Men’s Style Icons – Pharrell Williams

Editor Introduction

So this week Matthew has singled out Pharrell Williams as our style icon, and provided a basic guide as to how you can achieve his look. He is an icon for a lot of young males who want to have that “effortless cool” approach to the way they dress. I actually covered him back in the day, so here is what I had to say about Skateboard P:

“His style has evolved from typical basic skateboard/street wear into what I think could be called the modern gentleman. He and Kanye seem to be really upping the fashion stakes for musicians and especially black musicians. When we went through the strong stage of hip hop a few years back – 50 Cent, Jay Z (really improved as well since his Def Jam CEO role), Dre, Snoop and even Eminem – it seemed that to be associated with “black culture” you had to wear baggy jeans, an over sized white t-shirt and some bling. It is a completely different story now with a lot of these artists wanting to become more well rounded business men.

Pharrell to me just oozes cool and style. I haven’t ever seen him when I thought he was just another average man on the street. He has a lot of flair and creativity with his outfits – mixing bold colours, patterns and using key accessories like scarves, sunglasses and watches to really stand out. I think a lot of people who are naturally creative just “know” what works when it comes to expressing themselves through their clothes.”

Everything that was said above is still relevant today, and by Matthew shining the spotlight on him once more, I think it must be a general consensus that his style continues to evolve and stay fresh through each and every season. It just goes to show that even if you have more of a relaxed “street” approach to dressing, it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style. You will see in the pictures below that he can pull off a jeans and t-shirt combination as well as anyone by using key accessories and providing splashes of bold colour.

Introduction To Pharrell

Recording artist, producer, musician and fashion designer, Pharrell Williams is a busy man. Well known for being in the band N.E.R.D – and more recently the band Child Rebel Soldier along with Lupe Fiasco and Kanye West – Pharrell is also very talented individual. He has won countless awards as a recording artist and as a musician, but some might not be aware that these aren’t the only awards he has won. In 2005, he was voted the Best Dressed Male by Esquire magazine. He is a very stylish man, and this style is presented not only in the way he dresses, but also in the clothes he designs. He partnered with legendary Japanese designer Nigo (founder of The Bathing Ape/Bape brands) in 2005 to produce two lines of clothing called Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream which have only gone from strength to strength and gained a bit of a cult following in America and over here.

“Fashion has to reflect who you are, what you feel at the moment, and where you’re going. It doesn’t have to be bright, doesn’t have to be loud. Just has to be you.” Pharrell Williams.

[Editor: An amazing quote I hadn't read before, but this should be what goes through the mind of EVERY male when they are developing their own personal style.]

Pharrell’s personal style is certainly one you can take inspiration from. He is different to the previous style icons we have had, in that he is a lot more casual in the way he dresses on a day to day basis. That doesn’t mean he cannot do formal though, as you will see from the look book below. His fashion lines concentrate on luxury streetwear as he has said before he wanted to design clothes that he would of loved to have worn when he was younger, but couldn’t afford. The whole range just has Pharrell’s personal stamp all over it, and really brings out the essence of how he would dress on a day to day basis. The whole clothing line is made in very small numbers, which also gives the garments that air of exclusivity that a lot of males strive for in the days of mass produced high street clothing.

The Pharrell Williams Lookbook

Here is the Pharrell Williams lookbook:

As you can see from the photos above, the problem we have this time when picking items is that he is such a chameleon and his look changes each time he steps out of the house. However we are going to go through the basics of his casual and formal looks in order to give you some pointers in how you can achieve a similar style. The key point is to dress for YOU, let your personality shine through and to experiment with accessories and colours. Most of all, be confident in yourself and your look and you will be able to pull off multiple outfits and styles like Pharrell.

Casual Day Wear

His casual day-to-day wear differs greatly from his more formal wear. His casual look generally composes of jeans, a graphic tee and either a zip up hoodie, jacket or baseball jacket. He favours sneakers or hi-tops for his footwear, and the clothing is generally relaxed fitting, but this doesn’t compromise his style. His formal style will normally compose of black leather shoes, jeans, and then a fitted shirt and waistcoat. He often mixes dark jeans with tuxedo jackets and blazers to give him a relaxed formal look which is sharp but doesn’t compromise exactly what his personal style is all about. What we can establish here, is that Pharrell seems to be able to pull off any look he likes with flair.

Key items to get the casual look:

• Printed hoody/zip up jacket
• Printed t-shirt
• Sneakers
• Baseball/Leather jacket
• Comfort fit jeans
• Hat
• Glasses (sunglasses or clear lens)

Pharrell’s fashion line, BBC has the ideal look that we are aiming for. There’s a great range of printed hoodies, tees, jackets and sweats. Here are my favourite that are available online:

ASOS do a great range of baseball jackets that really fit the style that we are aiming for. Here’s my pick of baseball jackets:

Straight or comfort fit jeans are the choice of Pharrell. Keeping it laid back and relaxed is the key in his casual style. There are some amazing designer’s out there who do great washed denim in relaxed fits. You will all have your personal favourites but you cannot beat a pair of PRPS in my eyes. Here are a few brands who do it well right now:

Now the one of the trademarks of Pharrell is the hat. Trucker hats are his style of choice, and he has himself designed a range for BBC and Ice Cream. But you don’t have to always pay the extortionate prices, New Era do an amazing variety of designs and colours as well as designer collaborations and they come in from £25. Here are my pick:

Now this is a man who really knows how to accessorise. Whether you are looking at great eyewear, a funky coloured watch or a tied neckerchief, he always manages to let his creative personality shine through and really make a look his own. The key little details are what takes you from looking good to looking great.

Formal Look

Key items to get the formal look:

• Fitted shirt
• Waistcoat
• Leather shoes
• Dark wash jeans
• Tailored jacket
• Accessories – can include pocket squares, watches, bow ties etc.

I hope you enjoyed this weeks style icon. Pharrell is an icon for all ages and races, and his whole aura just oozes “cool”. This man is more than just his clothes, but he is definitely someone to take inspiration from in dressing for yourself (and no-one else), and being creative in putting together your look. Strive to be an individual and don’t forget accessories in order to give your outfits that unique finishing touch.

Matthew Burt