How to Dress Like a Mexican Cholo?

Cholo style emerged from Mexican-American communities in the 1940s and has evolved over the decades, often associated with gang and street culture. However, cholos have also made major contributions to art, music, lowriding, and fashion. If you want to embrace the cholo aesthetic, here’s a guide on how to dress like a Mexican cholo.

The Cholo Style Origins

Cholo style has its roots in the pachuco culture of the 1940s when young Mexican-Americans adopted a unique sense of fashion as an act of cultural pride and self-expression. The word “cholo” originally referred to marginalized Mexican youth, derived from the Nahuatl word “xolotl.”

In the 1970s and 1980s, cholo style became affiliated with Chicano gang culture in Los Angeles and other parts of the Southwest. Gang members adopted a tough, urban look that included khaki pants, plaid shirts, and bandanas. However, many non-gang youths in the Mexican-American community also embraced the cholo aesthetic as a symbol of their cultural identity.

Over time, cholo fashion has gone through various evolutions, incorporating lowrider culture, old English fonts, and religious iconography. Discover how do cholos dress, as it retains its streetwise edge while also making statements through creative modifications to clothes and artistic tattoos.

The Classic Cholo Look

Here are some tips to nail the classic cholo style:

Hair

• Slick your hair back into a pompadour style. Use pomade to keep it in place. Create a side part and brush the sides and back tightly.
• Consider a buzzcut or shaved head with a cholo-style hairnet or do-rag.
• Style your hair into a low ponytail or braids if you have long hair.

Shirts

• Wear plaid flannel shirts, buttoned only at the top. Roll up the sleeves.
• Don oversized white tank tops or muscle shirts, showing off tattoos.
• Look for dress shirts in satin or shiny polyester materials. Wear them open over tank tops or T-shirts.
• Cholo-style T-shirts often have graphics like Old English fonts, Aztec/Hispanic imagery, or gang affiliations.

Pants

• Wear khaki or black pants, cropped or cuffed above the shoes. Dickies brand trousers are popular.
• Look for pants with a relaxed fit or a tapered leg. Avoid skinny cuts.
• Pleated fronts add a vintage vibe. Sagging pants to show boxer shorts is also common.

Shoes

• Classic kicks include Chucks, Cortezes, and crepe-soled shoes. Stick with simple black and white sneakers.
• Use a shoebrush to keep your kicks looking crisp.
• Boots: Cowboy boots, steel-toe boots, and work boots fit the cholo aesthetic.

Accessories

• Wear a black or gray Fedora hat tipped to the side.
• Cover your head with a beanie, du-rag, or hairnet.
• Wrap a bandana around your forehead or hang it from a pocket.
• Put on some black shades – Wayfarers or chunky 90s-style are best.
• Stack rosaries, gold necklaces and medallions for subtle flair.
• Get creative with a belt buckle – skulls, Aztec calendar, or your own name.

Jackets and Outerwear

• Throw on a flannel shirt jacket in black, gray, or brown. Leave it open in warm weather.
• Sports team jackets, especially LA Raiders gear, are a common choice.
• For a badass look, get a black leather motorcycle jacket.
• In colder weather, layer up with a puffy down jacket.

Elevating Your Cholo Style

Once you’ve mastered the basics, start expanding and making it your own:

Tattoos

Visible tattoos are an iconic part of cholo culture. If you want authenticity, be prepared to get some ink:

• Pay homage to your Hispanic heritage with Aztec/Latino imagery or national flags.
• Religious symbols like the Virgin Mary, roses, and crosses have deep significance.
• Old English calligraphy and script make dramatic lettering for names and phrases.
• Show your love for the city with LA-themed tattoos.

Footwear

Take your kicks to the next level:

• Get some custom lowrider-style shoes with metallic paint, multi-colored designs, and chain accents.
• Look for rare, limited-edition sneakers to show your style is legit.
• Keep your footwear crispy and creased with shoe trees and brushes.

Details

Add unique touches that show your cholo personality:

• Get creative with a wallet chain, sunglass chain, or pocket watch chain.
• Iron-on appliques and patches can make any garment more cholo-fied.
• Roll, pin, and cuff your sleeves and pants just right. It’s all in the details.

Layering

Cholos have turned layering into an art form:

• Mix slim and baggy pieces like a tank top under an open flannel under a puffy jacket.
• Keep undershirts pristine white to complement darker colors on top.
• Layer gold chains, rosaries, necklaces, and lanyards for an OPP (Overly Plastered Player) look.

Hairstyles

Switch up your ‘do:

• Use a razor to shave artistic designs into a faded haircut.
• Go for a dyed/bleached mohawk or faux hawk.
• Cornrows, braids, and long hair offer plenty of styling possibilities.

