Have you stopped and thought: is there a place out there that idolises vintage menswear? Is there a place that is all about merging 60s, 70s and 80s designs to todays? And is there a place that aids me in making baggy jumpers, cheque shirts and floral waistcoats un-tacky and full of fashion? If you have, you need not look any further because Hobos, based in Cardiff, is exactly that place.
Hobos, an independent clothing store, takes the conventions of yesterday’s clothing and makes it crucial to the now. With floral shirts lining the shelves, the store is all about transformation. Here, at MFM, we believe that fashion is constantly moving forward but always looking back to its roots. Floral shirts have boomed their way into the fashion industry and have become a trademark of the 21st century, a crucial tool in the 21st century’s men’s wardrobe. Where, however, did this love of floral shirts come from?
If we look to the 70s and 80s that’s where and that’s what Hobos cherishes. Bringing the roots of those generations to the present is not a new concept but nowadays is very much a treasured one. Hobos does, indeed, go further. There you will find denim jackets, dungarees, patterned belts and more. With this push to wear vintage clothing we have before us an opportunity.
Here you have a store that gives you loud clothes but also the chance to tone it down with other options. By adding a pair of black chinos to a patterned 80s cardigan you have merged and, therefore, transformed. The question of subtly is, of course, up for debate. How can we, living in the 21st century, walk around wearing a piece of clothing from the 60s, 70s or 80s? Is it, we ask, tacky? To avoid this, we must meet somewhere in the middle. Vintage begins and ends with incorporation. Hobos offers just that.
At MFM we’re all about the unique corners of the fashion world. The scattered pick-pockets interest us just as much as the larger companies. If it’s a place where a passion for fashion is on the front line, we’re interested. Hobos is, sending its message loudly but with a subtle vintage tone.