Tyler's top 5 Fits (by me)

Tyler the Creator is an artist recognized for his amazing music, unique personality, and crazy taste in clothes. He was recently awarded with best Rap album of the year at the Grammys for his project Igor, a far cry from his past self which experiments with new themes and sounds the artist has never touched before. This alteration in creative taste comes with shifts in his personality, social life, and what we’ll be focusing on today, his wardrobe. Tyler is known for his ever-changing fashion sense as him, his music style, and his personality evolve. Today we’ll be looking at my personal top five Tyler fits.

If you disagree let me know in the comments so I can cook your rankings. Without further adieu, let’s begin.

5. Tyler during his Supreme/Vans reign - Circa 2014

For my lowest ranked outfit, I chose something a little older, but definitely an iconic Tyler look. Honestly, I love the simplicity and authenticity of the outfit. Yes, he’s just wearing a hoodie with a hat and Dickies, but the outfit was so true to him. The photo was probably taken during the production and airing of Loiter Squad, where his personal style was heavily influenced by skate culture. For a casual outfit, this is a FIT. Tyler helped popularized Vans Old Skools and Supreme, which have seen incredible growth in the past few years. This outfit was 100% old authentic Tyler but just a shadow of the man who would appear on the cover of GQ and GRIND. Honestly, I miss this era of Tyler. This outfit resonates with me, specifically linking to my early memories of watching Loiter Squad. I remember sneaking downstairs at night while my parents slept and watching Adult Swim. Another great part of this outfit is its obvious roots in skate culture which in itself is very rebellious. This is made even more evident with the skateboard towards the bottom of the photo, the very high chance that this was taken on someone’s phone, and the “busted” look on his face like he’s doing something he knows he shouldn’t. I miss watching Loiter Squad as a kid and seeing this dumbass mess around with his friends. Sadly, this Tyler is gone.

“Oh you wearin’ Vans and Supreme this season? Stop lyin’ to yourself, n**** me the reason.”

- WHAT THE FUCK RIGHT NOW, Tyler the Creator

4. NYC Street Suit - 2018

As the years have passed, Tyler has adopted a more mature aesthetic in his wardrobe. I adore this outfit and love the way he incorporates a classic silhouette, the Chuck 70, and effortlessly weaves it into a dark green suit. I love Chucks and think the shoe goes with literally any outfit. The shoe is a great addition to the suit, making it more casual. This was taken after Tyler’s style shift from graphic tees and swim shorts to a more refined menswear wardrobe, which was reflected within his brand Golf. However, Tyler still intertwines his youthful aesthetic through a pair of custom Chucks with a Golf le Fleur logo etched in, very similar to this pair made by Wyatt Navarro, adding a playful element to the outfit. The accessories are the finishing touch, the cherry on top some might say. Tyler wasn’t always seen with lucrative jewelry, but he has definitely invested in a few pieces for himself such as his custom Golf le Fleur pendant, and the Chanel pin, adding a flash of extravagance. Tyler dawns a hat, as he normally does, but snapbacks have been replaced with fly fishing hats and more understated pieces in recent years. I’ve recently found myself looking at more and more menswear and I have begun to appreciate the work that has to go into creating a well-tailored suit. Very generally speaking, suits are a formal or professional article of clothing. The only people I regularly see wear suits nowadays are either professors or myself when getting into one to beg for an internship (KPMG please email me back). And the thing is, this is a light day for Tyler. This photo was taken by Splash News, specializing in capturing candid celebrity shots. Just the way Tyler effortlessly combines a professional/formal piece with a pair of Chucks is a thing of beauty easily earning this outfit a spot on my list.

“They thought I was goofy and all mouses/ Double C my luggages and fill em with Comme blouses.”

