Image via Complex Original
Let's call a spade a spade. We get a lot of flak for what some perceive is our "Kanye Fanboyism." But when you're the one of the biggest names in hip-hop and in men's fashion today, then how can you not give due respect? No one can argue that Yeezy has generated more than a fair share of trends that we wear today, and whether or not they're still popular today, we've all said "Yeezy taught me" at least once when it comes down to our respective closets.
But hey, even Jordan lost a few games in his day, and you can bet that Kanye's got a few bricks on his scorecard. Due in part to the passage of time, or in part to the cyclical nature of fashion, there's a few trends that Kanye kicked off, but are absolute garbage by today's standards. Respect where respect is due, but these things that even Yeezy wouldn't wear on a bad day. These are the 8 Trends Kanye Started That Are Trash Today.
Pastel Prep
Album era: The College Dropout
Probably the most referenced style contribution that Kanye has made to menswear's overall history, Drake said it best: “Then Kanye dropped it was polos and backpacks.” Since 2004, Kanye was as loud as his polos about his love of preppy gear, and would often wear crazy color combos of polos, dress shirts, and cable-knit sweaters. As time went on, particularly post-Graduation, Kanye stepped further away from his preppier looks into a much more high-fashion aesthetic. While we're not saying that wearing a pink polo is an automatic style fail, we're also not advocating combining a mint dress shirt with an orange and blue rugby layered on top.
Shutter Shades
Album era: Graduation
This is the one trend that hits the closest to rock bottom. When Kanye was going through his '80s phase (shouts to the Graduation-era shag hairstyle), he turned to eyewear designer Alain Mikli to redesign a style that had more presence during the Reagan years than the new millennium. When Kanye debuted the shutter shades during his video for “Stronger”, the combined power of Kanye and Daft Punk didn't just propel the single to the stratosphere, it also made shutter shades the accessory to cop for the following months.
What was once yet another unique, Kanye-related fashion choice, quickly became a novelty of New Jersey boardwalks, and Times Square souvenir shops by the end of the year. Shutter shades had their moment, but now you have to wonder: if someone's wearing shutter shades, do they miss Graduation-era Yeezy, or are they just not trying to see what's in front of them?
Leather Joggers
Album era: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
As Kanye said (aka screamed) at Zane Lowe during their first (see: legendary) BBC Radio 1 interview: “We brought the leather jogging pants six years ago to Fendi, and they said, 'No.' How many motherfuckers you done seen with a jogging pant?” While we only have Kanye's word as to whether or not he started the trend, we can certainly all agree that he was the one who thrust it into the spotlight.
Unfortunately, like much of Kanye's experimental fashion, this would quickly become co-signed by brands and overproduced into corniness. When En Noir rose to popularity, their take on the leather jogger became a celebrity staple for a short period—and its official death sentence coming down when founder Rob Garcia left the brand behind. It's not even the leather versions either, you could argue that the jogger pant itself (regardless of fabric) has hit peak popularity and is lying on its death bed. One thing is for sure, your chaffed legs are happy this trend has been put to rest.
Keffiyeh
Album era: Graduation
We've spoken briefly on the Keffiyeh's ruin at the hands of hipsters, but we also need to recognize Ye's history wearing the Middle Eastern scarf. While Kanye has worn Louis Vuitton ascots and other various neckwear, Kanye's most prominent appearance with a keffiyeh has to be during the “Can't Tell Me Nothing” video (though we recognize this may also be a Gucci scarf). One of Graduation's biggest sleeper hits, you have to credit it as one of Kanye's more obscure trends. However, with scarves making appearances at “hip” retailers like Urban Outfitters, the piece rapidly approached bad taste at best, and cultural appropriation at worst. It's not something you see too much of these days, but that still doesn't mean its become any more acceptable.
Lego Brooches
Album era: 808s and Heartbreak
You probably knew a kid who had a heart brooch—made entirely out of Legos. Shouts to Kanye during his introspective 808s and Heartbreak period, but while his real heart was broken up, he pieced together a Lego version and affixed it to his jacket lapels. While this was actually a cool piece that even non-fashion nerds could get into, the idea of creating Lego-based jewelry got way out of hand. What started as simple pin-on accessories, rapidly evolved into chains and even bowties. Naturally this effectively killed the trend. We're not really mad at the idea (shouts to those whose first watch was a Lego watch), the original idea was cool because it was simple and unexpected. Unfortunately, what makes the concept cool is also what makes the it easy to replicate—and inevitably oversaturate.
Louis Vuitton Luggage
Album era: The College Dropout
He was the “Louis Vuitton Don” for a reason. Well before Yeezus Kanye's original nickname centered around the historic Parisian fashion house, a connection that resulted in one of the most indicative photos (and sneakers) of his early career. While Kanye may have been decked out in Louis Vuitton luggage, you don't see much of the LV logo on people's backpacks as of late. Maybe it's the fact that the label has more relevance with rich housewives than Kanye's backpacking days, or maybe it's the fact that Kanye himself threatened a boycott of the label after CEO Bernard Arnault to meet with him. Whatever the case, it's clear that we haven't heard much about Louis V bags since Ye found a “Gold Digger” with one tucked under her arm.
Foxtail Keychains
Album era: Graduation
One of Kanye's weirder accessories, the foxtail keychain had it's moment (albeit a brief one) on the hips and belt loops of many of the era's bigger names—not to mention Kanye himself. Notably paired with Kanye's elusive Pastelle varsity jacket at the 2008 American Music Awards, it's clear that only the letterman jacket had any staying power—and it wasn't even available to the public. We're not sure where this trend came from, but when stores like SoHo boutique Atrium were once carriers of the accessory, it's proof enough that it had enough hype to get fashion heads interested. We love The Fox and the Hound as much as the next guy, but we don't think we'd want to clip a little tail on our belt loops anytime soon. Where are all the foxtails these days? Back in the woods where the belong.
All Red Sneakers
Album era: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
This is the one you probably saw from a mile away. To be honest, it's not the first time someone has noted the dirth of all-over “Red October” sneakers well after the Yeezy II's quicker-than-quickstrike release. Sneaker companies, seeing the insanity that Yeezy's second Nike sneaker caused, decided to ape arguably the most recognizable part about the shoe: the poppy red colorway. Nowadays, every sneaker company, from adidas to Nike itself, have put at least a handful of their classic designs in the same all-over red that the Yeezy II's had. The problem is that while everyone wanted the Yeezy's, it wasn't because of the colorway—it's that they were some of the rarest sneakers on the planet. Sure the “Red October” red was fire when it first dropped, but now that you can cop everything from an Air Max 90 to a pair of Pumas in the colorway, it's lost more than a little allure.