Every time there’s a ‘neo’ version of a style, there’s always a bit of apprehension.
Essentially, it’s a style that’s made or trying to make a comeback. It’s trying to do two things at once, by keeping one foot in the past and one foot in the present. The new retro wave style is taking on this challenge and do you what? It’s actually becoming a thriving success. Picture the 80s fashion, now add in horror, science fiction, and synthwave. It’s a mix between Blade Runner and futuristic utilitarianism. So what does all this culminate into? It’s a style that gives you plenty of mobility to run, jump, sit and do whatever you want without restricting movement. It’s a style that has both sharp slick lines, with geometric art noir intricate and mysterious shapes.
THE PURE CAPTIVATION
The most prominent item in the new retro wave style is the pair of sunglasses you will wear. It needs to be a mix between utility and bold futurism. Therefore you must mix the sport and shield types of sunglasses. The neon blue and purple merger is an iconic look of the 80s but it’s perhaps a little too biased on the sporty side. It would be better to wear blood-red neon pit viper style shield sunglasses, which encapsulate the dark, horror theme you want. These wrap-around sunglasses, cover about one-third of the face, giving you protection from the sun’s rays from all angles. They also hide the outline of eyebrows and eye sockets, which give off a mysterious and robocop vibe.
A FUTURE CONFLICT LOOK
Of all the jacket styles in the world, nothing matches the retro wave bomber for outright casual mobility. It’s an airy yet snug-fitting jacket style that inherently uses a shiny material such as nylon as it’s the outer layer. Therefore it gets made in futuristic yet retro shades, such as urban army green, at-dawn royal blue, sunrise pink and midnight scarlet to name a few. There are a few colors that you should not venture into such as yellow and white. Stick to the original colors of the synthwave movement that began in the 80s such as purple, red and pink. You should style the jacket however you want with badges, it’s your canvas from which to express what you’re all about. That’s one of the best things about this style, you make it what you want. It’s a hark back to the futurism 80s, where everyone was trying to break the mold and be unique.
ATTENTION TO GADGETS
There are lots of different movies that sprang this style into the mainstream. Terminator, Back to the Future, They Live and many others were highly influential. But Blade Runner stood head and shoulders above all others and made the style what it is today. Futuristic gadgets were made fashionable, and unique luxury watch straps such as the blue camo Bell & Ross highlight this very well. The orange camo Omega Planet Ocean straps also, draw attention to your smartwatch.
New retro wave isn’t just a music genre, it’s a fashion style that is coming back to the fore. Shield sunglasses especially are turning heads in coastal cities like Los Angeles.
