Move over cycling style, we all wanna ride motorcycles now. Over the past few months, we've seen an explosion in moto gear, from the gloves up. It's not quite a bonafide movement, but that's even better 'cause it's easier to incorporate biker style into everyday outfits rather than affect the look head-to-toe.
Now, why would you even wanna get dudded up in technical moto gear in the first place? Well, to start, there's a futuristic edge to the garments that make them more advanced than your average bit of workwear but they're still versatile enough to blend in with your day-to-day jeans and hoodie.
There's something downright spicy about combining conventional layering pieces with weirdo moto gloves and boots, actually, as Ye did so well at his Larry Hoover benefit concert.
Back in October, Ye's pal, Playboi Carti, was reportedly planning to release his own moto gear for his ever-delayed album Narcissist.
Unfortunately, the branded helmets and gloves never dropped, perhaps because prices leaked online. If it had, I wouldn't have been surprised if that alone had ushered in a new age of moto-inspired 'fits.
Lil Uzi Vert wore Carti's helmet around town when the two met up — not even his craziest bit of headwear that month.
It all ties into Ye and Carti's Balenciaga love affair.
The French maison has dug deep into motorcycle style under Demna's tenure, tinkering with eyeshield glasses, leather footwear, and heavy-duty moto pants, even turning Crocs into hard-wearing knee-high boots.
This is familiar terrain, however, for anyone who's been keeping up with GmbH, Louis Vuitton, or Y-3.
Moto inspo needn't only be seen in the runway realm, though: Supreme and PUMA x Rhude have recently mined the moto motif to great effect.
Earlier this year, even, AMBUSH introduced a motorcycle-inspired Nike collab complete with moto-inspired Dunk High.
As seen on co-founder Yoon, AMBUSH's Nike gear is flashy but hardly hard to wear. The silhouette isn't terribly out-there, it's just colorful and playfully cumbersome.
Getting into the moto mood doesn't have to be terribly pricey, either. Ye's 100% Cognito gloves cost a mere $39.50.
It costs a pretty penny to get in deep, though: the Dainese Druid 3 that Ye has also been spotted wearing will cost you $229.95 and full-face helmets of quality will be about the same, whether you opt for a conventional one or one with cat ears, like Rosalía.
Ready to give moto gear a shot? Can't go wrong with a classic leather jacket, though the style has long since been co-opted by avant designers into something barely recognizable and very exciting.
Of course, the safest bet is a simple race-inspired graphic tee, boots or those inimitable moto gloves mentioned above.
There are some fashion-y options out there, but go with the real deal if you can — they're tough and lend fits a similarly authentic feel to a pair of Carhartt pants.
Motorcycle style ain't for everyone nor should it be. God knows there are still too many people mining Rebel Without a Cause for style inspo. But Ye and co. nattily sum up the appeal of moto gear: it's fun, it's weird, it's charmingly clunky, and — worn sparingly — feels as timeless as Eisenhower jackets and double-knee pants.
In short: get in on the ground floor of moto style or get left in the figurative dust.
