A Beginner’s Guide to Shopping Streetwear
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Style IRL
We’ve all got that friend—the one who makes sneakers look like couture, who wears varsity jackets so rare they could be in the Louvre, and who name-checks Aleali May the way Jane Austen keeps tabs on the Bennet sisters. She is a streetwear savant… and we are not. Cue “the more you know” music, because it’s never too late to learn the basics.
That’s especially true with StockX, the website so loaded with Off-White and Gucci, it seems like it’s mainlined from an A$AP vault. But though StockX has many (many, many) items in male sizing, it also has a seriously legit and smartly curated selection for women, whether we’re sitting vigil for Virgil Abloh’s latest drop or merely trying to find a Hello Kitty hoodie in our size.
That’s why we’ve partnered with Affirm to help you invest in some key streetwear pieces, including bags, watches, sweats, t-shirts, and even contemporary art. You can transparently buy this stuff now and pay for it later, without shady fees or hidden agendas. And if you impress your hype-est friend before her annual pilgrimage to X-girl HQ in Japan? Thank us later.
The Classic: Supreme
Even if you’ve been living under a brick, you probably know about Supreme. (Haven’t you heard? They even make bricks.) Created for the skateboarding community in 1994, the brand’s plain red logo has appeared on everything from tees to stickers to Louis Vuitton luggage—which almost caused a riot when it dropped in 2017. It’s since tripled its resale value, a feat only equaled by Hermes Birkin bags… which, uh, you actually can buy now and pay for later via Affirm and StockX. Just saying. And though the brand has been embraced by so many dudes (Pharrell, Bieber, Kanye, Kermit Thee Frog) it actually has a feminist origin story: the iconic Supreme logo was based on Barbara Kruger’s more iconic female-focused pop art. (She once called the label “a clusterf*ck of uncool jokers,” which is fabulous. We really want this deck anyway.)
The Divine Feminine: Donatella, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Dami Kwon and Jessica Jung
You know Donatella Versace for her wispy fabric sex bombs, as seen on J. Lo and Bella Hadid. But ever since she took over her late brother’s Italian brand in 1997, she’s been smartly adding loungewear, athleisure, and sport pieces into the mix. You can find Queen Bey’s Ivy Park collection on StockX too, including this perfect (and always sold-out) bodysuit. Rihanna’s Fenty x Puma collection is also available, which means these dream slides are finally within reach. And then there are Dami Kwon and Jessica Jung, who make We11Done in Seoul, South Korea. For women wanting laid-back pieces with the right amount of IYKYK clout and a female creative team, this is where to start.
The Toon Up: Hello Kitty, Mickey Mouse, Miss Piggy, and Sailor Moon
Saturday morning cartoons → Saturday night looks. Some of the most collectible streetwear pieces on StockX feature characters you probably had on your lunchbox, including Hello Kitty, who stars in merch for Balenciaga, Converse, and BAPE. Miss Piggy has this Nike Dunk, Sailor Moon has this Kith cropped hoodie, and as for Mickey Mouse, that dude is everywhere, including Gucci and Vans. (See also: Givenchy x Bambi.)
The Luxury Vault: Louis Vuitton, Dior, Prada and More
You know how we said Affirm lets you buy StockX pieces now and pay for them gradually, with no hidden fees or weirdness? You’re gonna want to use that info when we tell you StockX has the Vuitton stash of our dreams, and probably yours too. From this Louis Vuitton heart-shaped bag to Stephen Sprouse’s amazing graffiti totes, you can finally lock in your dream accessory. That’s also true if you’re more of a Dior girl (hello, early 2000s saddle bag…), a Fendi fan, or a true believer in Rolex watches. And once again, a gentle reminder: You can now use StockX + Affirm to buy a Birkin bag now and pay for it in installments. You can also do it for Chanel. Like a mortgage, but… you know… French.
