Style History: Diplo

Where: Mississippi
When: Late '70s or early '80s
Complex Says: A young Diplo already had the cozyboy game locked down. Knit pants with the booties? Killin' it since day one.

Where: Seaworld
When: Late '70s or early '80s
Complex Says: Baby Diplo's style was so on point that even the beluga whale at Seaworld couldn't help but stare. The reckless young'n was snappin' necks in the wild with this combination of navy jacket, plaid shirt, and burnt orange pants.

Where: South Carolina
When: Late '80s or early '90s
Complex Says: We knew Thomas Wesley Pentz is a huge fan of dinosaurs, but seems like the young Diplo was also into storks. Maybe it was his older sister, in a radio station T-shirt, who made sure Diplo developed an interest in music. Thanks, older sister!

When: 2002
Where: On a visa to visit Japan, we think
What Complex Says: A young and angry Diplo only looks tougher with a black eye, and his relatively long hair is a far cry from the closely cropped look he rocks today. For a dude that always looks like he's having the time of his life, it's weird to see him look so pissed.

Where: Philadelphia
When: Circa 2003
Complex Says: After making a name for themselves throwing "Hooked on Hollertronix" parties while attending Temple University, Diplo and Lowbudget soon dominated the Philly party scene as Hollertronix. Diplo was an early adopted of the camo five-panel, and you can never go wrong with a plain black T-shirt.

Where: New York City
When: 2003
Complex Says: Before flying to exotic locations and playing in front of tens of thousands of people, Diplo was playing in basement venues to a few dozen people a night. At this point in his career, the Florida native probably couldn't afford anything more than a graphic T-shirt; not that that's a bad thing. However, the same can't be said of homeboy in the front's entire look.

Where: Houston
When: 2004
Complex Says: Diplo's been mashing up the sounds of different cultures since his Hollertronix days, and did the same with style. How often are you gonna see classic Dickies workwear in H-Town?

Where: Brooklyn
When: 2004
Complex Says: 2004 was when M.I.A. first approached Diplo and suggested working together. Her wild fashion definitely had an influence on the producer, but he was still rocking clean T-shirts at this performance in Brooklyn. That's right, Brooklynites. You had your chance to see Diplo before he was famous, and you missed it.

Where: Unknown
When: 2004
Complex Says: Hollertronix always held mad Philly pride, and so we're not surprised that Diplo was rocking this shirt in Hollertronix's heyday. He may be jetting to the most exotic and beautiful desinations in the world, but we're pretty sure Philadelphia will always have a special spot in his heart.

Where: Cover of Philadelphia Weekly
When: 2005
Complex Says: Diplo continued being on his camo shit, as he graced the cover of Philadelphia Weekly. His adopted hometown recognized his star power, and the world was about to find out, too.

Where: McCarren Park Pool Party, Brooklyn
When: 2006
Complex Says: The influence of M.I.A.'s funky style can definitely be seen on Diplo here. In a throwback track jacket from Nike, it might have been difficult to pick out the relatively low-profile DJ out of the hipster crowd in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Where: Surprise performance in Baltimore
When: 2006
Complex Says: At this point, Diplo and M.I.A. were pretty much an inseparable team. And Diplo was perfecting his "Polish soccer hooligan" look with an extensive collection of gear that combined the cozy with the athletic.

Where: Vancouver, Canada
When: 2007
Complex Says: Diplo's love of streetwear is apparent, as he rocks a shirt from the Kicks/Hi boutique in Hawaii. In between Nardwuar's wack steez and M.I.A.'s funky style, Diplo's look is standard, but not too exciting.

When: 2007
Where: Australia
Complex Says: While teaching aboriginal kids the finer points of DJ'ing, Diplo kept cool in the Outback with this Shaquille O'Neal jersey. Hilariously, the local dude in the back is also rocking a #32 jersey, showing that this was an Aussie trend in '07.

When: 2008
Where: Alston, MA
Complex Says: Diplo's love of bright colors comes through in the late '00s. Luckily, he didn't dwell too long in these gaudy Ed Hardy-esque pieces before he started rocking suits on the daily. Definitely a step up to the next level.

Where: The first Mad Decent block party, Philadelphia, PA
When: 2008
Complex Says: At the first Mad Decent block party, Diplo kept it breezy in a label T-shirt. There's not much more you want to be wearing if you're partying on a hot summer day. Five years later, the annual block party has become a global series of events, but this is all you need to rock at a wet and wild festival.

When: 2008
Where: SXSW in Austin, TX
Complex Says: It's hard to judge a man on his style when he's half-hidden behind a DJ booth, but this T-shirt looks like it's a dope interpretation of a Japanese horror film or Planet of the Apes-esque film. That being said, Diplo's T-shirt steez was feeling kinda stagnant at this point.

When: 2009
Where: Unknown
Complex Says: At the height of his suit wearing era, Diplo went a little more formal with this waistcoat over the short-sleeve shirt look. He was, afterall, sitting on top of an album that sampled a bunch of music from Jamaica's dancehall scene. The heat of it all was probably too much for a jacket and tie.

Where: Grammys
When: 2009
Complex Says: Diplo was at the forefront of dudes returning to their suit & tie shit, and is widely known as the DJ who wears suits. He definitely made it his thing, and continues to rock enormous crowds today in immaculate suits. Major Lazer typically start out their sets in matching suits, before changing into more proper party attire.

