The man that inspired the Air Jordans and the face of the NBA throughout his wildly successful career, Michael Jordan, is one of the original professional athlete style icons. These days, NBA stars like Serge Ibaka and Russell Westbrook are mainstream fashion trendsetters, but it?s clear that Michael Jordan helped to pave the way for athlete-fashion influencers.

In honour of MJ always being one step ahead of the competition, we?re going to count down 10 of His Airness? best looks over the years that also happen to be 2020 fashion trends.

Before we continue, let?s get this out of the way - you?ll find plenty of sources that will knock Jordan?s personal style. There?s even a Tumblr page that is dedicated to humorously calling out the outfits he rocked over the last decade. Although some choices seem outlandish to the untrained eye, the more seasoned fashionista may see more similarities to the runway than meets the eye.

Take a look at our picks here and decide for yourself if the basketball legend is also a fashion trendsetter.

#10 - Denim-on-Denim

Image courtesy of Cut4 on Twitter

Kicking off our list is Michael Jordan throwing out the first pitch at Game 1 of the 1993 American League Championship series between the Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays at Comiskey Park in Chicago. MJ rocked the ?Canadian Tuxedo? - denim on denim. The Blue Jays, of course, went on to win their second straight World Series in 1993, so perhaps his choice of apparel inspired the Jays! Today, the Canadian tuxedo trend is ever as popular!

#9 - The Bucket Hat

MJ in a bucket hat

This one might come from MJ?s love of golf. In his prime, Jordan frequently sported a bucket hat to protect himself from the sun, becoming a bit of a fashion trademark for him in the process. In 2019, the trendy kids all started wearing them, catching up to Michael?s style. Today, the bucket hat remains an important look and still worn as a fashion statement.

#8 - The Polo

MJ sporting a polo

Perhaps once again driven by his love for the game of golf, Michael Jordan can frequently be seen sporting a polo. Whether you are a fan of the traditional polo or not, polo shirts are a hot 2020 trend, leading to a variety of styles beyond the traditional look. Polo style sweaters, long sleeve polo shirts, and even polos with open v-neck details are all styles you?ll see a lot of this year, making it easy to find one that fits your personal style best.

#7 - The Mock Neck

Courtside wearing a mock neck

In the 90s, MJ gambled on the mock neck and in 2020, the world can?t get enough of it. You see some of the best dressed men swapping out the suit, shirt, and tie, with a fitted mock neck or turtleneck as a cornerstone of their style today. The trend is one we see sticking around for the long term!

#6 - The Oversized Suit

Jordan ad from the late 90s, wearing an oversized suit

Before NBA players knew the tunnel would eventually be a quasi runway, MJ would rock the oversized suit before his games. In a GQ article it was revealed that the first of hundreds of oversized suits arrived from Michael?s tailor as a one-measurement custom suit prototype. The idea was the suit would be adjusted to be slimmer, but MJ liked it enough as is. So much so that he would order 13 more like it that very day. He also later revealed that all of his other suits he owned in the past felt too short. Today, brands like Fendi, Paul Smith, and several others show oversized tailoring as a top trend.

#5 - 90s Nostalgia

Jordan embodying 90s style

Michael Jordan catapulted to stardom in the 80s and became the biggest star on the planet during the 90s. Perhaps MJ nostalgia is part of the reason why such similar looks are sold by streetwear brands globally in 2020. Without a doubt, the 90s trend is bigger than ever and with the millions tuning in to The Last Dance and being reminded of that distinct 90s look, we predict it that this trend will be sticking around for a while.

#4 - The Oversized Leather Jacket

MJ's leather jacket

While many publications were quick to knock MJ?s leather jacket from the 2007 NBA All-Star slam dunk competition, you could also say he was way ahead of the curve. Michael wore this jacket and paired it with baggy jeans. The short lapels and ultra high button stance are runway looks, and oversized leather garments are an important projected trend for Fall 2020.

#3 - The Tuxedo

MJ's in a tuxedo

Michael wasn?t just the king on the court, he was also the king of endorsements. Here, MJ is posing for a shoot looking sharp as can be. There?s no denying the workplace has gotten more casual, but the modern man still has a place for formalwear and the tuxedo is here to stay!

According to an article published by Yahoo! Sports, this particular photoshoot, which captured Michael wearing white socks with the tux, resulted in hoards of people questioning if men can start wearing white sports socks with a tuxedo. Apparently, the stylist responsible for the photo shoot had not intended to shoot Michael below his knees, and only dressed him for half body shots.

Oh, and in case you?re wondering ? the answer is no. Don?t wear white socks with your tux!

#2 - The Vibrant Colors

MJ in Barcelona circa 1992. Image courtesy of The Outfitter Instagram

While we can see other iconic 90s stars pulling off these looks, nobody does it quite like Mike as seen in this photo from Barcelona, where he was repping the Dream Team in the ?92 Summer Olympics. Today, vibrant colors are making a huge comeback, and a trend Gotengo highlighted as one of the most important and easy to rock ones for 2020. Read all about the top trends for 2020 here.

#1 - The Air Jordan

The original Air Jordan

Did you REALLY expect anything but the iconic Air Jordan to be #1 on this list??

The #1 trend that Michael Jordan brought to the world is unquestionably the Air Jordan. Each generation of these shoes have created intense hype among the sneakerhead subculture across the globe. These shoes have helped to establish the ?line up culture? (waiting in line for potentially hours to get your hands on a new release) and you could possibly argue that the shoe played a large role in inventing the popular ?drop? trend we see these days.

Looking back, it almost seems surreal to think that Nike had low expectations for the line when they first signed Michael Jordan, but the incredible success undoubtedly played a large role in the many iconic endorsements that followed for Jordan, both within and outside of the apparel industry. Today, NBA players? faces are synonymous with the brands they endorse. Think LeBron James and Sprite. Shaq and Reebok. Kawhi Leonard and New Balance. They all became champs and raked in huge endorsements deals like Mike!

What are your thoughts on this list? Do you agree or disagree that MJ?s style was ahead of its time?

If nothing else, perhaps this trip down memory lane has you eager to binge The Last Dance (and if you haven?t, don?t hesitate to check it out!) or has you yearning for the return of the NBA.

If you need to kill more time, check out these other articles, or browse through the styles at Gotengo and get some retail therapy!

• The Many Looks of Serge Ibaka
• Four style Trends for 2020
• How to Dress for WFH

We leave you with this:

?I believe greatness is an evolutionary process that changes and evolves era to era.?
-Michael Jordan

Be great gentlemen.