Is Thrasher For Posers? (2024)

Thrasher, it seems, is being used by posers to further their rebel credentials. Thrasher tees and hoodies have been popping up all over the place recently. Skateboarders hate seeing them being worn by non-skaters. Let us explore why this is and if Thrasher is for posers?

Thrasher is not for posers, but their apparel is being worn by many non-skaters, celebrities, Instagrammers, and even models. With popular slogans like “Born to Skate,” “Skate or Die,” it’s clear that the wearing of Thrasher gear goes hand-in-hand with being a skateboarder and earning that right.

There was a time when only the most deserving skateboarders dared to wear a Thrasher tee or hoodie. With slogans like “Skate or Die” and “Born to Skate,” the non-skating public did not dare to venture into wearing one without actually owning a skateboard. Today, even Spiderman wears one, and it’s ruffling some feathers.

Thrasher: The Anti-Poser Brand

Any brand’s goal is to grow to make more money, but Thrasher was never your typical brand if it was a brand at all. Thrasher is a skate magazine founded in 1981 – called “The Bible” – which teaches readers how to become part of the skateboarding culture and pursue goals aggressively.

They represented opposition to the status quo – how to live life on your terms – without ever having to become a sheep, like the masses of today willingly embrace. Being told by celebrities, Instagram influencers, and Fashion magazines what to wear to be trendy is not something Thrasher would promote.

You get to earn the chance to proudly wear a Thrasher shirt by, most importantly, riding a skateboard and maintaining a certain lifestyle. The lifestyle of an actual skateboarder. Trasher gear represents a skater’s experience – the journey involved – a badge of honor if you like.

Thrasher chooses a “Skater of the Year” annually, and this reward goes to the skater who has skated and destroyed any obstacle in his way over the last 12 months. The award glorifies the mental and physical anguish a skater goes through when learning to perfect the art of skateboarding. Only the worthiest wins the award – not every Andrew, Justin, and Ryan.

What Is The Definition Of A Thrasher Poser?

According to feedback on the popular site Urban Dictionary, a Thrasher poser is described as the following:

• “So, Thrasher’s a skate mag… but for some people it’s an aesthetic. If you wear Thrasher and shop at Zumiez, sorry dude you’re a poser.”
• Annoying girl: “OMG! That Trasher shirt is so stylish!” Paul Rodriquez: “Huh?” Annoying girl: “Can I get one at Century 21?”
• “A clothing brand that used to be worn by skaters but now is just a cash-grab for pre-teens that want to flex.”
• “The definition of trying to be cool.”
• “Usually a poser, or a fake skater who buys Thrasher apparel from Zumiez.”

What Is The Definition When Being Called A Thrasher?

According to Urban Dictionary, a Thrasher is the following:

• “A dedicated skateboarder or in-line skater. Someone who considers it not just a sport, but a lifestyle.”
• “A word commonly used by the super-cool gen z’s to describe someone who is a good skateboarder.”
• “A name used for a really good skater in the 1980s. Stacey Peralta is a total Thrasher.”

Why Is Thrasher In Fashion, Worn By Posers Everywhere?

Think about it, when you see Trasher apparel being worn by a non-skater, or poser as actual skateboarders unlovingly call them, the person is wearing a “magazine.” A magazine with a code that their readers live by (“Skate and Destroy”) symbolizes respect earned through hours of practice, broken bones, blood, and sweat to land the gnarliest of tricks.

Now imagine former Spiderman, Andrew Garfield, or Justin Bieber strutting their stuff in Trasher, having never gone through the trials and tribulations of skateboarding, just trying to skim off the legendary attitude that Trasher portrays.

Add a model on the catwalk, wearing the flaming Thrasher logo, at Paris Fashion Week; you know something isn’t right. W Magazine shouted to the world that you don’t have to own a skateboard or be able to skate to embrace today’s skater style.

Racked followed suit with an article, “The Cult Skate Mag Beloved by Rihanna and Ryan Gosling.” Vogue’s “How did Thrasher tee become every cool model’s off-duty staple?” article put Thrasher in the spotlight, a spotlight that detracts from the magazine’s ethos.

Instagrammers wearing Thrasher today want to be seen as badass, when in fact, it makes them look lame-ass, as any skater will tell you. Lil ‘Wayne built an actual skatepark on his roof, taking up skating and promoting the lifestyle, so technically, he is good-to-go when deciding if he may wear a Trasher shirt.

Blame the Hollywood machine for the uptake in Trasher gear being worn. Ryan Gosling, Rihanna, and fellow A-listers are all piggybacking of Thrasher to enhance their profiles, thinking they will get instant street-cred when displaying the logo, a “Badder than you” declaration without actually being badass.

Legendary Editor-in-Chief of Thrasher magazine, Jake Phelps, has this to say about the new trend “We don’t send boxes to Justin Bieber or Rihanna or those f****** clowns.” Phelps implores people to justify their fashion statements, “The pavement is where the real s*** is. Blood and scabs, does it get realer than that?”

Skateboarding, subsequently Trasher, comes with a built-in-cool-anti-establishment vibe thanks to skateboarding legends of old. Suddenly, people want to be connected to that rebellious mantra that only true skateboarders live by, and that’s not a problem, as long as you skate.

Sub-cultures of any kind are increasingly becoming common culture, as the world runs out of ideas or rehashes the past to become the present again. Any person can wear whatever they like. It’s all about paying respect to what you are wearing.

It may only be graffiti on a shirt, but somebody sacrificed something for that graffiti somewhere along the line. It may just be a Buddhist monk robe, but remember the effort and self-discipline that the robe represents.

It feels like nothing is sacred in the world anymore, and as Phelps himself would say about the music and fashion industry confiscation efforts of the skating scene, “It’s corny as s***.”

Conclusion

Skateboarding is a sport of sacrifice, commitment, and a way of life. Thrasher apparel symbolizes the journey of everyone who has ever picked up a skateboard and pushed himself to the limit to become better.

Even though you are allowed to wear what you want, maybe choose something other than a Thrasher hoodie, as when a true skateboarder sees you in public without a board, a few remarks may be flying around. Or better yet, use them as pajamas, and don’t paste selfies of you in it on Instagram.

“Skate or Die”