The 10 Best Style Trends of 2013

Any dude who loves style enjoys the time of year when temperatures being dropping and everything becomes about that layering life. This year, the ritual got the reversal treatment, and it was all about letting your base and mid-layers flow out. Elongated tees and cropped outerwear flipped the script, and exposed to everyone what you were rolling with. The trend allowed guys to switch up the normal men's silhouette, and was a dope means of piling on the goods without only allowing the outermost layer to stunt.

One significant element of guy's style has and always will be comfort. The cozy boy movement embraced this fact and took it to the next level, making guys' dreams come true when it became acceptable in 2013 to roll out of the house draped in head-to-toe sweats and other comfy items. All of a sudden, off-duty gear became some of the dopest shit you could rock, and brands like Reigning Champ, Shades of Grey by Micah Cohen, and Undefeated made all aspects of life very relaxing.

Outdoors brands like Jungmaven have loved this trippy pattern for years, but the hippie-dippy spin art recently enjoyed a revival and several re-interpretations from some of streetwear's heavy-hitters. Stussy, HUF, and The Hundreds all got in on the fun, and in a break from his simple minimalism, Kanye rocked a distressed tie-dye T-shirt all over Paris and in the wild "Bound 2" video.

Sometimes a trend takes off just because it flies in the face of the norm. Sleek minimalism had ruled for a few years, but in contrast, 2013 saw several brands overload their pieces with logos and graphics, sometimes to the point of parody. Been Trill, Hood By Air, and a bunch of other popular brands used strong logo and graphic placement to return to an era when dudes displayed their brand loyalty on their chest...or back, or sleeves, or ass, or anywhere, really.

This trend slowly made its way over from Japan, and while it hasn't proliferated to its full potential yet, those guys that did definitely stood out. Part workwear lumberjack, part weirdo stoner, this trend channeled the serious fun that a lot of outdoorsmen are now infusing into their look. OG brands like Patagonia have been injecting playfulness into serious gear for years, and now a handful of Americans brands like AXS Folk Technology and Poler are joining their Japanese counterparts who have already mastered this genre.

It seemed like everyone this year was infusing their collections with a bit of the gothic, drapey, all-black elements that constituted the recent street goth movement. What was defined early in 2013 quickly blew up into a popular look led by the likes of A$AP Rocky, Kanye West, Big Sean, and others who eventually did move on once the masses caught on. But street goth was everywhere this past year, converting countless dudes who loved the boundary-pushing silhouettes, mixing of streetwear and high-end fashion, and blending several trends to create something all its own.

If the first decade of men's style in the 21st century is remembered for anything, it will for sure be the success of skinny pants. Slim everything has prevailed, and it might be high time that we're seeing the backlash to that. Earlier this year we asked if baggy pants are becoming cool again. The jury is still out on whether bigger is better, but oversized tops and outerwear are definitely an opportunity to play with silhouette and proportion. Not everyone may welcome oversized garments into their wardrobe, but at least it shows a level of individual thinking and willingness to experiment.

Kanye may have been right when he told Zane Lowe, "We culture. Rap is the new rock 'n roll. We the rockstars." But that doesn't mean hip-hop didn't borrow elements from rock 'n roll in 2013. Punk, grunge, and heavy metal all influenced both downtown cool kids and celebs in the spotlight. You were as likely to see ripped-up denim and a shirt around the waist in 2013 as you were a fresh pair of Jordans. Just another example of how worlds can collide and blur lines to create something dope.

Dressing in all-indigo was definitely an export of Japan, but was readily embraced by guys stateside and worldwide. Visvim and Blue Blue Japan led the charge in creating grail indigo items, but brands like Unionmade and J.Crew were also on board when it came to feeling blue. All-black everything has always been around, but the dye du jour this year had guys, ahem, dipped in indigo. Chinos, button-downs, T-shirts, and all sorts of workwear got the blues treatment, and at times it seemed like the most stylish guys could be spotted by their blue-hued fingertips.

Sports in general have always played a huge part in guys' style, but this year the athletic trend highlighted baseball and hockey. Baseball-style button-down shirts were everywhere, being made with materials from basic cotton to luxe lambskin leather. Hockey jerseys were also a hugely popular choice. The thick "sweaters" inspired streetwear brands and looks on the runway, and were a favorite of the A$AP Mob. Athletics and men's style are never too far apart, so it will be interesting to see what 2014 appropriates from the sporting arena. If it remains these two styles, we won't be mad.