discoFind the brands, outfits and key pieces that suit your take on it—from shop tees and work pants to baggy 90s denim.
Skatewear is what skateboarders wear to skate and to hang out: tough work pants or loose jeans, graphic tees and hoodies, and flat-soled skate shoes. It can be shop-basic, baggy, workwear-led or beachy. This guide covers menswear.
They overlap, and most people mix two. Pick the one closest to you to see where to start.
The look you see at any local skate shop: board-company graphics, work pants and worn suede shoes. It is cheap, hard-wearing and changes little year to year.
Start with VANS, Dickies, Thrasher
See the outfit ↓
Skaters in their teens and twenties wearing the wide jeans of 90s skate videos. Heavy denim, a low waist and big hoodies define it.
Start with Polar Skate Co., Butter Goods, Cash Only
See the outfit ↓
Older skaters and the menswear crowd who want skate roots with fewer graphics. Canvas work pants, boxy jackets and muted colours do the work.
Start with Carhartt WIP, Dickies, Pop Trading Company
See the outfit ↓
The coastal end, from brands that make boardshorts as well as skate clothes. Walkshorts, logo tees and low skate shoes; lighter and sunnier than the city versions.
Start with Volcom, RVCA, Brixton
See the outfit ↓Not a ranking. Each is the clearest way into one or two takes on the look.
James Jebbia opened Supreme on Lafayette Street, New York, in 1994, with the racks round the walls so skaters could ride in. It still sells decks, and its Work Pant is a heavy cotton-blend twill with an enzyme wash.
Look at first Work Pant, Baggy Jean, skate decks
But Drops sell through: about a quarter of the colourways in its US shop were sold out in every size when we checked.
Cheaper way in Original 874 Work Pants (Dickies) $29.99
Explore Supreme →Lev Tanju started Palace in London in 2009, and Fergus Purcell drew its triangular Tri-Ferg logo. Its jeans come in named fits, from the P90 Baggy Jean to the P100 Super Baggy Jean.
Look at first P90 Baggy Jean, 10 OZ Double Knee Pant, Sofar T-Shirt
But Product descriptions are jokes rather than specs, so use the size chart; some jean colourways were already sold out when we checked.
Explore Palace →Shawn Stussy wrote his name on the surfboards he made, then put it on tees he sold around Laguna Beach in the early 1980s. Today's Big Ol' Jean is a baggy, tapered unisex cut with an oversized waist and relaxed rise.
Look at first Basic Stüssy Tee, Big Ol' Jean, Beach Pant
But The Big Ol' Jean's waist is cut oversized, so check the size guide rather than ordering your usual size.
Explore Stüssy →Pontus Alv's Malmö brand sells the 93! as a semi-baggy straight-leg jean in heavy 435 gsm cotton denim with a low waist.
Look at first 93! Denim, Big Boy jeans, graphic hoodies
But Polar's own store prices in euros, popular colours sell out, and the low waist suits some bodies better than others.
Cheaper way in Baggy Jeans (Uniqlo) $59.90
Explore Polar Skate Co. →The independent Montreal label pairs deadpan graphics with heavy, comfortable basics. It sits between core skate and fashion-adjacent streetwear.
Look at first Graphic tees, fleece, hoodies
But Priced well above core board brands, and drops can sell through fast.
Cheaper way in Sweat Oversized Pullover Hoodie (Uniqlo) $49.90
Explore Dime →Pro skaters Jason Dill and Anthony Van Engelen created it as a skateboard company, and it still sells boards alongside the clothes. The Fecke Baggy Denim Jean is wide through the seat and knee, in 14oz Turkish cotton denim.
Look at first Fecke Baggy Denim Jean, Double Knee Little Patch Work Pants, FA Simple Hoodie
But The FA Simple Hoodie is boxy and slightly cropped by design; check the model's size note before ordering.
Explore Fucking Awesome →The European offshoot of Carhartt reworks work pants and jackets in skate-friendly cuts. The canvas Double Knee Pant uses 12 oz organic cotton.
Look at first Double Knee Pant, Single Knee Pant, Detroit Jacket
But The Double Knee starts at $165, several times the price of Dickies' version.
Cheaper way in Loose Fit Double Knee Work Pants (Dickies) $34.99
Explore Carhartt WIP →Polar founder Pontus Alv started the brand for vulcanised shoes made for skating. The VM001 pairs a suede upper with a double-stitched eye-stay and a canvas lining.
Look at first VM001 Lo, VM001 Hi
But Priced in euros on its own store, and thin vulc soles give little protection on big drops.
Cheaper way in Skate Old Skool Shoe (VANS) $75
Explore Last Resort AB →The weekly disco
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You don't need everything shown. Each outfit lists its key pieces, a swap from a normal wardrobe and a cheaper route to the same look.
