11 Ways '90s Grunge Influenced Streetwear

Streetwear has its roots in numerous movements and cultures that preceded it. Surf, skate, and hip-hop are the main influences that people know and cite, but mid-'80s and early early-'90s grunge also had a huge effect on early and current-day streetwear. If you thought grunge was dead, or the only thing to come out of Seattle recently is Macklemore, click through to see 11 Ways '90s Grunge Influenced Streetwear.

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How Grunge Influenced Streetwear: Grunge's lasting legacy will always be flannel shirts. In the dreary weather of the northwest, where grunge was born, flannel shirts were popular for their warmth, versatility, and ability to keep the wearer dry. They still serve all these purposes, but streetwear has appropriated the reliable flannel shirt and turned it into a stylish piece. Can't complain when form and function go hand-in-hand.

What's Changed Since Grunge: Flannels have joined the ranks of very rare garments, and can fetch up to several hundred dollars at retail. Taking direct inspiration from grunge, stylish dudes have been tying flannels around their waist for a minute, or simply rocking them open over a crisp T-shirt. The mewelry has also changed from crunchy leather and bead pieces to flashier gold.

How Grunge Influenced Streetwear: As frontman of Alice in Chains, Layne Staley knew a thing or two about dressing like a rock star and owning a crowd. If A$AP Rocky is going to lead the A$AP Mob into the legendary territory that Alice in Chains covered, he's going to have to take some moves from other notable stylish rappers and rock stars. Two lessons he's already garnered from Staley is that shirtlessness and snapbacks are a potent combo.

What's Changed Since Grunge: Back in the early '90s, having a few tattoos meant you were a card-carrying badass. Obviously, a lot's changed since then—musicians are tatted from head to toe, pants sit lower, and the jewelry of choice is now gold, as is the champagne.

How Grunge Influenced Streetwear: The basic elements of grunge style were boots, flannels, and some bigass socks. All those ingredients are in this season's Fear of God LA lookbook, and prove again that grunge created a uniform that has enjoyed a timeless level of success. The newly popular street goth look definitely takes cues and tips from classic grunge style.

What's Changed Since Grunge: A shitload more tattoos.

How Grunge Influenced Streetwear: Weezy and Kurt Cobain may have more in common than we initially thought. The health of both stars have suffered from substance abuse (Cobain's waayy more so), and while Wayne insists that he's not a human being, Kurt looks extra-extraterrestrial here. But it's Cobain's love for leopard print that Lil' Wayne learned to sample in his streetwear wardrobe.

What's Changed Since Grunge: Cobain looks like a certified weirdo, but Weezy has upped the level of absurdity with moon boots, numerous facial tats, and too many style fails to keep track of. Fashion has always been absurd, but has Lil' Wayne taken it to new, unsalvagable heights?

How Grunge Influenced Streetwear: We're not sure why, but it seems like Eddie Vedder and his fellow Pearl Jam band-mates were fans of leggings under shorts. Maybe it was the uncertain weather in Seattle, but the grunge OGs preferred to layer up in a move that's now done by both very advanced streetwear aficianados and ultimate hypebeasts.

What's Changed Since Grunge: Seems like streetwear today either deals in the ultra-patterned or the monochrome, while grunge genearally dealt with a more muted but mixed palette. Wearing tights under shorts is more likely to be labeled a hypebeast than a grunge rocker.

How Grunge Influenced Streetwear: Grunge let the tiger out of the cage, by which we mean the angst and aggression of the movement's musicians, but also mean tiger striped clothing. Cobain's version of tiger stripe was definitely playful, and that's a key attitude streetwear kept at the forefront when it developed its own voice.

What's Changed Since Grunge: Drake is probably not as great at self-deprecation as Cobain was, but the classic tiger stripe pattern is here to stay. The pattern today is mainly worn for the badass military associations, as opposed to it being a funky, out-of-the-box option that anti-fashion people like Cobain would choose.

How Grunge Influenced Streetwear: Long hair, don't care! The stringy, grimy locks of Eddie Vedder and other grungy dudes has found another moment as guys are choosing to grow out their hair. Also, Eddie's M-65 predates Stussy and Supreme, but it's a military item that will always have a place in the canon of streetwear.

What's Changed Since Grunge: Who knows how often Eddie Vedder, Chris Cornell, and Kurt Cobain washed their hair, or what colonies of parasides resided in their locks. Guys today are more likely to treat their hair with a regiment that's stricter than the establishment grunge was so apathetic and angst-ridden about.

How Grunge Influenced Streetwear: Kurt Cobain once said, "There's nothing more comfortable than a cozy flower pattern." And as a man who was known to wear dresses, he definitely knew how to get in touch with his feminine side. Florals today are ubiquitous, and it seems like every streetwear brand is trying to put out their own take on the print.

What's Changed Since Grunge: Florals now grace every conceivable form of clothing, and of course dudes are matching the Supreme floral pieces every season. There's also no documentation of grune-era guys being photographed holding a flower and a pineapple...

How Grunge Influenced Streetwear: When you defended Kanye wearing a kilt at the Hurricane Sandy relief concert, you were probably like, "mad rappers have been doing this already!" You could've gone back even earlier to grunge's heydey, and pointed out that Eddie Vedder pre-dated this micro-trend by about 20 years. In fact, since Eddie Vedder was at that "12.12.12" concert, he might've given skirt tips to 'Ye backstage.

What's Changed Since Grunge: The kilts are now mainly offered by high-end designers, and weigh in close to a G. The recent spat of rappers and dudes with progressive fashion trying this move out unleashed a torrent of homophobia, insecurities on gender, and much shaking of heads. Maybe some things won't ever change, unfortunately.

How Grunge Influenced Streetwear: The round lens style of sunglasses were famously worn by John Lennon, but made a comeback in grunge since they were so unfashionable at the time. Layne rocked out with these when he was leading Alice in Chains, and A$AP Rocky channeled the grunge rocker's mad scientist vibes in 2012.

What's Changed Since Grunge: Since grunge, the glasses have gotten a little less kooky and a lot more designer. But the basic shape is the same, and always offers a refreshing switch-up from the usual Wayfarer or Aviator styles.

How Grunge Influenced Streetwear: Every piece of clothing in this photo of Pearl Jam is currently enjoying a surge of popularity in streetwear's current wave. Leather jackets, kilts, shorts over leggings, ripped jeans, snapbacks, Doc Martens... Pretty mind-blowing, and a lot of clothes on this dope grunge crew can be seen on today's freshest looking crew in hip-hop: A$AP Mob.

What's Changed Since Grunge: Today there are more Timberlands and more streetwear designers who use grunge as an inspiration. Obviously streetwear has developed its own aesthetic and independence, but it seems like grunge has found a second home in streetwear.