Okay guys, so I totally saw that those new high school trends for 2024 are blowing up everywhere. Figured I’d actually try messing around with them myself, just to see if a regular dude like me could pull it off without looking totally lost. Here’s exactly how it went down, step by step.
First Step: Figuring Out What The Heck People Are Wearing
Right, before I even touched my closet, I had to do some snooping. Scrolled through a bunch of stuff people were posting online, talked to my younger cousin who’s a sophomore, even kinda people-watched near the high school when I was grabbing coffee nearby last week. Felt a bit awkward, ngl. What kept popping up?
- Baggy cargos, but like, not my dad’s hiking ones. Weird cut, kinda low on the hips?
- Vintage band tees, especially those faded ones. Nirvana? Check. Metallica? Big time.
- Super chunky sneakers, the kind that look like platforms but aren’t quite?
- Layering tank tops over long sleeves under open shirts. Yeah, that confused me too.
Next Up: Raiding My Own Stuff
Okay, armed with that intel, I dove headfirst into my disaster zone… my closet. Goal was to use what I already had, maybe hitting a thrift store for one key piece if I was desperate.
- Found some old, washed-out grey cargo pants from years ago. Probably bought them three sizes too big thinking “room to grow”. Perfect. Washed them again just to get that extra faded look.
- Scoured my t-shirt drawer. Found this ancient Guns N’ Roses tee hiding at the back, all soft and faded. Jackpot. Smelled faintly of mothballs though.
- Snagged a plain black long-sleeve undershirt and a slightly-too-big navy waffle-knit henley I never really wear (buttons undone, of course).
- Sneaker time. My battered old black Adidas Sambas? Definitely not chunky enough. My cousin literally facepalmed when I showed her. Had to dust off some seriously bulky Nike Dunks I bought on a whim and never wore.
The Big Test: Actually Putting It On
Alright, deep breath. Clothes on floor. Time to assemble the beast. Followed the layering thing religiously, because hey, rules are rules (sort of).
- Slipped on the black long-sleeve tee. Felt like base layer pajamas.
- Tossed the ancient GnR tee over it. Felt… like wearing two shirts?
- Left the henley wide open over everything. Why is my chest feeling drafty?
- Hiked up the baggy cargo pants super low. Seriously, where are my hip bones? Had to cinch the drawstring crazy tight so they wouldn’t end up around my ankles.
- Stuffed my feet into the massive Dunks. Clomp, clomp, clomp. Felt like wearing bricks.
Mirror Check: Pure Chaos
Stood in front of the mirror. Honestly? It was a mess. Like, a beautiful, chaotic, high-school-2024-certified mess.
The pants were insanely long, bunching up wildly over the massive shoes. The band tee was peeking out nicely under the open henley, but the sleeves of the long-sleeve underneath were poking out awkwardly. The entire vibe was “confused but trying”. Took about 3 tries to adjust the pant height just so they looked intentionally low, not “about to fall off”. The shoes still felt utterly ridiculous.
The Verdict: Did It Work?
Wore it out for coffee and errands. Got a few looks – mostly from people who probably thought I was having a mid-life crisis, or maybe lost a bet. BUT! My younger cousin saw a pic and texted “OMG UNCLE, THAT’S ACTUALLY LEGIT THIS YEAR HAHA”. So, mission accomplished? Kinda?
TL;DR: Do I understand all the rules? Nope. Did I rummage through old clothes? Absolutely. Did I feel vaguely ridiculous wearing pants that low with shoes that heavy? Constantly. But apparently, embracing the slightly-too-big, layered, vintage vibe with a big, chunky sneaker is somehow hitting that 2024 high school mark. It’s messy, it’s bulky, and honestly, it’s kinda fun once you stop taking it too seriously. Thrift stores are your best friend for the tees. Just maybe size down on the shoes if you want to walk normally.
