For the average Joe this probably goes totally unnoticeable, but for the past two years or so menswear is finally loosening up a bit and headed back to looser more airy fits in terms of a silhouette. That’s the way fashion kind of works. Once the trickle down effect of overall trends finally even hits the people who couldn’t care less about fashion, trends then make a complete 180 and go the opposite direction. We’re kind of in the last stages of the super skinny, super tight, super fitted era of menswear where everything had to fits like a skin tight undershirt. Unlike womenswear where trends are changing at a constant pace, menswear likes to take it slow. A new trend will roll out and kind of evolve over time until men are comfortable with it. Changing the proportions of our clothes is a big fundamental shift when most of the clothing we have worn for the past decade taught us that baggy, loose, and oversized is unfashionable and unattractive. For fashion and menswear enthusiasts, the switch to looser fits has already begun, but for those who don’t scour the  forums and follow me menswear religiously, here are some simple tips on how to wear looser and more oversized fits.

One Oversized Piece Keep the Rest Fitted

The key to pulling off the oversized look is to limit it to one piece and keep the rest of your clothing slim and fitted. This look of wearing one oversized piece has become a staple amongst many streetwear circles. Streetwear has been kind of dictating the trends in menswear for the last little bit, and it’s once again ahead of the curve with their silhouettes offering men more room. Brands such as Off-White, John Elliott, now have popular signature pieces in oversized fits in the Plaid Shirt and Kake Mock hoodie.  I don’t want to keep harping on the Kanye effect, but his influence in menswear is legit. Whatever Kanye wears is analyzed and instantly mimicked. So far Kanye’s Yeezy clothing line has had an emphasis on being oversized. The man himself now wears oversized hoodies and jackets on a regular basis.

Not Everything Works In Oversized and Baggy

We’re definitely not going back to the early 2000’s with really baggy jeans and XXL t-shirts. The difference with the baggy resurgence in 2016 is it’s not as simple as wearing everything in really oversized baggy fits. Jeans and sweatpants should still be for the most part worn slim, but trousers and suit pants, t-shirts, and sweatshirts are where you can start taking some risks with pants that offer more room.

Look To the Japanese

The Japanese have always marched to the beat of their own drum when it comes to proportions. While we were all obsessed with skinny jeans and fitted dress shirts, Japanese menswear brands kept the variety around. Maybe it’s me, but from all the Japanese lookbooks, and street style photos I’ve been looking at, the Japanese are most definitely more comfortable wearing a wider variety of proportional fits. Sometimes all the rules go out the window. If you feel comfortable in it and feel good wearing it, just wear it. It’s as simple as that.

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