Hey, Tom! Introduce yourself to The Lowdown...
I'm Thomas Whieldon and I'm currently studying Fashion Communications at Northumbria University. I've been running my own clothing brand since 2013, and I'm also a men’s fashion blogger and stylist.
What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion means a lot to me as it allowed me to develop who I am. Fashion allowed me to walk around with a lot more confidence. Fashion as a whole is extremely important as it allows everyone to create their own identity and portray their ideology and character in clothing form.
Who inspires your day-to-day style?
I got my whole ‘faceless’ look from @lasayehommes as he always wears a mask. It's great because it allows the outfits to speak for themselves. Also @mattblackraps has been a recent influence for me as his style is so clean and natural, making it authentic and individual. Finally, my biggest influence has to be @iammago, he has been #1 in my eyes for ages now, he can just pull off any look and make it brilliant.
Does the music that you listen to influence your style?
Yeah, I would say so - the obvious one is Kanye. His oversized fits with the colour tones he uses is seen throughout many of my outfits. Also A$AP Rocky, but before when he was rocking PYREX Vision and Hood By Air! I used to take influence from him back then but not as much now as he has ventured into the really high end fashion game (#studentproblems).
What’s your take on urban streetwear in the UK?
I think that this scene is blowing up at the moment as so many people are loving the style and making their own variations of it. It’s also nice to see people merging the high end/high street clothing together as it allows everyone to have their own version within the urban streetwear game. It 's different to other countries as we have cold weather most of the time in comparison to America, which means we have to layer up and wear coats. Europe's layer game is on point compared to America.
What's big right now in the fashion scene?
The "homeless" look (ripped jeans, jumpers and oversized fits). Minimal style is also hot right now, very basic but clean. I see a lot of people rocking Huaraches and skinny jeans, with a basic tee and snapback, so that look's definitely big at the moment.
What's your favourite style?
My favourite styles are a mix as I like to dress smarter some days with a very minimal/classy look to it. Then other days I need to flex in Yeezys so I wear a lot of oversized layers on the top and make it Kanye-esque. I think since leaving school I had a particular style as I could finally wear what I want. It’s usually been streetwear and skatewear, but I have started to venture into the high end market to create a high end/streetwear mix.
How does your look separate you from the masses?
I try to do my own thing as much as I can. I take inspiration from what I have done or seen that week and put my feelings into the outfit, but when that doesn’t work I will spend £500+ on a pair of Rick Owens just so I know it’s different and "out there". Haha.
What’s the one item that you can't leave the house without?
I should say my backpack as it’s like the Tardis for me. I put so much inside! But, I'll say my phone as I can run the business over it and keep in contact with everyone when needed. Plus, you never know if you'll find a great spot to get some photos for Instagram!
What's your next pick up going to be?
I am going to camp out for the new Yeezy release and hopefully manage to get some more 350s or the 750s. It would be a dream come true if I manage it.
The getup you've put together is heavy! Talk us through it...
I chose the biker jeans as I wear mine all the time and they are a nice change from the usual regular jeans, they certainly turn heads. I chose the turtleneck as the scoop bottom is insane for layering and the thumbholes are cool to use when wearing a coat over the top. The shoes finish the look by adding a bit of contrast in colours which makes the outfit pop more. It's a very minimal but stands out a lot due to the footwear.
What advice do you have for someone looking to up their style and make their Instagram dope?
Do it your own way. People will enjoy your content and outfits a lot more if it's natural and if you show confidence in it. Try and make some connections through social media and tag pages to get reposts. Also try and get some clean, simple photos and put some nice filters on with apps like VSCO Cam. Last bit of advice is to not stop the graft; if you do, you'll get left behind. Constantly innovate.
To see more of Tom Whieldon's layered up style check out his Instagram: @whieldxn or click-through now to shop his Get The Look.
