Good news, dear gentlemen readers: we’ll be featuring a weekly column by GoodwillNyNj Style Icon David Morgan all about secondhand fashion for men. This week: how to channel ’90s inspiration into a Hip Hop Hooray outfit. Enjoy!
In the 90s, party rap saw the lowering of jeans and a decidedly baggier fit. Machismo stormed onto the scene and into the conscious of Middle America. This 1990 get-up taps that "anything goes" energy, and makes me wanna Jump, Jump while doing it.
Maybe it’s because I live in the Bronx, the grafitti-laden birthplace of hip-hop, but I’ve been really into old school hip-hop fashion lately, particularly that of the 1990s. I’m jamming to Salt n’ Pepa, watching Kid & Play and their house parties, and even taking the occasional visit to Bel-Air to meet The Fresh Prince. This decade gave us clothes that proclaimed “You Can’t Touch This.” Whether one liked it or not, the 90s marked a major shift in fashion, if not all of popular culture.
The inspiration behind the outfit.
Keeping with the 90s feel, my latest Goodwill find is a super-baggy jean jumper, a throwback to this crazy (sexycool) decade. I happened to find it in the women’s section, which leads to my first tip:
Explore ALL sections of your Goodwill. Now guys, I know it may be difficult for you to be seen perusing the blouses and purses, but I recommend this for two reasons:
- Like in any store, people don’t necessarily put things back exactly where they found them. This is especially important to remember when Goodwill shopping, as that one misplaced item may be the exact thing you need in your wardrobe. Browsing all the sections of your Goodwill ensures you’ve covered all the bases.
- Successful Goodwill shopping is part luck, part persistence and part creativity. Try on anything that looks cool to you, even if it may be a bit gender-bending. I’m not necessarily advocating cross-dressing (unless that’s your thing), I’m simply saying that things can easily be altered or changed slightly to fit your style and shape. Like people, clothes don’t easily fit into two categories of black and white. There is a fantastic grey area of pants, scarves, belts and more that the bold (or not so bold) fashion-loving guy can explore. Besides, rigid gender constructs are so last millennium.
My baggy jean jumper is such a cool piece for me that I wouldn’t care what section it came from. I’ve been really into extra-large onesies lately (just my latest style quirk) and this is a perfect fit. I paired it with a thrifted tank top and a pair of regular-priced shoes, leading to a next tip:
Go high and low. Don’t segregate your closet. Mix and match both your high and low-end pieces to create a really fantastic look. The beauty of regular Goodwill shopping is that you can save the money you normally would spend at a designer store. This means that when a must-have item is seen at said designer store, you can have the money to grab it! Pick up an amazing pair of designer jeans, for instance, then pair it a thrifted tee or hat.
No matter what the price is, remember that it’s all in the way you wear it. Regardless of how much you paid for an item, you can make it look like a million bucks.
So the next time you’re in your local Goodwill, explore those hidden nooks and crannies. You never know what amazing item you’ll come across. And be sure to remember what you already own in your closet. You may find the perfect accessory for that ridiculously expensive suit.
David's favorite Goodwill is in the Bronx. Have you figured out which one it is yet?
Now get out there and get looking good with Goodwill, gentlemen!
A GOOD LOOK by GoodwillNYNJ 