Breaking
Breaker fashion: A guide
If you’re looking for a master class in breaker fashion, check out the Red Bull BC One World Final livestream on Saturday, November 12.
Two-time Red Bull BC One World Champion Lilou once said when talking about his shoes, “I don’t care if it has some hole. I don’t care, because these are the shoes I use to do my best tricks.” This may be the best explanation of breaker fashion you will ever find.
Lilou at the Red Bull BC One Guerrilla Cypher in New York City Time Square
© Jesus Presinal / Red Bull Content Pool
Breaker fashion isn’t just about clean looks, it’s also about what allows breakers to step up and show off their biggest and best moves. Whether surrounded by just their crew or large crowds and TV cameras, like those expected at this weekend’s Red Bulls BC One World Final in New York City, breakers care about the show they put on. Rule one is to find the fashion that allows you to flex your moves.
For those who need a history lesson, breaking boomed in the early 1980s. So breaker fashion, like anything, has gone through a few trends. Very early on, it was knee-high pop socks and shorts or cut-off jeans. Later, it was tracksuits and Converse All-Stars. And while you may still see a breaker rocking some throw-back fashion, today the trends are towards newer styles and fabrics that allow for not only a cool look but the comfort needed to pull off moves that will shock even the best Olympic gymnasts.
Breaker Fashion: A Guide
Here we spotlight what you’re likely to see breakers wearing and why.
01
Footwear
Froz poses for a portrait at the 2018 Red Bull BC One Italy Cypher in Rome
© Mauro Puccini / Red Bull Content Pool
Breaker Froz once said, “dancing shoes for a B-Boy are like a pen for a writer.” Regarding shoes, sneakers are the obvious choice for a breaker. You typically want a sole that provides traction and stability. Because if you’re flipping through the air, you don’t want to slip and land on your face. Take, for example, the Puma Suede, which has been a classic B-Boy and B-Girl shoe for almost 40 years. Menno, who has won the BC One World Finals three times, knew from the moment he saw the Puma Suedes that he needed to have them. He said, “You really felt like an official B-Boy with the Puma Suede with the fat lace. It was a super cool shoe.”
02
Headwear
Lil Zoo (L) and Issin (R) during the Red Bull BC One Last Chance Cypher
© Dean Treml / Red Bull Content Pool
Halos, windmills, ground freezes, and headspins can be intense on your head and hair, which makes headwear a must for breakers. You will see cool caps, hot headbands, and badass beanies on top of the heads of the best breakers. Bucket hats, like LL Cool J’s classic Kangol, or a beanie rocking your favorite brand, are also a popular choice. The swag that is seen in this headspace is often colorful and eclectic. From Nike to Supreme, headwear is definitely a place you can add some flair to your fashion.
03
The Rest of The Outfit
Logistx and Victor poses for a portrait in New York
© Kien Quan / Red Bull Content Pool
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Breakers need to be able to move, jump, slide, and flip, so their clothes need to be functional. The last thing a breaker wants is for their clothes to limit their moves, or worse, get them injured. Most breakers will either wear something baggy, or something that can stretch. You’ll see hoodies, joggers, tracksuits, or for many, just a simple t-shirt. So find the swag that looks cool, but make sure it allows you to do what you want to do on the dance floor, the streets, or wherever you find yourself breaking to sick beats.
If you’re looking for a master class in breaker fashion, check out the Red Bull BC One World Final on Saturday, November 12. Catch the livestream here. This competition will bring together some of the world’s best B-Boys and B-Girls, like Logistx, known for her high-level power moves, and Victor, a former winner of the Red Bull BC One Final.