha a topic definitely for me! City boy to me was always about casual preppy wear (as simple as that). What I really enjoy about this style is that countries around Japan (which it originated from) have started their own versions of it. Korea being more casual, Taiwan and HK focusing on techwear/outdoor wear. They have quite deviated from what we traditionally knew as "city boy"
It's not just about wearing wide pants alone! City boy has a lot of emphasis on silhouettes more than proportions hence why the oversized looks out there look really good. You don't have to wear oversized everything! Texture and branding also come into play. Consistent or cohesive textiles and the emphasis on vintage American branding.
I think it's a very underrated style with tiktok determining what is fashionable nowadays. It's a breathe of fresh air. I find it unique and quite enjoyable to style so I don't think it'll go away anytime soon.
I highly suggest to look into Akio Hasegawa, the fashion designer who pioneered the style itself: https://sabukaru.online/articles/the-stylist-and-fashion-director-pioneering-japans-city-boy-trend-akio-hasegawa
Some articles and videos for those who are interested on the style (some are not in English).
https://nnine.shop/en-ca/blogs/special-feature/what-is-city-boy-fashion-how-to-start-from-tomorrow
https://www.beams.co.jp/special/harajuku/2021ss/feb/
https://youtu.be/CKngRaACDx4?si=rulu2sy6uVz4CRH0
https://youtu.be/UiV2qz2T9FY?si=jCZ0Bz4N7nH-sydY
https://youtu.be/INT4SBf310c?si=DQ-uHimT0bYcQ5ac
https://youtu.be/CYdD9eHybx0?si=WAvORe4qHbhZaT4g
sabukaru
The Stylist and Fashion Director Pioneering Japan's City Boy Trend ...
In the past decade, one of the biggest trends in Japan's street & fashion scene is undoubtedly City Boy. Not only is City Boy a fashion trend, but a lifestyle. The definition for the term is vague, but it basically is exactly how it sounds. Boys who belong in the city.
NNine
What is City Boy Fashion? How to start from tomorrow
Do you know "City Boy"? https://nnine.shop/products/three-pocket-shirt-n208 I think many people have the image of "fashionable boys in the city of urban areas". Actually, that's right. That nice atmosphere, I long longing. When you want to get closer to the city boy, the quickest way is to incorporate it from fashion. This time, I will talk ...
The Second Loft
YouTube
4 Types of Silhouette for City Boys 【Style Tips】
Thank you for watching :)
Magazines used are
Fudge for Men, Popeye, 2nd
Saladbob
YouTube
在优衣库跟POPEYE学穿搭 | Dress Like A CityBoy
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Just to illustrate what I was talking about above I think you can trace the evolution of the style through Instagram, like this guy I’ve been following for a while. 2020 he was wearing leather shoes, wool scarf, vintage style coat. 2024 it’s Salomons and a fleece vest
Still a lot of the same elements but a slight shift away from the more vintage look
Go off king thanks for all the extra stuff!
Yeah just like anywhere it’s less menswear focused. Take these 3 issues from 2013, 2017, and 2022 just on the cover aha
Complete cultural victory for skaters
Very cool to see a style that developed away from the US/Europe. Loads of interesting info in here.
