Justin Bieber Has Springtime Dressing Down to a Science
We here at GQ often praise Justin Bieber for his preternaturally kooky outfits, which generally appear to be the result of him dressing on pure instinct alone, with no discernible structure or style rules at play. However, every so often, the way Bieber colors within (or well beyond) the lines of a preexisting framework—say, hoodie-and-shorts season—inspires us to reconsider the tools we have at our disposal. Take, for example, that ideal spring-weather outfit: Shorts with a sweater—a functional contrast most pleasing. Bieber’s formula requires these three components: a cozy designer sweater or sweatshirt, roomy athletic shorts cut at or above the knee, and some incongruously zany footwear.
On Saturday—the day after he made a surprise appearance during Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s Grand National Tour stop at SoFi Stadium to duet his remix of SZA’s “Snooze”—Bieber swung by the Beverly Glen Mall in Los Angeles wearing a spring-optimized outfit: a JW Anderson strawberry-print fleece jacket (a nod, perhaps, to the flavor profile of his wife Hailey’s extremely popular Erewhon smoothie), blue Nike basketball shorts, and, delightfully, white golf shoes with scrunched pink socks. Bieber has been really into golf lately, so it’s possible he was on his way to the links, but I also wouldn’t put it past him to just dig the derbyish silhouette. Speaking of hypotheticals, whether or not he intended to match his rose-toned iced beverage to the fuchsia socks, it was a nice touch.
It’s an easy-to-follow outfit formula from the Biebs, who is not typically an especially accessible dresser. Bieber ran a similar play last month, when he wore the enviable combo of a nubby sweater, sporty shorts, and shearling Bottega Veneta boots, and then again last week, when he and his crew were spotted hopping out of a black Land Rover and into a building in Beverly Hills. Despite his shirtlessness upon arrival, he had all the components at the ready: he was holding a cozy hoodie that looked like it could be from his forthcoming brand, Skylrk; Nike checkered green nylon shorts layered over blue running leggings; slouchy white tube socks; and a wonky pair of “Concepts Saignée” New Balance 470s in contrasting tones of green, orange, and pink.
Comfortable up top, slightly bonkers down below. Endlessly riffable, as they say in food media.