Beginners buy logo tees first, but the shoes and the cut of the pants decide whether the outfit reads as skate.
Shown: Former
Core skate shopWhy it works Every piece is cheap, easy to find and has been worn by skaters for decades. Nothing in it needs explaining.
From your wardrobe Any straight-leg chino in khaki or a dark colour, worn loose.
Cheaper route Original 874 Work Pants, Khaki (Dickies) $29.99 · Crew Neck T-Shirt (Uniqlo) $19.90
Shown: Dickies
90s baggy revivalWhy it works Heavy loose jeans and a worn tee are the 90s-revival uniform. A simple suede skate shoe keeps the bottom half clean.
From your wardrobe Empyre loose-fit denim and Vans Skate Half Cab
Cheaper route Baggy Jeans (Uniqlo) $59.90 · Pile Socks, off white (Uniqlo) $5.90
Shown: Emerica
Workwear-leaningWhy it works Workwear canvas and a plain skate shoe read as considered without leaving skate. A heavy white tee keeps it simple.
From your wardrobe Any loose canvas work pant and an Emerica, Etnies or Lakai cupsole shoe.
Cheaper route FLEX Regular Fit Duck Double Knee Pants, Stonewashed Brown Duck (Dickies) $49.99 · Cambridge - Black/Gum Suede (Lakai) $69
Shown: Dickies
Surf-skateWhy it works Shorts take the place of work pants while the tee and shoes stay the same. It is the beach-town version of the skate uniform.
From your wardrobe Too cold for shorts: keep the tee and shoes and switch to loose work pants.
Cheaper route Men's Frickin Modern Stretch Shorts, Dark Navy (Volcom) $60 · Pile Socks, off white (Uniqlo) $5.90
Shown: Volcom
Cheap, tough and straight-cut, they are the oldest skate trouser.
Dickies from $29.99 · Carhartt WIP from $165
Best casual pants →
The wider 90s fit has replaced slim jeans in most skate shops.
Carhartt WIP $128 · Dickies $64.99 · Uniqlo $59.90
Best casual pants →
A thicker tee holds its shape under graphics and through falls and washes.
Thrasher from $31.95 · Baker Skateboards from $35 · Volcom $30
Best t-shirts →
The default top layer for most of the year, worn loose.
Thrasher from $75.95 · Baker Skateboards from $85 · Uniqlo $49.90
Save on pants, tees and hoodies, where the look is mostly cut and graphics; spend on shoes if you actually skate, because grip and cushioning matter there.
Prices checked Oct 14, 2026 on each product's own page; they change.
Brands can sit in more than one direction. Each appears once.
Skater-owned shops carry board brands, shoes and their own shop tees. Examples: 35th North in Seattle, Orchard in Boston, No-Comply in Austin, Ben-G in Amsterdam. Buying there funds local scenes and videos.
Skate Warehouse and CCS stock Vans, Nike SB, Last Resort AB, Dickies skate lines and most board brands in one place. They're useful for comparing shoe models.
END. carries Polar and Carhartt WIP. Zumiez sells Empyre, Thrasher and Dickies at lower prices.
1976. Vans goes Off The Wall. Vans, founded in Anaheim in 1966, adopted the motto “Off The Wall”, skaters’ slang for tricks in empty pools, in 1976. Around the same time it released the Style #36 with the side stripe, now the Old Skool.
1981. Thrasher starts publishing. Eric Swenson and Fausto Vitello, who also founded Independent Truck Company, launched Thrasher as a skateboard magazine in San Francisco in January 1981.
2002. Nike launches SB. After earlier skate shoes failed to win over skaters, Nike introduced its SB line in 2002 with the SB Dunk Low, which added a padded tongue and collar and Zoom Air insoles.
Skatewear is a clothing style derived from skateboarding culture, built around durable, comfortable garments like loose jeans, graphic tees, hoodies, and flat-soled skate shoes. It balances practical function for skating with subcultural identity.
Core skate brands include Baker, Alien Workshop, Girl, Hockey, Call Me 917, Pass~Port, Dime MTL, and Huf, alongside skate footwear makers like Vans, DC Shoes, Etnies, Lakai, and Osiris. Independent skate shops such as APB, No-Comply, and Alive & Well also produce their own lines.
Pair loose or baggy jeans or cargo pants with a graphic tee or hoodie and cushioned skate shoes, adding a five-panel cap or beanie. The look prioritizes comfort, movement, and relaxed proportions over tailoring.
They overlap heavily, but skatewear is specifically tied to skateboarding function and culture, while streetwear is a broader commercial category that grew partly out of skate and hip-hop scenes.
This guide explains the look and where to start. For the wider streetwear it grew up alongside, see Streetwear guide →
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