Streetwear

Oversized hoodie, wide trousers, a puffer that could survive a blizzard and trainers you queued for. Colours are black, grey, olive and one hit of bright colour, often on the feet.

Proportions are everything. Things are big on top, tapered or stacked at the ankle, and nothing is an accident. You care about the details: the right sock, the cap at the right angle, the crossbody bag worn high. You mix secondhand finds with new pieces and know the history of each one. Your trainers are clean, always, and you have a toothbrush for it. You look relaxed, and only your friends know how many times you tried that outfit before leaving the house.

Concrete, neon and a record deck. A wall of trainers displayed like art. Graphic novels, skate decks and prints from local artists you know by name.

Your furniture is simple and industrial: metal shelves, a leather sofa, a rug with a bold graphic. There is a speaker that is better than it needs to be and a gaming setup in the corner. Lighting is moody and colourful. Plants are few and tough. Every object is part of a culture you care about, whether that is music, art, sport or fashion. Your home feels like a studio as much as a flat, and your friends come round to listen to records and argue about which release is better.

Hip hop, grime, drill, house and whatever came out this Friday. You have a playlist for walking, one for the gym and one for the night bus.

Weekends mean a charity-shop hunt and a trainer drop. A street-food market for lunch, a skate park or a five-a-side in the afternoon, a gig or a club at night. You love a pop-up shop, an exhibition in a warehouse, a record shop with a listening booth. You know every independent café in your area and which one makes the best flat white. Sundays are slow: a long brunch, a walk through the city with headphones in and a camera roll full of walls with good graffiti.

Dirty trainers. Sad, ill-fitting jeans. A suit worn badly.

You would never be caught in something that looks like it came straight off the shelf with no thought. Fake versions of the real thing are not for you. You avoid anything too formal, too tight or too precious to sit on a kerb in. You would never be caught wearing a hoodie that is too short or socks that are wrong for the shoe. You would also never be caught missing a drop because you forgot to set an alarm. And you would never be caught pretending to like a release you think is bad.

Go deeper into the culture behind the clothes. The best streetwear comes from music, skating, art and sport, so find your corner of it and get involved.

Buy less, choose better. One great jacket and two pairs of trainers you love beat a cupboard full of hype. Learn to customise: dyeing, patching, screen-printing your own designs. Support local designers and artists, and wear their pieces with pride. Then trust yourself. Streetwear at its best is about personal style, community and creativity, not about who queued longest. You already have the eye. Use it to set the next trend instead of following the last one.