Before discussing a timeline of Lil Yachty’s style, you must acknowledge that the rapper came up when he was only 18. By the time he was 19, Yachty was modeling for YEEZY and putting out Billboard-charting singles — he had to grow up fast, and so did his wardrobe.
Over a relatively brief span of time, Yachty’s personal style has evolved both dramatically and quickly.
Less than a decade ago, in the early days of Yachty’s career, he possessed a rudimentary approach to getting dressed that nevertheless suggested an air of innate confidence. In recent years, Yachty has matured to an intellectual blend of curated vintage and designer gear that’s all his own.
You can visibly draw throughlines between young Yachty and contemporary Yachty, which speaks to his fashion prescience. To get better at clothes over time is normal, to have always had it is sublime.
These days, Yachty affects advanced silhouettes with such ease that you’d be forgiven for not immediately being struck by their potency. Baggy, colorful, and marked by less-obvious designer accents; everything Yachty wears is dripping with intent. If he flexes a logo, for instance, he does so with reasons beyond broadcasting wealth.
And, it’s not just the clothes but Yachty’s subtle styling decisions that elevate his looks. It’s the intentionality of his accessories, the slouch of an oversized shirt, the way he dictates pant-shoe interaction. In other words: It’s the Yachty-isms that take his outfits to the next level.
Yachty, like most well-dressed folks, presumably makes these choices in mere moments, yet each choice represents the accumulation of years' worth of styling inclinations and are thus also years in the making.
Here, I've chronicled some of his most pivotal style decisions to create a timeline loosely dubbed calling "Yachty’s stylistic evolution." Soak in Yachty's visible growth and then read our cover story with Yachty from Highsnobiety's September 2023 issue.
October 15, 2016
A young Yachty hits the red carpet. You can see a glimmering of the taste already at play in his varsity jacket — a Yachty signature — and the funky eyewear.
February 12, 2017
A prep’d up Yachty displays the slimmer cuts that once dictated his wardrobe.
June 24, 2017
Two years before his BAPE collab, Yachty already had his eye on the prize.
September 11, 2017
Not the wildest look but two big takeaways: that Yachty was at Shayne Oliver’s Helmut Lang fashion show speaks to his appreciation for interesting clothes and, again, a solid vintage statement piece.
October 6, 2017
Here’s where things get interesting. We can see a real inkling of Yachty’s preference for luxurious clothing worn loose ‘n easy.
October 28, 2018
On the cusp of NEEDLES’ tracksuit getting its moment in the sun, Yachty had long been riding the wave. Note the complementary Kangol hat.
November 10, 2018
Yachty’s first (but not last) Thom Browne, a refinement of the slimmer cuts he’d preferred up to this point.
December 3, 2018
Everyone has a Pharrell phase. Actually, is it really a phase when Pharrell is still one of the most influential dudes in phashion?
March 24, 2019
With his frayed bucket hat and studded denim shorts, Yachty’s look here is bordering on something he’d probably wear now, except that it could be a bit baggier.
February 10, 2020
Likewise, the Denim Tears sweatsuit never goes outta style. Of particular interest is how Yachty’s wearing’ it big without drowning in it.
September 9, 2020
By late 2020, we’ve essentially arrived at contemporary Yachty. The pieces of the puzzle are all in place: the hat, the shirt, the work pants. You can tell that, right before the COVID-19 pandemic, Yachty was workshopping his wardrobe enough that, with months of lockdown allowing ample time to gather inspiration, Yachty had dialed it all in by year’s end.
January 12, 2021
This is everything you need to know about Lil Yachty’s taste, right here. Head-turning hat, varsity jacket, massive trousers. This is as much a mission statement as it is an outfit.
July 23, 2021
Another archetypal Yachty look. Big silhouette informed by aspirationally fun pieces, like the Stüssy x CPFM pants worn without try-hard effort.
October 29, 2021
This is an important outfit. It simultaneously underscores Yachty’s mastery of oversizing his clothes and highlights a growing affection for Raf Simons.
January 22, 2022
Dare to compare this Yachty outfit to the one he wore at the end of 2020. You can see how, by now, he’s perfected the look, retaining the hat shape while loosening up throughout, even experimenting with madcap furry slides. Because that’s just what you do when you’re in the zone.
April 15, 2022
And then, Yachty steps out in a real statement piece: an archival Raf Simons Virginia Creeper digicamo hoodie — the rarer, more expensive, and most coveted iteration of Simons’ FW02 patterned knitwear — paired with Rick Owens pants. Yachty’s archival era is cemented.
July 28, 2023
Even though we now know where Yachty’s at, it’s refreshing to see how he’s still pushing himself stylistically. Here, he demonstrates his fascination with up-and-coming designers with a custom leather get-up made for him by Gruppo Vava. The resulting outfit speaks to Yachty’s willingness to look beyond conventional luxury labels, a crucial element of anyone pushing the stylistic envelope.
