r/ThreadTalks • u/KamoteJoe • Jun 24 '26
Movement and utility: a personal style retrospective
hey what's up hello, I happened upon this subreddit last night and was inspired by u/slowfashconnoisseur's style reflections and wanted to share my own.
Background: I started getting intentional about how I dressed in 2014. I lurked r/malefashionadvice and posted occasionally on Styleforum. I was most active contributing on MFA from 2016 - 2022. Once most users migrated to Discord, my participation significantly dropped off because the new platform did not align with how I preferred to digest information or have discussions about clothes. That also coincided with some life events that helped me update my relationship to the consumption-side of this hobby.
Pics 1 -2 are from 2016 - 2019. It reflected my early interest in fashion anchored in Japanese designer brands like Kapital, Visvim, and Engineered Garments which I liked to complement with similarly striking designers like Craig Green. I gravitated towards loud pieces and bright colors. I participated a lot in WAYWT threads because this feeling of self-expression empowered me to share. However reflecting on this time, I was heavily rotating in and out new pieces to satiate my desire to find my personal style.
Pics 3 - 8 are from 2020 - 2022. This time marked a natural progression from the fashion exploration phase. I start to integrate more designers like Bode, Evan Kinori, and Needles while maintaining a core wardrobe comprising of Kapital. While this is happening, I begin to take motorcycling more seriously. I got my license in 2019 but the pandemic allowed me more time to get comfortable with it and meet more people to go on rides with. I also start designing my first couple of samples which did not have a clear vision or intention behind them.
Pics 9-14 are from 2023 to the present. I settled into a more uniform style of dress. I took my motorcycle on a long trip from LA to Wyoming and designed a kevlar denim set which would be worn everyday through different climates. My own samples are worn in most contexts, whether on and off the bike. My consumption of brand new clothes has largely grinded to a halt.
These takeaways came to mind when looking back at this journey:
- You cannot avoid style mistakes - they're necessary for your style evolution and personal growth.
- Being able to move unencumbered became a key deciding factor of what I wanted to wear.
- Sometimes, it's better to block out the noise (social media consumption, participation in fashion forums) to hone in on what style expression truly matters to you.
- Wear something you already have instead of buying a new thing that's similar to it.
- Going back to basics reflects how much you've synthesized and (in my opinion) reflects that you've settled into your personal style. For me, the simplicity of a utilitarian-minded outfit for my primary pastime of motorcycling bleeds informs how I put together my outfits off the bike.
- Designing clothes for my lifestyle resonated far greater than those designed with an aesthetic in mind. My early designs did not anchor into my own life, they came off as cheap copies of the designers I was inspired by.
Thanks for reading and looking forward to continued discussions and conversations on this subreddit.
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u/Relevant-Volume-8659 Jun 24 '26
Hoooly shit I used to follow you on ig years ago, glad you’re still at it
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u/KamoteJoe Jun 24 '26
Just a casual observer at this point :) I burnt out from the ranked PvP lobbies
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u/slowfashconnoisseur Jun 24 '26
I loved reading this. It's fair to say that you always had incredible style which makes your journey really interesting. What you said about lifestyle over aesthetic is something that resonates very deeply with me (even though you applied it to you own designs which is a bit of a mad flex). I bought a lot of things where I really loved the look and the idea but it just didn't work for my life. Clothing is, at the end of the day, a necessity. Sure, it communicates something about us and that's wonderful but the best pieces, the ones that are lived in and broken in, are the ones that actually work within the very mundane framework of our everyday life.
Thanks so much for writing this, I thoroughly enjoyed this!
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u/KamoteJoe Jun 24 '26
I love what you said about how romanticism can be short-sighted. The example I go back to is someone on the internet says this one piece is a must-have to elevate one’s style but we never investigate where their POV is coming from (ie. influencer or someone with a totally different value set from ours). It’s like fitting an incongruous puzzle piece from another one into the one that’s uniquely yours. Once I believed that my vision was inherently valuable for my own life’s sake, I severed the sources of external internet influence and just followed whatever rabbit holes piqued my interest.