- Potato Salad, Tyler the Creator

3. Coachella 2013 - 2013

After the release of his worst album, Cherry Bomb, which happens to have my favorite Tyler song SMUCKERS (shoutout Adam), Tyler appeared at Coachella. He’s seen flexing in the now-iconic Golf flame print that has been used on countless accessories, tops, bottoms, shoes, and fakes. Alongside are a pair of Golf socks under a pair of white Vans and yellow Polo shorts to match the flame design. The color blocking on this outfit is immaculate, I’m still dumbfounded by Tyler’s ability to wear these crazy patterns and colors but still look impeccable. These crazy patterns and colors would be a mainstay for this era and future eras of Golf and they inspired a movement of “Golf kids” wearing ridiculous clashing colors and looking like clowns. However, this inspired kids across the country to do something new, to experiment with what they wear and how they wear it. To Tyler, these fits came naturally and he’s able to pull them off wonderfully even while wearing the iconic Cherry Bomb character mask. This outfit to me is a “Tyler is about to go on stage and absolutely murder this crowd” kinda vibe. I sadly have never had the chance to see him live but Christmas is coming up so I’ll see what happens.

“Cherry Bomb, the greatest fuckin' album since the days of sound/ And that shit gon' pop just like that n**** that was never 'round.”

- SMUCKERS, Tyler the Creator.

2. GRIND magazine cover - 2018

God this cover is beautiful. Tyler tends to cover his hair in most photos with a hat in most photos, but in this shot, his dyed hair is fully exposed. A leopard print brown is mixed with spotty bleached patches. It’s reminiscent of his iconic Golf le Fleur soles and is a great addition to this outfit. He is decked out in Comme garms with a beautiful pink button-up and a gorgeous pair of the Nike x Comme Air Max 180s. This was a new step for Tyler as he usually isn’t spotted in such elegant pieces. The detailed tailoring, like the sleeves of the shirt and the trousers, were too short, giving the outfit an imperfect feel. Tyler's life and public image was changing at the time. He was coming out, making an album completely different from his past work along with becoming a household name. It was incredible to see Tyler fully dripped in Comme and this relationship is clearly shown through his lyrics, which are littered with Comme references. I love this new take on Tyler’s style and it’s interesting to see him wear brands other than Golf, Chanel, etc. The outfit is ranked so highly due to its nostalgic nature. The background of the photo reminds me of a field in my hometown where my friends and I would goon up and take photos. While we didn’t have drip like his, we still tried to embody that absolute authentic aesthetic.

“... I’m brushin’ you off/ ‘Cause this parka is Comme, you’re my favorite garçon.”

- A BOY IS A GUN, Tyler the Creator

1. Post-Flowerboy Pre-Igor - 2018

The spot you’ve all been waiting for!!!! Drumroll….. It’s #1!!!! I love old Tyler and all, but I really fell in love with his style during the flower boy era. The colors are beautiful and the cardigan is gorgeous! If anyone’s got one in a L/XL please dm me on insta. FW18 was a big shift for Golf’s aesthetic. This shift towards a more mature theme has stayed with the brand to this day and will continue for future collections. This fresh shift in style would create opportunities for collaboration with brands like Suicoke and Lacoste. This movement coincided with a big shift in my own personal style, and my love for Golf really shined through. I began putting on things I’d never see myself wearing in the past; baggy knits, cardigans, accessorizing in a ton of different ways, just to name a few. The reason this is at the top of my list is that for the past 2 years I have been slowly accumulating a collection of cardigans and knits ever since I saw this outfit. If you asked me 5 years ago if I’d wear a cardigan, I’d ask “What the fuck is a cardigan?”. It also helped introduce me to more styles I never really experimented with in the past, like preppy and the aforementioned menswear. This outfit single-handedly changed how I dressed and what parts of the thrift I’d hit first.

“When you see them brand new le Fleurs on the floor?/ If the cop says my name, bitch, I’m Igor.”

- WHAT'S GOOD, Tyler the Creator

Photos:

Outfit #3 Courtesy of SplashNews

Outfit #4 Courtesy of Durimel

Outfit #5 Courtesy of JUCO