How To Get The New 'It Boy’ Look In 2022

Who Are They?
The new 2022 ‘It Boy’ look has been brewing for a long while now, some could even say as early as the 2010s during the peak of the ‘Soundcloud rapper’ era. Back then, the tattooed-rock-star-turned-rapper vibe was on the up and plenty of underground artists were reaching mainstream heights of fame. It was no longer taboo to see head-to-toe tattooed male musicians with body modifications in feminine-leaning clothes, creating rap music which traditionally belonged to hardened, toxically masculine groups. Artists such as Lil Peep (RIP), Lil Uzi Vert and Young Thug once dominated the style, and it wasn’t until recently that it started seeping out of the celebrity universe, becoming adopted by the everyday male.

The beginning of the 2020s saw serious trends starting to take shape thanks to individuals like Machine Gun Kelly, Travis Barker and Dominic Fike – elevating and perfecting the aesthetic. All rock stars in their own right, it’s almost like they’ve taken back that once-famed feminine grunge style to make it their own.

What to Wear
Wide and oversized pants have been all the rage for a hot minute, with length and width continuing to grow every year. Did you think skinny jeans were over? Oh, how wrong you were! The new generation of ‘It Boys’ are challenging the status quo and bringing the skinny ripped look back. Taking it to the next level, they’re also rocking intensely patterned pants, bringing major pattern clashes that definitely work.      

Moving on up, the top half of the outfit is important, it’s somewhat minimal but the materials are key. Hopefully you live in a warm climate too, because plenty of skin will be showing. The essential piece you need to start on this style journey is a flowy oversize shirt. It needs to be silky and thin with a preferable drop shoulder so it drapes perfectly on your body. You’ll also only need one or two buttons done up to show off most of your chest. Alternatively, loose fitting tees will do the trick. Just ensure they’re ultra thin and have a large scoop neck, once again, to ensure that your chest is visible.

Once you’ve acquired the top and pants, you’ll need to set that all off with some statement pieces. If you have some cash to splash, a mohair sweater is a perfect addition. Cardigans are also a welcomed choice, MGK famously rocked a Balmain cardi while strutting in NYC with his fiancé Megan Fox. You’ll also need plenty of jewellery – pearls would be a good place to start, then you can graduate to the more gaudy face embellishments like the bedazzled stick-ons that MGK has been recently wearing.    

The Grooming 
The new ‘It Boy’ may look like he’s just walked out of bed, ungroomed and dishevelled. However, the reality is quite the contrary actually as there’s a lot of work and continued maintenance that’s needed for upkeep.

Bleached or dyed hair is crucial and with plenty of different colours, you can make the look your own. One option would be completely bleached blonde hair just like the ‘bloody valentine’ singer, or you could go for a coloured take such as green or pink just like Dominic Fike. The final grooming technique is the one with the lowest barrier of entry, and it’s painted nails. Hit up your local nail salon and go all out!