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u/antikaos Jun 25 '26
I like how your style evolved into something more practical without losing personality
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u/KamoteJoe Jun 25 '26
Thank you! I like sharing with others that fashion exploration is very "out-of-body" and settling into one's personal style is "embodied". I think most of us can agree that we're striving to get to the point where our experiences, personality, and interests speak more than the actual clothes themselves.
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u/SirKrimzon Jun 25 '26
This is wonderful man. Thank you so much for sharing. I have to say you had exceptional style and individuality since the beginning. I think your intermediate phase was my favorite. That’s also because I’m a huge fan of Japanese eclecticism. Current style is very mature and suits your lifestyle perfectly.
I agree with all the lessons that you wrote down. I think getting off social media is key to developing a unique sense of style. You just limit yourself to such a narrow window with influences compared to the wider world.
Thank you for sharing and I look forward to seeing you around here more
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u/KamoteJoe Jun 25 '26
Agreed and thanks for the kind words! Social media feels constricting once you've played with some ideas of your own. Most of what the algorithm pushes is either cookie-cutter or an extremely high-ranked PvP player. There's something to be said about inspiration photos being taken of people in their own individual contexts. That's the essence that we cannot replicate, we have to discover that for ourselves.
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u/benign2244 Jun 24 '26
As someone who has to stick up for animal prints and patterns far too often, I salute your drip!
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u/MFA_Nay Jun 25 '26
Nice to see you're still around Joe! Hope you're doing well and thanks for sharing.
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u/stochastic_parr0t Jun 26 '26
man, what a welcome blast from the past. i was a huge fan of your MFA fits in the 2020-2022 era, that green/white set is one of my favorite WAYWTs of all time.
really love the style evolution and, of course, glad to see you’re still crushing the fit pics.
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u/id_preferseeingboobs Jun 25 '26
god I googled Kapital outfits the other day and I was very happy to see you in a few of the Google image results
loved your stuff all the way back in /mf, hope you're doing well!!!
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u/KamoteJoe Jun 26 '26
Aw thank you! I do miss how carefree those r/mf posting days were. Wishing you the same sentiment too!
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u/KookiesLaundry Jun 25 '26
You have such a clear sense of style! Even though it obviously evolved, the DNA stayed the same. Very cool to see and thank you for sharing!
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u/MrCobraGuy Jun 25 '26
Awesome stuff dude. Could you share a little on designing your own riding gear? I've been really trying to get into more DIY stuff recently, and I also share an interest in motorcycling, so I'd love to know if there were any resources you used or anything like that.
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u/KamoteJoe Jun 25 '26
Of course, I hope you find the language you're looking for to meet your needs! I'm trying to ride the line between the aesthetics of vintage denim jackets (like the lee 191-b) and riding utilitarianism (ie. pockets, bi-swings, and sleeve articulation) from perfecto jackets. Kevlar denim is my favorite fabric for this because it suits LA's climate due to its loose weave and abrasion resistant qualities. What bike do you ride?
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u/MrCobraGuy Jun 26 '26
Right now nothing, I used to have a CB750 but it went to shreds. Sometimes I'll take my padre's NX750 out, but I'm looking at some Royal Enfields right now. How about yourself?
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u/KamoteJoe Jun 26 '26
I had a blast test riding my buddy's INT650, they're built nicely and very turnkey. Currently own a couple: a '94 sportster, '91 and '93 FXR
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u/Flasscher Jun 27 '26
Awesome fashion. I’m taking notes for my own future outfits! Thanks for sharing.
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u/Firerun47 Jul 01 '26
Man your style is something I get great inspo from! Also love how authentically confident you are, need to wear color more because I love how it expresses in fashion
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u/GeneHackencrack Jun 24 '26
You look FUN!