The legendary Z-boys crew from Venice, California played a major role in shifting the “short shorts and high socks” era of skate fashion.

These guys wore hockey tees or no shirts, had long hair, ripped jeans, and they basically just looked bad ass. Some might say the Z-boys were a big influence in creating the “cool factor” that skate fashion (and skateboarders) took on in the coming years.

Converse had their iconic high-top “All-Star” shoes and Vans started to create high-top styles, ideal for vert or pool skating. At this point, street skating wasn’t quite a thing yet, so high-top shoes were the go-to skate style.

In the 90s, street skating was becoming more and more popular. Skaters were learning how to skate handrails, do more technical flip tricks, and more complex grind variations.

Because of this, skate fashion evolved too, and “street” culture started entering the mix. Basically, skaters wore what was best for their style of skating. Street skating required more protection and comfort, so denim jeans, bulkier shoes, and larger tees became increasingly popular