The simple answer is, yes you can! Extended version: It’s a little tricky to combine well – these two don’t have the same energy on their own. Lean and moody is Cold Culture; Live Fast Die Young is louder and bolder. Smoothly combine them, and the garment does battle for itself. Combine them with a plan and you’ll create a style that seems more personal than a fashion house catalogue.
Many individuals wear styles from both brands yet never puts together a look with them, simply because it’s a habit. They take their shirts to be brand specific. What is all about is a waste of a wardrobe. That’s why streetwear is street wear: to create your own combinations, and these two brands provide plenty of room to do just that.
The reason why the Two Brands actually work together:
Both brands are present in the same space, streetwear, and their cuts already “talk” to each other. Loose, weighty, dropped shoulder sweatshirts and pants which are loose and voluminous. Without that similar shape there would be no mixing at all! You’re not giving an out of shape formal piece next to a baggy piece, so the silhouette remains even with new branding.
It’s all about the mood. Cold Culture designs draw into themselves, and are often quieter, with both less color and little. Live Fast Die Young is more shouting, and has larger prints and more effective colour hits. Rather than viewing that as conflict, think of it as balance. Here, one brand can deliver on the volume while another takes care of the outfit.
You can imagine it similarly to music. The song becomes noise when all the instruments are played at the same time and with the same volume. But when one leads, and others support, things become clearer. Your clothing does, too, and these two brands tend to play both these jobs.
The One Loud Piece Rule
The simplest method to mix them is to have only one element of the combination talking. Wear a plain Cold Culture bottom with a large graphic on the front of your LFDY hoodie and wear otherwise simple items. Turn it round and when wearing a noticeable “Cold Culture” piece, opt for an LFDY basic to layer under or over that.
Two large elements in one costume vie for attention, to no avail. The whole appearance is fumbled because your eye doesn’t know where to focus. One statement, one support. This one habit will correct the majority of mixing problems before they occur.
With this rule comes the benefit of dressing up quickly. You don’t have to stand before your closet wondering what goes with what, you begin with the piece you want to flaunt on that particular day. All other aspects fall in place behind that. After a few times making outfits in this manner, you’ll do it automatically.
Matching Colors Across Both Brands
The combination in color is what either brings the two together or tears them apart. It evens up around safe neutrals. Both brands will employ a lot of black, washed grey, off-white and earthy colors, so if you start your outfit in one of these darker hues, you will have enough space to turn it into a single accent.
The easiest is to pull a colour from graphic, which works in all instances. Imagine the detail that is stuck in the print has a little red one on your LFDY piece. Pair it with a red accent somewhere else – even a red pair of socks or beanie – and the outfits look premeditated. With Cold Culture’s subdued palette it’s easy, since it doesn’t often throw a color in that quibbles with the accent you selected.
Here are some special mention that must be given to washed tones. Faded and vintage-fabric with actual vintage woollies work great with both of these brands. Washed black Cold Culture hood and washed grey LFDY sweat at their core creates an intentional look without hardly any effort; it shares a common surface as the faded texture. When in doubt, one of the initial tests to see if a combination may be right is to check if the wash levels match.
Another suggestion for darker clothing. It is nearly always a go to mix these two brands of black together, but listen for shade of black. This deep jet black and faded black can appear out of place in the daylight hours. Choose 1 or both to fade or crisp both.
Some ideas for outfits you can emulate:
Some examples of combinations that illustrate how the balances are applied.
Wear a Cold Culture hoodie with LFDY sweatpants with a small leg print for a day wear look. The print on the body of the piece is interesting and the top is cool. Just complete with a simple sneaker and you’ve got it all done. It’s a type of attire for class parties, errands or meeting friends without being too “on the ball.
Pair up an LFDY graphic tee with an open zip Cold Culture jacket for a cooler day. It’s a subtle graphic that shows through, rather than being overly forceful. Here’s the best way to wear a loud t-shirt without it being overwhelming. You’ll also get the added advantage of the outfit’s volume that can be either increased or decreased throughout the day with the zipper.
Turn the weight upside down for a more dramatic night outfit. The top layer should be a statement LFDY hoodie, underneath can be a Cold Culture cargos or a straight sweatpants with dark footwear. This is also good for the outfit, as all parts underneath the hoodie are in a single tone family.
To wear in warmer weather, use an LFDY tee, Cold Culture shorts and low profile sneakers. Sweater jackets make for less bulky looks, which translates to breathable summer streetwear – or death. If you wish to add another layer, a cap either from the former label or the latter is sufficient.
Mistakes that Kill the Mix!
Most often people stack two large logos on top of each other. A labelled hoodie and a labelled jacket facing forward make you a walking discussion between two labels. Spread out or conceal a layer of the brand.
One of these is ignoring the weight of the fabric. Both brands cut big, so it can appear bulky to wear a thick hoodie with thick pants. Pair a heavy top with straight legs of pants (or vice versa) to maintain a certain structure of the outfit. This is especially important if you’re wearing oversized sizes, as the superfluous amount of top and bottom will eat away at your frame.
The final error is trying to pursue too many colours. Streetwear is a style that pays off a lot because of restraint. Only two or three colours for each outfit is enough. Beyond that, it’s as though the mix is accident.
The Mix “as if it’s their own”
After you have a grasp of the plain basic concepts, begin breaking the rules a bit. Perhaps your “one loud piece rule” extends to a soft graphic on each side, provided they sort of match. Perhaps you like to break the neutral base with one bright layer. A personal style does not arise from the preparatory period of experimentation.
Accessories are the places to begin. A beanie, a cap or even just a little chain may hold the two brands together without any additional layer of clothes. Let accessories keep their tone family as the clothes and accessories work together to complete your outfit.
It’s also a wonderful resource to take a mirror photo of combos you enjoy. Often what is nice in your head isn’t nice on your figure, and if you’re not sure, just grab a picture. You will make a collection of trumps you like over time and then things will take about 2 minutes to do.
So Should You Mix Them?
Cold Culture and Live Fast Die Young do not really clash with each other, especially since they fit together so well. Now the hard part: how to manage attention. One should lead and the colors should be compressed, and the brand is spread out. Play it safe first and then go for your own when you know what works for you. Do that and no one will inquire about the brand you’re wearing. They will only ask where the outfit came from: that’s the response you want.