Where To Shop For Cholo Gear

Here are some good spots to pick up cholo clothing and accessories:

• Check Hispanic/Latino clothing stores in your area. Some cater specifically to cholo style.
• Vintage and second-hand shops can turn up unique retro finds.
• Look on Etsy for custom made cholo-style jewelry, accessories, and clothing.
• Sportswear brands like Nike Cortez, Adidas Superstar, and Converse Chuck Taylors offer classic kicks.
• Dickies, Ben Davis, and Carhartt are go-to brands for work pants and shirts.
• Department stores may carry cholo style-approved brands like Joker, Southpole, and ProClub.
• Music stores can have band t-shirts and clothing affiliated with the cholo subcultures of rock, hip-hop, and more.

Achieving the Total Look

Dressing cholo is not just about clothing. It’s an entire aesthetic and lifestyle:

Attitude

• Exude confidence and attitude. Cholos move slow and steady with pride.
• Use cholo slang and lingo from caló, Spanglish, and your local scene.
• Bump oldies, 90s hip hop, funk, and the perfect soundtrack for cruising in your ranfla (car).

Custom Cars

• Invest time and money into fixing up a classic lowrider.
• Install custom hydraulic suspensions, detailed paint jobs, and interior upgrades to make it your own.
• Low and slow – cruise your ranfla down the boulevard hitting switches.

Culture

• Know your history – look into the Mexican-American icons and events that influenced cholo style.
• Get involved in the community. Join a lowrider club or party crew.
• Express yourself through cholo culture like cholombian art, tattooing, graffiti, and music.

Common Cholo Stereotypes

Unfortunately, cholo style is often stereotyped as solely being part of gang culture:

• In reality, not everyone dressing cholo is affiliated with gangs. Many are just proud of their culture.
• Cholos today actively work against the negative stereotypes, through art, education, and community activism.
• There are diverse subcultures within the cholo scene separate from gangs like lowriders, skaters, cholos into punk rock etc.
• Focus on the style and culture’s artistic side. Don’t embrace just the violent, criminal stereotypes from media depictions.
• Be aware of cultural appropriation. As an outsider, avoid fake claiming neighborhoods or gang affiliations.

With knowledge and respect for its roots, you can appreciate cholo style in a thoughtful, nuanced way.

Cholo Dos and Don’ts

When adopting cholo style habits, stay mindful of the cultural significance:

Dos:

• Learn about Mexican-American history and take pride in your culture.
• Support Chicano/Latino artists, designers, music, and cultural events.
• Dress authentically but also make the style your own.
• Get involved in the positive, creative side of the culture.

Don’ts

• Don’t pretend to be affiliated with a gang or neighborhood you have no connection to.
• Don’t adopt the violent, criminal stereotypes associated with cholos.
• Don’t wear another culture’s sacred objects simply for fashion.
• Don’t dress cholo just for a costume or joke. It has deeper meaning than a stereotypical Halloween outfit.
• Don’t appropriate traditions you don’t fully understand. Do your research first.

The cholo look has evolved from decades of history, subcultures, and personal expression. By studying its background and honoring its origins, you can pull it off in an informed, stylish way.

Top 5 Tips for Rocking Cholo Style

In summary, here are 5 key tips for looking like an authentic cholo:

1. Get schooled on the culture – Know your cholo history and what it represents.
2. Dress the part – Commit to the look with the right clothes, kicks, and accessories.
3. Customize your gear – Add your own flair and personal touches. Tattoos, car, style details.
4. Adapt the attitude – Exude pride and attitude. Bump the perfect old school jams.
5. Rep your roots – Embrace your Hispanic heritage and cultural identity.

FAQs

What is the difference between Hispanic, Chicano, and Cholo?

Hispanic refers to people of Spanish cultural origins. Chicano specifically means Mexican-Americans. Cholo originated as a term for lower-class Mexican youth and evolved into a subcultural style.

Do I have to be Hispanic to dress cholo?

You don’t have to be Latino to embrace cholo influences, but you should educate yourself on its deep cultural significance. Avoid appropriating sacred symbols without understanding their meaning.

Can women dress chola?

Yes, women have their own chola style within the culture. Key aspects include dark lipstick, winged eyeliner, hoop earrings, ponytails, and lined lips. cholas favor sharp makeup, tank tops, flannels, and Dickies.

Where did cholo style originate?

Cholo style first emerged in the 1940s among the pachuco youth subculture in Mexican-American communities. It evolved through generations, influenced by gang culture, lowriders, and Chicano identity.

Is cholo style still popular today?

While it evolved from its gang-affiliated roots, cholo style remains an influential street fashion, especially in the Southwest states. Contemporary designers, artists, and musicians keep the aesthetic relevant.

In Conclusion,

Cholo style has a complex, multifaceted history within Mexican-American culture. It’s more than just fashion – it represents resilience, creativity, and pride for an entire community. Exploring the Harry Styles Dress phenomenon is more than a fashion statement; it’s about redefining style with bold choices. By learning about its background, you can discover an iconic look while also paying respect to its origins. With the right knowledge, attitude, and customized details, you can confidently pull off an authentic cholo aesthetic inspired by the fearless spirit of fashion trailblazers like Harry Styles.