The fashion scene is comprised of an endless spectrum of possibilities that in theory, covers all tastes and personality types. This practical art form never remains stagnant, as the larger sociocultural landscape keeps restructuring our aesthetic tastes, constantly opening new windows for us to express what is intrinsically unique to us.

Norms and conventions, however, have contributed to the formation of fashion styles that have been adopted by people throughout the years and these defined distinctions help us navigate through the options to find a style that reflects us the best. Here, we are going to touch on some of the most known types of fashion and what constitutes each of them.

Avant-Garde

Avant-Garde fashion is rooted in Avant-Garde art which is characterized by unconventional, unorthodox, and radical works of experimental nature. Avant-gardism is always associated with changes and innovations that move things forward. In the fashion sense, Avant-Garde designers strive to push the boundaries of conventional taste by incorporating unusual, bold, and extreme elements that defy traditional and mainstream fashion.

This is the primary reason it’s hard to define what constitutes the Avant-Garde style in a precise manner. Avant-Garde designers play with concepts like volume and layering, experiment with a variety of textures, and utilize monochromatic and muted color palettes to create a dark, edgy, and futuristic look and feel. These works usually fall more on the artistic end of the spectrum rather than practical. Yohji Yamamoto and Rick Owens are perfect examples of Avant-Garde fashion brands.

Minimalist

In fashion, there are a lot of things that fall under the category of minimalism. As a philosophy, minimalism is about trimming down the excess to achieve optimal practicality and that, in and of itself, entails a simplistic approach. Aesthetically, minimalism in fashion involves tweaking and adjusting elements of design such as shapes, lines, colors, textures, and construction to achieve beauty and harmony without sacrificing functionality. A minimalist garment emphasizes quality over quantity. It looks clean, simple, and free of embellishments and additional noise, and clamor.

Maximalism

On the other end of the spectrum, we have maximalism which is an idea of excess; the idea that more is more. It involves layering up accessories, pieces, makeups, and hairdos to look exuberant and apart from the crowd. The underlying philosophy of maximalism is mixing as opposed to matching which is more associated with minimalism. The use of bold colors, unusual pairings, and mixing patterns and prints are hallmarks of maximalist fashion. Iris Apfel perhaps is the most iconic maximalist in the world of fashion and interior design.

Bohemian

The bohemian style is inspired by the free-spirited hippy era of the ’60s and ’70s. It incorporates free and flowy fabrics along with funky prints and embellishments. While the bohemian style in a more traditional sense is aesthetically closer to hippie fashion, in recent years, it has been mixed with other styles such as the Romantic style—which has enhanced its femininity—while retaining elements of its casual and dramatic aspects such as embroidery and tassels.

The boho style today usually involves loose fits, long dresses, neutral and warm colors, fun patterns, and lots of layering. However, designers also infuse its components with a variety of other styles, producing eccentric yet elegant design pieces. A good example would be the works of Isabel Marant, who mixes bohemian elements with tomboy and grunge looks.

Streetwear

Streetwear fashion is very broad in definition but can generally be labeled as the look of the young people. It’s a peculiar combination of daily wear, comfy and casual style mashed with sportswear popularized through skateboarding, hip-hop, and social media. It features baggy hoodies, graphics-heavy t-shirts, and lots of bold prints and logos. There is a cultural element to streetwear that arises from the non-conformity and rebellious vibes and lifestyles of the youth.

Streetwear is an after-effect of young people experimenting with what had been accessible while finding ways to express their interests. It’s a lifestyle clothing rooted in urban subcultures emerging from the streets. Supreme is a prime example of a streetwear brand.

Vintage

Vintage fashion is about looking back into the past and taking certain looks and elements to incorporate into your clothing style. Although vintage fashion generally emulates looks and styles from the 20s to the 70s, it’s not specific to a particular era. It also can encompass varying degrees of vintage flair from subtle additions to everyday clothes to more extreme costume-like outfits.

There’s been a recent surge in the love for the vintage style and many believe that it’s a craving for stability and a response to the fast-paced changes and trend circulations of today’s fashion scene. Vintage fashion aficionados have two main different approaches in building their looks. They either faithfully replicate a certain look from a certain era or mix and match different elements around a certain statement piece to achieve a more modern vintage-inspired look.