There's a reason we put Tyler, the Creator on our list of the most stylish people in the world last year. He gets clothes. He fawns over them. He has a wicked sense of personal style, that is truly unmatched anywhere else in the music industry. He sets trends before they hit the catwalk. You'll find outfits inspired by his own on the catwalk.
Ask a celebrity their style icon (trust us, we do this a lot) and the likelihood that they'll mention Tyler, the Creator is high. His taste is eclectic, and always progressive. He's a shapeshifter. There’s a preppy, East Coast Country Club aesthetic at the heart of it and mixed into that is a granny core sensibility, all thrown together with a golfing grandpa top layer. Oh and there's a scattering of skater boi accessories and the odd bit of NBA merch (and the rest). Hunting flat caps? They're in there too. He’s got a thing for sweet ladylike accessories. And by that, we mean the sort of prim-and-proper things that Hyacinth Bucket from Keeping Up Appearances might wear. His are from Goyard. But everything is always thrown together with the expertise of a well-seasoned dresser.
Tyler is so respected as a fashion lord, that he's scooped serious collaborations. Brands trust him to get freaky with their gear. A Globe-Trotter collab? He did that, taking the heritage luggage label to modern corners with punchy, leopard-print lined carry-ons. With Levi's he breathed life into the brand's 501s, giving them a playful and oh so Tyler makeover by way of splattered dots. With Converse, through his own brand Golf Le Fleur, there was no limit to his designs: flower prints underfoot and a mad mash-up of baby pink, sunflower yellow and pistachio green uppers.
In short, Tyler's got a good thing going on. Below are some of the best style moments from his colourful career (so far)…
Tyler, The Creator rocked up to the 2019 LACMA Art + Film Gala in Los Angeles in a signature prepster fit: baggy shorts, zany neck tie and a striped Oxford shirt. On his feet though were pair of Mary Janes. The shoe made famous by The Brown Shoe Company. A shoe that had made its way to the catwalks of Prada, Chanel and Miu Miu, destined for the feet of Lindsay Lohan and Alexa Chung. A shoe that had rarely, if ever, been sported by a guy in the limelight. Until Tyler. Mary Janes are not all that easy to pull off and, as a consequence, they will take some effort to get right. Do a Tyler and rock with white socks for a fail-safe win.
Tyler doesn't really do well with convention. And that's not just on stage. He's all about taking something traditional and giving it a wavy makeover. That's all too clear with his aforementioned collaborations with Levi's et al. But it's also true when it comes to his suiting. Baggy in all the right places, the loose and louche suits are the sort of stuff you'd see a Hedge Funder rock after a long day Scrooge McDuckin'. Ties? He saves them for his daytime looks, obvs.
The Grammys is the most prestigious awards ceremony in the music 'biz. All big awards, soppy speeches and bigger gowns. But for Tyler, that means nothing. No black tie for him. No shiny shoes. Just his day wear. Polo shirts, Golf Le Fleur caps and pink suede shoes. Is it a bad thing? Course not. He was the flyest guy in the room at the 2020 awards, and not just because he scooped a gong.
Tyler the Creator attended the 2021 BET Awards at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. But you'd be forgiven for thinking he was on his way to LAX. In his hands, he carried two carry-ons. Round his neck, he had a fun-time necklace, which dazzled under the lights of the paps. On his head, a fur hat destined for the outer reaches of Finland. Together the look is exemplary of his eclectic, chuck-it-all-and-go style. Works though. Just add a manicure.
Tyler does Ivy League prep better than the guys who are trawling the grounds at Harvard and Yale. He's a poster boy for it, despite never having attended any of the colleges himself. He also brings something new to the old school rule book of prepster. His sandy chinos are XXL in size, baggy at the thighs and ankles. His ties are patterned and colourful.
Few could turn up to the Grammys dressed like an extra from The Grand Budapest Hotel. Few are Tyler, the Creator.