Where: Snoop Dogg's Malice in Wonderland release party
When: 2009
Complex Says: Suits weren't the only thing Diplo did well in the late '00s. This dope varsity jacket merked the competition at Snoop Dogg's red carpet.

When: 2010
Where: Die Antwoord's "Evil Boy" music video
Complex Says: This is an insane look, but ultimately very cool. Obviously, Diplo was dressed in the manner of Die Antwoord's crazy South African hip-hop aesthetic, but this looks like something you'd see a super-cool London kid wear today in 2013.

Where: Blackberry Torch commercial
When: 2010
Complex Says: Now, we're not sure what the relationship is between Diplo wearing suits and Blackberry hiring him as a spokesperson, but aren't jetsetting suit-wearers the only people left buying Blackberrys?

Where: Japan
When: 2010
Complex Says: Those masks are worn in parts of Asia by sick people who don't want to spread their illness to others. Diplo may have been sick, but he may have just wanted to make a fashion statement, pre-dating the mask trend and beating Kanye, A$AP Rocky, and Justin Bieber by a few years.

Where: Alexander Wang Commercial
When: 2011
Complex Says: His suit phase is still going strong, but Diplo may have found a second favorite garment in the bomber jacket. In this commercial for Alexander Wang's AW12 collection, a brand that he's expressed his love for several times, he rocked a sick bomber with buttery leather sleeves while a model writhed in the foreground. That pretty much sums up Diplo's life now.

When: October 2011
Where: Fashion editorial in GQ
Complex Says: Diplo was widely recognized as a dude who made bold moves, and dug deeper than most in terms of exploring underused treasures troves of music. So it only made sense that he'd model the turtleneck. Most dudes would be utterly defeated by this garment, but Diplo pulled it off with gusto.

Where: Seoul, Korea
When: 2011
Complex Says: This suit combo is a bold and awesome look, and Diplo takes it even further by jumping around the stage in Seoul like a true rock star. If you're ever in doubt about an adventurous look, just rock it with aplomb in front of thousands of screaming fans and you'll pull it off.

Where: August/September cover of Vibe
When: 2012
Complex Says: Diplo continues his reign over the suit & tie game well before Justin Timberlake tried to claim the formal throne. The slim black kit is, by now, his signature stage uniform, and the skinny green tie is a nice play on the classic look that lets you know Diplo's stilll got the funk.

When: 2012
Where: Madison, WI
Complex Says: He honed his sound in Philly, but Diplo spent a significant part of his childhood in Florida, and even went to the University of Central Florida for two years. This is one DJ who knows that putting on for your city in a satin baseball jacket will keep your hometown fans happy.

Where: "Express Yourself" video
When: 2012
Complex Says: With all the glorious twerking going on in this ode to New Orleans' bounce scene, it's kinda hard to spot Diplo. But the DJ/producer is rocking a sick look in this video that brought twerking to the mainstream and launched the #ExpressYourself meme (thank you, Diplo). With an oversized T-shirt and throwback Marithé + François Girbaud pants, Diplo provides the antithesis to his widely recognized suit look. Never hurts to switch it up.

When: 2012
Where: Rolling Stone interview with Snoop Dogg
Complex Says: Next to the newly reincarnated Snoop Lion, Diplo looks extra dapper in his Thom Browne shirt and slim charcoal suit. Here's a tip: If you ever want to look super fancy, just stand next to friends who are wearing basketball jerseys over T-shirts.

Where: Holy Ship beach party
When: 2013
Complex Says: This horizontal-striped red and black polo is a great look for looking casual and still slick while partying on the beach. But the best part of this outfit isn't the Tiger Woods color combo; it's the helicoptor flying past the party in the background, which always makes for the best accessory.

Where: Mixx party, Atlantic City, NJ
When: 2013
Complex Says: A$AP Rocky may have "started" Hood By Air, but Diplo was definitely a quick adapter. His interest in brands like Hood By Air and KTZ prove that he not only champions genres of music that have little exposure, but he also has his finger on the pulse of what's next in the style world.

Where: Grammys
When: 2013
Complex Says: Diplo used the Grammy red carpet to remind us that he still knows how to rock the shit out of a suit. Never one to settle for a regular old thing that's been done before, the leader of Mad Decent adorned his slim black suit with a Givenchy "Madonna" tie, which was a unexpected but perfectly executed move.

When: 2013
Where: Ultra Music Festival
Complex Says: Recently his is what Diplo and the rest of Major Lazer look like at the beginning of a performance. They start out in matching slender black suits, and then as the bass continues to bump and the crowd collectively loses its mind, they'll lose the jackets, the ties, and eventually just be in tank tops. Still though, not a bad way to start a show.

When: 2013
Where: Gale Hotel rooftop party, Miami, FL
Complex Says: Diplo continues to show us how plugged in he is to the dopest happenings in the style world. Very few people are capable of pulling off the advanced streetwear label KTZ, but Diplo is certainly one of them. In fact, he even contributed to the brand's AW13 lookbook, showing that he's at the forefront of music and style.

Where: Coachella
When: 2013
Complex Says: Diplo's trailer literally sat across from the #Been #Trill trailer at Coachella, so it's pretty safe to assume that the Major Lazer frontman is now boys with Virgil Abloh and Matthew Williams, if he wasn't already. Considering the place that Diplo's at right now in his career, and judging by the babes he cavorts with on his Instagram, we can definitely say that he's feelin' nothing but irie trill vibes.