The Best-Dressed Men of 2017 (So Far)
From obvious style leaders to surprise contenders, these are the best dressed celebrities who are killing the fashion game.
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The way rappers are dressing is evolving again. What once was relegated to baggy denim and gold chains has been upgraded to tailored designer wear, trendsetting sneakers, and obscure street and skatewear. What hasn’t changed, though, is how much these artists influence mainstream culture; they’re truly the innovators. It’s no wonder that high fashion is finally acknowledging rappers and making them global ambassadors or faces of their brands — if anything, it was long overdue.
But it isn’t just rappers who are contributing to, and even dominating, the style conversations today. Actors and athletes are too. Think 21-year-old Moonlight star Ashton Sanders and UFC champ Conor McGregor.
But who are the best-dressed men today? Some choices are obvious—ASAP Rocky and Pharrell—but there are some who surprised us this year. There are also a few people who we left off this list. That isn’t to say they aren’t well-dressed, but they were either super low-key (as in, we rarely saw them in the last few months) or were just not having a good year so far. Things will change though, we’re sure. But at the halfway point of 2017, here are our picks for the most stylish men of the year.
Harry Styles
Harry Styles has the perfect pop star name, excellent pop star hair, and a time-tested pop star demeanor that seems to always suggest he was up all night having sex with someone beautiful. He also, of course, has a killer wardrobe that complements all of those elements quite well—especially the sex part. When Styles throws on a Gucci suit or a silky Gucci shirt, it often looks like he just picked it up off the hotel room floor, kissed a sleeping supermodel goodbye, and barely had time to button it before sauntering onstage.
If comparing his style to vintage Mick Jagger is too obvious, consider this: Elle recently devoted an entire post to documenting how closely Styles' look mirrors what Fran Drescher wore on the '90s sitcom The Nanny. They aren't entirely wrong, which does make you wonder: Just how many models did Nanny Fine smash once those kids had gone to sleep? —Steve Dool
ASAP Rocky
ASAP Rocky’s ascent to the forefront of fashion has been slowly churning over the past several years. His tendency to mix the weirdo uptown street styles of Harlem with today’s leading designers has been well-documented, but Flacko hasn’t slowed down in 2017 either. He became the face of Dior Homme, and he constantly mixes and matches styles from the likes of Raf Simons, Alessandro Michele’s Gucci, and J.W. Anderson with VLONE pieces made by ASAP Mob compatriot Bari or Japanese label Needles, grounding many of his looks with simplistic sneakers like Vans Old Skools. The end product is enviable, but uniquely his own. Five years ago, Rocky was just a blip on fashion’s radar. Now, he’s a veritable powerhouse. Hats off. —Skylar Bergl
Ashton Sanders
When actor Ashton Sanders reached the end of the red carpet at the Met Gala in May, he was greeted by veteran Vogue editor Andre Leon Talley. “And you are?” Talley asked the 21-year-old star of Moonlight, declaring that he and ASAP Rocky both looked “so cool and so hot” in their head-to-toe looks by Calvin Klein by Raf Simons.
Talley is not the only one who’s become a fan of Sanders, as the young actor has quickly gone from a little-known name to one of the most exciting fashion risk-takers in Hollywood. In addition to the comfortable relationship he’s built with Simons at Calvin Klein—he also recently wore the label to the MTV Movie Awards and appeared in the brand’s Spring 2017 ad campaign—this year alone he’s repped red carpet looks from Public School, Yves Saint Laurent, and, famously, Fear of God, when he paired one of Jerry Lorenzo’s kilts with a Calvin tux and Vans Sk8-Hi’s. Not many actors can pull off both traditional and forward-thinking as well as Sanders can, and even fewer are willing to try. But Sanders makes it look easy, and yes, Andre, “so cool” too. —Steve Dool
Jonah Hill
We've seen a lot of sides to the L.A.-born actor over the past few years. Hilariously horny and clumsy-drunk high-schooler Jonah Hill. Money-hungry, arms-dealing war criminal Jonah Hill. And, most recently, we have gotten incredibly, stylishly chill Jonah Hill, who hasn't had to rely on sophomoric comedic relief to get his just due.
Hill's year in style has been his most consistent image he’s had and it doesn't even look like he's trying. Yes, the Palace ads have been hilarious and have garnered a good amount of attention for him and the British skate brand, but his affinity for minimalistic skate style and brands like Dime, Richardson, and Lotties is admirable. And he's also perfected his look, utilizing brands like Gucci and Saint Laurent, letting regular guys, like me and you, know we can also rock those brands without being gaudy. Jonah Hill is hope. —Nick Grant
Migos
The era of “Versace” Migos hasn’t disappeared completely, but the Atlanta rappers have grown up as their fame has blown up. Over the past year or so, the trio has been featured on what feels like every hit song and shifted their looks to include some of today's most coveted designers. Rest assured, there are still plenty of silk shirts, but Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset have all tested out a variety of looks worth noting. Their fur-loaded performance on Fallon and blacked-out suits with accompanying stacks of gold necklaces at the Met Gala are just the tip of the iceberg. In their regular rotation you'll find a steady stream of luxury labels like Gucci and Saint Laurent as well as smaller upstarts like Palm Angels and Amiri. They're also not afraid to flex their eyewear selections either, as Quavo and Takeoff frequently opt for circular frames and retro '60s-esque sunglasses. Not since the 1800s have spectacles been so stylish. —Skylar Bergl
Travis Scott
In September 2014, when Travis Scott walked in Mark McNairy's NYFW show, it was both excitingly of-the-moment—at the time, Scott hadn’t released any studio albums, just the seminal mixtape Days Before Rodeo—and a foreshadowing, because he fit the environment so damn well. Fast-forward two-and-a-half years, and La Flame's fashion profile has risen concurrently with his position in music—critically acclaimed albums, Nike deal. Scott oscillates between streetwear fanatic with an unlimited Grailed budget and idiosyncratic choices like his affinity for weird camo patterns, wildly baggy looks, or whatever the hell he's doing on the "goosebumps" cover. It may not always work, but it's clear the same amount of precision goes into his style as it does his music. Which is to say, it always stands out. —Frazier Tharpe
Donald Glover
Once upon a time—like, seven months ago—we praised Donald Glover for being a low-key style icon. He wore trucker hats, Nike Cortez sneakers, and every manner of graphic tee and made it look cool and authentically unbothered, suggesting he’d be dressing this way even if he weren’t one of the most in-demand multi-hyphenates in entertainment.
