Growing up with two brothers, I was secretly jealous of the skateboards they got for Christmas one year, even if they were the cheap ones from Walmart. Though I never had the guts to ask for one myself, I eyed their boards for years, secretly wondering what it’d be like to zoom down the street on four wheels into the sunset. When my younger brother got a new longboard, I decided it was my second chance to give it a go. One wobbly ride down my sidewalk was all it took, and I was hooked. Ever since then, I’ve been drawn to the sport of skateboarding.
That’s why I was beyond psyched when I came across the Dsquared² spring 2016 menswear collection on the homepage of Style.com. I know what you’re thinking: “Menswear? But you’re a girl…” Right you are, reader. I’m a chick, but I have an infatuation with men’s fashion. So this week I decided to take on the challenge of piecing together a look that was inspired by this rad collection while still staying true to my personal style.
While looking through the surfer and skater inspired collection, I was amazed at how Dean and Dan managed to give this genre of clothing a high fashion edge so seamlessly. Whereas I typically see surfers and skateboarders sporting super casual looks, Dsquared² kicked it up a notch with oversized beanies, bleached denim, patterned board shorts, mesh tank tops and palm tree accents—lots of them, actually.
To truly channel my inner California wannabe, I sought to combine a handful of these elements into one cohesive outfit. I really wanted a reason to wear my new splatter-bleached quilted jacket, and this collection’s use of bleached denim was the inspirational nudge I needed to break it out of my closet for its grand debut. As the collection featured a few leather pants, I opted for my faux leather shorts. I typically only wear these shorts out at night, so I made them daytime appropriate by pairing them with casual pieces—a graphic muscle shirt (although my impressive guns were hidden under my jacket), fun American flag socks and my trusty Vans shoes. Obviously I had to throw on my red beanie for a pop of color, but I had to pass on the tattoos that most of the collection’s models had because my mom would be pretty upset if I came back from New York with a sleeve of tats. You’re welcome, Mom.
Get My Look: 1. A bleached bomber jacket. 2. A gray graphic shirt. 3. Sleek faux leather shorts.
