Winter is here, whether we like it or not. Staying warm in Calgary during this cold season is hard, staying warm and trendy is even harder. The Calgary Journal connected with streetwear stylist Jimmy Boi, creative director of Secret Shop YYC: a pop-up shop in Calgary that brings together vintage and high fashion all around the city at various dates.
Streetwear is casual clothing worn by individuals who are part of the urban youth subculture.
“My style is lots of streetwear,” says Jimmy Boi, who likes to mix streetwear brands like Nike, Fila, Adidas and Puma, with high fashion labels.
He says streetwear is a trend that has been growing in Calgary.
Everyone who lives in Calgary knows it is not a warm place to be. He describes Calgary as having a subarctic climate, luckily for us street style jackets are coming back in.
Jimmy Boi styled a couple outfits to show us, what’s been coming back and what’s trendy. He started styling each outfit around the jacket, ’90s vintage. He says, “’90s is so in right now, it’s crazy.”
One of the jackets he’s talking about is the ’90s puffer jacket, which is jacket known for its puffy look and signature quilted design. The next is a Sherpa jean jacket, which has a wool-like texture on the inside, it can keep you warm during the winter but also it stays true to Calgary roots with the outer denim layer.
Shia Ali models a parka jacket with a bomber hat. Photo by Olivia Baychu.
Another jacket coming in style is the leather jacket, this piece is usually worn on top of other pieces of clothing.
Ian Joshua Paul models a three-quarter length, black leather jacket and black bucket hat with yellow lens sunglasses. Photo by Olivia Baychu.
Fashion stylist Sheena Anne defines street style as being able to express yourself with the influence of hip-hop. She says, “Seeing street style come in, which has a lot more hip-hop influence, it’s really about the mentality.”
“People are gravitating towards the idea and saying: “Oh, this is me and my clothes are really showing me off’ like [for] who I am. Because that’s really what street style is, it’s showing off your personality.”
Events like Secret Shop YYC allow different artists to collaborate and create art fashion. In Jimmy Boi’s mind, it helps to push and build Calgary’s street culture — one that’s emerging, along with its fashion.
Editor: Alannah Page | apage@cjournal.ca