Trends come and go, evolving and revolving with seasons and fashions. The rebel’s wardrobe is a carefully curated collection of adaptable and timeless garments.

These guides will help you build your own rebel’s wardrobe of well-made ‘rebel essentials.’ The quality pieces we recommend will outlast trends in every sense of the word.

We’ve grouped the rebel essentials into genres based on their origins. To learn much more about the history of iconic and rebellious menswear, buy the book.

Designed for the working man, these hard-wearing and perpetually stylish garments, including five-pocket jeans, chore coats, and work boots, are girded and braced for the tasks at hand.

Workwear includes:

  • Five-pocket jeans
  • The T-shirt
  • Work boots
  • Plaid flannels
  • The chambray shirt
  • The railroad work shirt
  • The chore coat
  • The overalls
  • The flat cap

Popularised first by working cowboys and then stars of the screen and the rodeo ring, oater classics like the denim jacket and the western shirt live on in the eternal afterglow of the Old West.

Western includes:

  • The denim jacket
  • The denim western shirt
  • The blanket coat
  • The ranch jacket
  • The cowboy boots
  • The cowboy hat

From the Perfecto and the café racer to the engineer boot and the competition sweater, mid-century rebel style took shape where the rubber met the road and man and machine were pushed to their limits.

Motors includes:

  • Engineer boot
  • The Perfecto
  • The competition sweater
  • The café racer
  • The wax jacket

The 20th-century battlefield served as a proving ground for practical pieces like the M-65, khakis, and the trench coat. The garments returned to civilian life and rebel style with a hero’s welcome.

Military includes:

  • The chinos
  • The M-65
  • The combat boots
  • The parka
  • The cardigan
  • The trench coat
  • The safari jacket
  • The beret
  • Cargo pants

Semper fidelis to the marine and the fisherman, sea-born pieces like the peacoat, the gansey, and the N-1 have been the longstanding faithful friend to the landlubber and the salty dog alike.

Maritime includes:

  • The watch cap
  • The breton
  • The aran sweater
  • The peacoat
  • The CPO
  • The N-1
  • The turtleneck
  • The duffle coat

In frigid, high-altitude cockpits, the aces of the skies needed the ultimate in high-performance flight jackets. The resulting A-2, B-6, and MA-1 helped pilots rise to the occasion.

Aviation includes the shearling bomber jackets, the MA-1, and the A-1.

In athletics, comfort and performance are the true game winners. With long winning streaks behind them, casual classics like the sweatshirt, the polo, and sneakers arrived on the scene trailing glory.

Sports includes:

  • Sneakers
  • The polo
  • The hoodie
  • The sweatshirt
  • The varsity jacket
  • The rugby shirt
  • The baseball cap
  • The henley
  • The harrington
Our guides are reader-supported. We earn a small commission when you click on some of our links and buy something. It doesn’t cost you anything. Availability and price of the products we recommend are subject to change.

BUY OUR BOOK ABOUT MENSWEAR

  • Support us, buy your copy of the book through the link below.

  • Scroll to Top