Earlier this month, Justin Bieber released "Yummy," his first solo single in five years (those Ed Sheeran and DJ Khaled collabs don’t count), and is gearing up towards a new album cycle. The song suggests a pivot to a more R&B-centric sound, away from the earworm pop of his last record, but what else does Bieber have in store for this year? More specifically, what fits will the Biebz be wearing?
Justin Bieber has been famous since he was a teenager, which means the entire world has watched his highs and lows—and we’re merely talking about his outfits. When he first became a household name, the baby-faced singer looked and dressed like every other suburban teenager. The uniform of Bieber’s early ascent, from YouTube sensation to global pop star, was comprised of colored hoodies, New Era caps, and skinny jeans. (And of course, that famously floppy haircut.) As he released and promoted his 2012 record Believe, his personal and on-stage style matured and evolved. Or at least became a hell of a lot flashier. We’ll call this his “Hypebeast Michael Jackson” era. He regularly wore shimmering gloves, loud sneakers, sequin-covered jackets, and sleeveless hoodies. Around this time, he also cut that beloved hair, opting for something shorter and spikier. Not to mention: this was when the tattoos started to pop up on his arms. If you'd only known him as an usher-duetting tween, Bieber was hardly recognizable. Still, as his next album (2016’s Purpose) rolled along, an even more significant shift occurred.
Around this time, he linked up with the now-famous-in-her-own-right stylist Karla Welch. And this is when Bieber really started to stunt. Streetwear from Supreme and Palace became regular staples of his wardrobe; he practically lived in shredded jeans from Jerry Lorenzo’s Fear of God label. And for sneakers, he wore a steady stream of Yeezys and Adidas Ultra Boosts. “What I love about him is that he loves clothes,” Welch told New York’s The Cut back in 2018. “But he isn’t thinking about the look after he walks out the door. He’s fearless.”
In 2019, the pop singer seemed to have moved on from his Purpose-era style of ripped denim and Marilyn Manson tees, but he is still no stranger to statement style. That fearlessness is the foundation of the present-day Bieber style you either love to hate—or just straight-up love to see. The hotel slippers and Crocs, the enormous oversized fits and shoelaces as belts. All of it. Over the past few years, even as Bieber has tried to live a slightly lower-key life, his style has morphed into something part-streetwear, part-dirtbag, and wholly his own. Plus, he managed to launch his own brand (House of Drew), which seems to combine all the cornerstones of his personal style.
In the music video for his latest single, Bieber wears a pair of baggy grey sweatpants, a skin-tight tank top, and a massive chain around his neck. The silhouette is familiar to anyone who has seen a paparazzi photo of him from the last year. (The dude is all about those big pants.) And if we had to guess what the Biebz’s 2020 style would be, this would be it. Either way, he’s proven himself to be a fearless dresser with more hits than misses, so whatever style the year brings, you better believe he’s going to swing for the fences. And expect more big—and we mean big!—fits to come.
