
If you think 2004 wasn't that long ago, please delve into your #tbt history and find a shot of yourself from then. Would you talk to that person, let alone admit to having been that person? Didn't think so. In a lot of ways, 2004 marked the end of an era, the last gasp of the pre-social media times, before seemingly everyone in the world became part-time publicists with one client—themselves. At which point nearly everything in streetwear changed, from what it was to how it was sold.
Have things changed for the better? In terms of style, probably. In terms of communication, absolutely. And in terms of democratization, undoubtedly. Whether those things have actually led to streetwear as a whole being better, that's a matter of personal opinion. One way to examine this is to look at what's actually changed in the decade since that moment. Here's 10 Ways Streetwear Was Different 10 Years Ago.
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Strictly T-shirts and fitteds and hoodies.

Skate brands were mainly at skate shops.

Message mattered.

The re-seller market wasn't as intense.

"Worldwide" was just a word on a Stüssy shirt.

Regional brands were actually regional.

Regular people had a shot at limited shit.

Hype spread slowly.

Sneakers ruled everything around you.

Barriers to entry were higher.
