City Boy starter pack (Japanese Americana)

Summary

This video script delves into the 'city-boy' fashion trend, a Japanese reinterpretation of Americana styles. It highlights the key clothing items and accessories, emphasizing a color palette dominated by blues, greens, beiges, and denim. The speaker discusses specific pants, striped shirts, oversized button-downs, and footwear, suggesting brands and second-hand options. Also covered are the use of bandanas for pops of color, the prevalence of hats and glasses, and the importance of structured tote bags in completing the city-boy look.

Takeaways

• 👕 The city-boy style is a fusion of various Western influences such as Americana, collegiate, skate culture, and British and French workwear, reinterpreted through a Japanese lens.
• 🎨 The color palette of city-boy style typically includes blues, greens, whites, beiges, khakis, and denim, with brown, black, and gray being common for shoes.
• 👖 Green army fatigues and khakis are staple pants in city-boy fashion, often featuring elongated rectangular pockets and a straight silhouette.
• 🛍️ When shopping for city-boy style, consider second-hand options for both affordability and environmental benefits, and use online platforms like eBay and Grailed.
• 🔍 Brands like Stand Ray, Todd Snyder, and Engineered Garments offer a variety of pants that fit the city-boy aesthetic, including different cuts and styles.
• 👔 Striped shirts are a basic element of the style, with French brand Orcival being a classic choice, and options also available from Moogie and Norse Projects.
• 👕 Over-sized button-down shirts are a key component of the city-boy look, with a preference for wide shapes and untucked wear.
• 👞 Boat shoes and lace-up leather shoes are popular in the city-boy style, with Timberland, Sperry, and UKton being notable brands, though sneakers like New Balances are also prevalent.
• 👟 New Balance sneakers, especially the R.C. 30 model, are frequently seen in the Japanese menswear style, offering a modern take on classic sneakers.
• 🧥 Trench coats and chore coats in colors like beige, green, and blue are part of the city-boy wardrobe, with single-breasted styles and covered buttons being more common.
• 👜 Accessories such as bandanas, hats, glasses, and tote bags add personal touches to the city-boy look, with structured tote bags being both practical and stylish.

Q & A

What is the 'city-boy' style and where does its inspiration come from?

The 'city-boy' style is a term coined by Popeye magazine, a Japanese fashion and lifestyle publication. It is a reinterpretation of Americana through a Japanese lens, incorporating elements of Western prep, collegiate style, skate culture, and British and French workwear, all with a distinctly Japanese silhouette.

What is the typical color palette for the city-boy style?

The city-boy style often features a specific color palette with blues and greens being prominent, frequently paired together. Other common colors include white, beige, khaki, and denim jeans. For shoes, brown, black, and gray are popular choices, especially with New Balance sneakers.

Why does the speaker prefer to buy second-hand clothes?

The speaker prefers to buy second-hand clothes for environmental reasons and because it can often be more cost-effective. They suggest looking for specific items on platforms like eBay or Grailed to find used versions of desired pieces.

What are 'green army fatigues' and how are they typically distinguished in the city-boy style?

Green army fatigues are straight-up and down green pants often caught in an elongated rectangular pocket design. They are a staple in the city-boy style and can be found in vintage military stores or online platforms like eBay and Etsy.

Which brands are mentioned for green army fatigues and khakis?

Stand Ray is mentioned for its OG loose fatigue and khakis, offering different cuts. Todd Snyder is another brand that carries a variety of items in the city-boy style, including Japanese for last fit salvage chinos and garment-dyed cargo pants.

What is the significance of striped shirts in the city-boy style?

Striped shirts are considered a basic yet essential part of the city-boy style, contributing to a cohesive look when combined with other elements. They can be found in various cuts, such as the French cut from Ptibato or the boat neck style from Moogie.

What are some tips for choosing khakis in the city-boy style?

To avoid a uniform look, it's recommended to choose khakis that are wider, more balloon-shaped, or have interesting pleats. This adds a unique touch and distances the style from a traditional uniform appearance.

Why does the speaker suggest avoiding traditional skinny button-downs for the city-boy style?

Traditional skinny button-downs are not ideal for the city-boy style because they are meant to be tucked into pants. Instead, oversized button-downs with a wide shape, especially at the bottom, are preferred as they are meant to be worn out.

What are some shoe recommendations for the city-boy style?

The city-boy style often includes lace-up leather shoes, boat shoes like the Timberland pair, and sneakers such as New Balance. Brands like Carhoe and Diodora offer alternative chunky sneaker styles to New Balance.

What are some key outerwear pieces mentioned for the city-boy style?

Key outerwear pieces for the city-boy style include chore coats, often in bright cobalt blue or faded options, and trench coats, which are seen more in single-breasted styles with covered buttons.

What accessories are commonly used to add a pop of color in the city-boy style?

Bandanas are a popular accessory used to add a pop of color in the city-boy style. They can be found in vintage stores or from brands like Capitol and Stuff, which offer unique and hand-painted styles.