Gear Up! Here’s How To Take On Utility Fashion

Get to work


By Bianca Licina | 2nd May 2024

Fashion and functionality are often at odds – beauty is pain, right? Wrong! 

Enter utility fashion. Clothing once designed for unglamorous jobs has now been deemed trendy by cool girls and guys and we’re putting this look to work. 

 

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Inspired by workwear and military uniforms, utility fashion is characterised by heavy, durable fabrics, oversized silhouettes, and ample buckles, pockets, straps and zips. In this trend, gendered lines are blurred making way for another entrant into the world of androgynous fashion – a vibe we can’t get enough of.

Mastered and popularised by brands such as Dion Lee, Acne Studios, and Deisel, this trend has marched into another season and remains as hot as ever. 

When it comes to utility fashion, it’s all about making a statement, but not in the way you’d expect. Rather than colour being the hero (as blacks, greys, and khakis are typical of this trend), it’s all about shape and texture. Think bigger equals better; oversized jackets, chunky combat boots, and baggy cargo pants are core silhouettes in utility fashion. Among these, leather jackets, bomber jackets, overcoats, vests, and boiler suits are other shapes to look out for when sampling this trend. 

And our favourite part of utility fashion? Pockets! Pockets are often found in, on, and around utility-style pieces in a more demonstrative representation of this trend (Dion Lee even puts pockets on their boots). Ladies, rejoice! No more heartache over uselessly small (or fake) pockets. Along with pockets, zips, buckles, and straps, utility fashion embraces more is more when it comes to these embellishments, giving the look that extra edge and cool factor. 

 

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Could this be your new uniform this winter? We command you to try it for yourself – check out our favourite pieces or add to cart below. 

Header: @goicoechea / @saskiateje / @despi_naka

By Bianca Licina Certified shopaholic, Bianca is happiest in her favourite pair of jeans with a piccolo latte in hand.
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