But then, Glover met Gucci, and there is nothing low-key about that. Like Beyonce, Harry Styles, and 9,000 other celebrities, Glover has frequently been turning to the more-is-more, Italian maximalist fashion house for public appearances. There was his chocolate brown tux at the Golden Globes, his printed button-down at the brand’s resort runway show in Florence, and the Donald Duck cardigan that goes for over $1,000. Even when he goes British—as he did in a paisley Burberry tuxedo at this year’s Met Gala—it’s bold and loud. But the most impressive part of Glover’s style swerve is how effortlessly it works; he looks equally comfortable and natural going high and low. And Glover purists don’t need to worry: Those Nikes are still close by. —Steve Dool
Scott Disick
Scott Disick has certainly not always been the most stylish guy around, but long gone are his preppy frat boy fits. He has figured out how to dress, and it looks like the transformation is here to stay. Disick keeps up with today’s best trends, and can pull them off almost perfectly. He rocks Adidas Ultra Boosts, Calabasas track pants, and oversized hoodies when he wants to keep it comfy. Pieces like distressed jeans, brown Chelsea boots, and solid-colored T-shirts are also always in heavy rotation. We’ve joked that Kanye West influenced the entire Kardashian family’s style. If that’s truly the case, we’d like to personally thank him for helping Lord Disick unlock his full potential. —Mike DeStefano
Frank Ocean
After a five-year hiatus, Frank Ocean finally released new music with the critically-acclaimed Blond. Still, the singer is pretty low-key about everything. The very few times we see him out in public it’s like spotting a unicorn. But make no mistake: Ocean’s fits are almost always on-point. From Bianca Chandon hoodies and a Japan-exclusive Guess T-shirt, to more formal choices like his 2017 Met Gala fit, Ocean covers all sides of the fashion spectrum. Let’s just hope he sticks around a little longer this time to display more fire fits before he goes back into hiding. —Mike DeStefano
The Weeknd
There’s no denying it anymore: The Weeknd is a star. Earlier this month, I saw him perform at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center for his “Starboy: Legends of the Fall Tour” and the Canadian singer, who once preferred to stay mysterious, commanded the stage in an arena filled to the brim with tens of thousands of fans. His style has certainly matched his celebrity.
Little about the Weeknd’s style has changed from last year, but that’s a good thing. Instead, he’s continued to build on his rockstar, mostly black look. The labels he’s wearing are still only the finest money can buy—Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, Gucci, etc.—but his looks aren’t so out-there that the regular guy can’t emulate it. It’s like they say: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. —Karizza Sanchez
Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor can really be best described as one thing: consistent. He has consistently destroyed opponents and won multiple UFC title belts. He’s consistently talked shit to and about undefeated welterweight boxer Floyd Mayweather, who he’s finally set to fight on August 26. And, in this year of our Lord 2017, The "Notorious" Irishman has consistently showcased some absolutely ostentatious fits that only he could pull off.
McGregor’s Instagram account has been the headquarters for his outward expression of his stunt-worthy lifestyle, pairing PJs with SL (Saint Laurent), and high-velocity speedboats with high-priced Louis Vuitton T-shirts. His flamboyant personality and love for pricey toys are only matched by his penchant for rocking the hell out of bright-colored tops with the good ol' invisible tie and designer sneakers. While McGregor has had his fair share of issues outside the Octagon, his exuberant style is undeniable and, quite honestly, refreshing when other athletes just can’t seem to get their look right. —Nick Grant
Kendrick Lamar
2017 is already Kendrick Lamar’s year. In April, the rapper dropped his new album, Damn, which reached platinum status in mere weeks, making it the first album of any genre released this year to move a million copies. But it isn’t just Damn that caught our eye. Let’s be honest. With some help from his stylist Dianne Garcia, Lamar has been killing the style game, too. If you don’t agree, I highly suggest you check out his “Humble” music video. The priestly-cloak? The bedazzled du-rag? The super-rare Bape Kung Fu shirt? The Second/Layer “Dreamer” hoodie (that I know some of you bought after watching the video)? C’mon. —Karizza Sanchez
Pharrell
There are risk-takers, and then there’s Pharrell Williams, who is just way too advanced. Who else in hip-hop can pull off eyeliner? Or stand next to his wife, who wore full Comme des Garçons, at the Met Gala and not look mediocre in custom ripped jeans, a flannel, a leather jacket, and boots? (Although, to be honest, I would’ve appreciated a head-to-toe CdG outfit from the king of wearing Japanese brands.) Or make history and be the first man to be featured in a Chanel bag campaign? Pharrell beats to his own drum. He doesn’t follow trends; he starts them. Sure, his style may not be for everyone, but guess what? He couldn’t care less. Plus, it’s probably secretly how you wish you could dress, anyway. —Karizza Sanchez