Keepin' it street Iverson wears what he likes, when he likes ALLEN IVERSON isn't your everyday young urban dweller, dressed in baggy jeans, oversized shirts, Timberland boots and bandannas. To many, the Sixers star is a fashion icon - a poster child for the hip-hop set. But it's not so much for blazing new fashion directions or inspiring a slew of copycat fashions, but for creating a distinct personal style and his boldness in displaying it. Like many, Iverson is a fan of Sean John, the fashion line by hip-hop impresario Sean "Puffy" Combs, and Roca Wear, by Jay-Z, the rapper. Iverson even shops at City Blue, a 19-store chain frequented by thousands of Philadelphians. "He keeps it street," says Nelson Malave, an assistant manager at Dr. Denim, 331 South St. "He wears pretty much what everyone else is wearing." Earlier this month, when he was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player, he raised eyebrows when he showed up in a quintessentially Iverson outfit - an oversized T-shirt, a huge chain and a scarf tied around his head. "Allen Iverson is leading a trend of celebrities who just come as they are," says Lloyd Boston, author of "Men of Color: Fashion, History and Fundamentals." "It's not about being a role model. It's about embracing who they are." For Iverson, that means being among the first in the league to wear his hair in zigzag cornrows. And he continually flouts tradition by dressing down in sweat suits and athletic shoes while his teammates wear suits or sport coats. Back in 1999, Iverson locked horns with Larry Brown after the Sixers coach instituted a team dress code that required players to wear suits or dress coats on road trips. "Who is anyone else to judge if I'm neat?" Iverson said back then. "It's not like I'm coming in dirty, ragged up. I want to be comfortable. I don't see a problem with guys dressing the way they want. I'm not going to let anybody tell me what I [have] to wear." It's just that independence - some say rebelliousness - that has sparked the imagination of many fans who applaud his every fashion move - from his multiple tattoos and pierced ears to his baggy clothing and ever-changing hairstyles. "Iverson is just being real," says Cayande Beaty, assistant manager of Black Roc, 524 S. 4th St. "He has the b---s to be himself and be real." But Iverson also has attracted negative attention. After an April issue of Sports Illustrated featured him shirtless on its cover, the magazine was deluged with hate mail. But that's the chance you take when you adopt an alternative stance, fashion watchers say. "There's a lot of pressure on young men to conform to a tough way of being - not that there's anything wrong with that," says Harriette Cole, president of the New York City-based Profundities, which has groomed such stars as Mary J. Blige and Erykah Badu. "But there needs to be a strategy." Meanwhile, as his level of exposure has increased, Iverson has, at times, modified his look. During last season's playoffs, he wore tailored sports jackets and either a tie or turtleneck sweater to postgame press conferences. Still, his preferred mode of dress remains casual hip-hop gear - a money-patterned do-rag under a backward sun visor, a dark denim jacket that dwarfs his 6-foot frame, a knit skull cap pulled low over his eyes, huge diamond earrings and multiple gold chains with heavy medallions swinging from them. Lloyd Boston, who's also a style correspondent for NBC's "Today" show, points out that even though Iverson dresses street, he does it "in a status way," which "gives you that kind of moneyed edge." Meanwhile, Guy Vana, manager of the City Blue at 12th and Market streets, says Iverson is a regular customer, stocking up on Enyce sweat suits, Roca Wear shorts and other items. If Iverson can't get to his store, Vana delivers merchandise directly to him or one of his assistants. Having Iverson wear his clothes helps Vana move merchandise. He once had a Roca sweat suit that nobody would buy. But after Iverson was spotted in one, it became a fast seller. "People want to be like him," Vana says simply. "They copy him." *		Author Jenice Armstrong   Source Daily News   Return to Articles