BUYING GUIDE FOR DOPE CLOTHING

Modern streetwear brands like Supreme, Eleven Paris, and The Hundreds have produced some of the most sought after clothing in all of fashion. One of the latest brands to join this trend is DOPE clothing

DOPE is an LA-based streetwear brand that combines urban culture with luxury lifestyle. This unlikely combination is perhaps best represented by the many famous artists who wear DOPE clothing, including Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Big Sean, P Diddy, and Wiz Khalifa. These music icons were born into street culture, but moved into luxury lifestyles after becoming famous. Yet, regardless of their wealth, these artists maintain an appreciation for their origins, which is why they continue to rock stylish streetwear brands like DOPE.

Of course, most people who wear DOPE clothing aren’t famous musicians. The men and women who buy DOPE clothing either grew up in or have an appreciation for street culture, and streetwear that accurately represents it. They are more than just fans, and to them, DOPE is more than just a clothing brand. They are a community and DOPE is their lifestyle.

To help you decide if DOPE clothing is a good fit for your lifestyle, we’ll be discussing the brand’s origin, its distinct style, and for whom it’s made. By the end of the article, you should have a firm grasp of what makes DOPE stand out during the current streetwear renaissance, and if it’s worth adding to your already crowded wardrobe.

DOPE WAS CREATED BY A COLLEGE STUDENT

The iconic DOPE clothing brand began in 2007 when founder Matt Fields decided he didn’t want to work a 9-5 job like everyone else. Instead, he conceived a clothing line while attending the University of Indiana. It took off, and Fields graduated with more than a degree. He graduated with a successful streetwear brand, which was named one of the 10 fastest-growing companies in Los Angeles. In 2017, Fields sold his brand to actor and entrepreneur Rob Gough, the current owner of DOPE clothing.

The name DOPE comes from the slang term “dope”, meaning “cool”. It can also refer to recreational drugs, specifically marajuana, but in the case of DOPE clothing, the meaning of the word refers primarily to the former. However, the brand has recently entered the CBD market with a wide variety of products, including body lotion, lip balm, gummies, capsules, and vape juice.

Today, DOPE clothing is sold in boutiques across the U.S. Its flagship store is located in Los Angeles on Fairfax Avenue, and it contains clothing from many other independent streetwear brands. If you ever visit Los Angeles, the Fairfax boutique is worth stopping by for any streetwear enthusiasts. In addition to visiting physical locations, you can also order DOPE clothing online from DOPE’s official website, or from a trusted online streetwear store. 

DOPE clothing has garnered much acclaim and publicity since its inception back in 2007, but its new owner has not forgotten the brand’s roots in LA street culture. While DOPE’s collection of men’s and women’s clothing grows increasingly vast, the brand’s style remains fixed - classic and authentic.

THE STYLE OF DOPE CLOTHING

DOPE clothing is bold, vibrant, eclectic, and most importantly, progressive. It’s designs, while similar in appearance to other popular streetwear brands, have remained on the cutting edge of modern fashion. DOPE’s creators drew inspiration from the streetwear trends that came before it and established new trends with their own clothing lines.

CEO Rob Gough, spoke to Fashion Network about his acquisition of DOPE, praising the brand for managing to “stay ahead of the trends and design great clothes for a decade”. Prior to Gough’s acquisition, DOPE’s founder Matt fields commented specifically on the brand’s style in an interview with Andrew Yang from My Flight Up. He described the style of DOPE clothing as being “Clean + Upscale + $wag”. However, there’s a little more to it than that, as Fields admits he “didn’t put a lot of thought into this answer” and left much of the creative direction to his lead graphic designer, CMart. 

To better understand the style of DOPE clothing for men and women, let’s examine each type of clothing they produce, and how they represent the brand’s trendiness in streetwear. 

UNISEX

DOPE’s unisex collection of clothing encompasses most of the brand’s apparel. It includes t-shirts, sweatshirts, outerwear, and hats of various colors, styles, and materials.

The most prominent aspect of each unisex clothing line from DOPE is the logo, which is usually placed in the center of the chest. Most DOPE t-shirts and sweatshirts include a clever rendition of the iconic logo, while others feature the original logo to compliment a minimalist design aesthetic.

Hats fall on the minimalist side of DOPE’s designs, featuring (once again) the original logo placed front and center, although it's less prominent on the brand’s beanies.

MEN

DOPE’s collection of men’s pants is split between denim jeans and nylon/polyester joggers. It’s a tried and true collection of streetwear bottoms that manages to include some surprises, like the sage green Baldwin Denim jeans. Overall though, DOPE pants are designed to be worn with just about any t-shirt, sweatshirt, or overwear. 

WOMEN

Most of DOPE clothing is unisex, but there are some women-specific items too. The Embossed Crop Crews and Embossed Sweats combine comfort and style with stitching designed to fit the female body. They’re constructed from 65% cotton and 35% polyester materials, and they’re both available in all black and soft pink. The sweats front and back pockets, and an elastic waist with a drawstring. 

For women seeking stylish athletic clothing, DOPE offers cropped mesh jerseys, cropped windbreakers, and running shorts of various colors. The aforementioned sweats make for comfortable women’s running pants as well.

IS DOPE CLOTHING FOR YOU?

For men and women streetwear enthusiasts, especially from the Los Angeles area, DOPE clothing is a must-buy. Its designs both represent and progress LA street culture, and the streetwear industry across the U.S. If you’re from another major city like New York or Chicago, you will likely appreciate how DOPE iterates upon some of popular streetwear you’re familiar with. 

Non-enthusiasts should find many of DOPE’s clothing options attractive, regardless of their impact on streetwear trends. Because DOPE’s t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, pants, and hats have either set or taken inspiration from streetwear trends, they can easily be combined with other brands to create stylish and comfortable outfits. So, even if you aren't familiar with DOPE clothing, it won’t appear out of place alongside the rest of your streetwear.

DOPE clothing appeals primarily to streetwear enthusiasts, but non-enthusiasts will not regret adding them to their wardrobe.

WHERE TO BUY DOPE CLOTHING

The brand’s main location is on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles, CA., but DOPE clothing is sold across the U.S. at numerous boutiques. You can use this store locator to find one near you. If you don't find any boutiques selling DOPE clothing within driving distance, you can buy online from DOPE’s official store, or from a reliable third party retailer like The Upperroom Boutique.

Here at The Upperroom Boutique, we offer a varied collection of DOPE clothing for men and women, including t-shirts, sweatshirts, outerwear, pants, and hats. However, due to high demand, many of the DOPE clothing in our collection sells out quickly, so don’t wait too long to buy any.