The Future?

With all of this in mind, we don't think it's a stretch to say that street style is going to become even more commodified in the future. Just as Twitter, personal style blogs, and even fashion in general have become more ad-driven, commercialized, and — arguably — more accessible and international — so too will street style.

"We are seeing it evolve in the mobile space with Pose, Snapette, etc. It would be smart for brands to have scannable clothing so that when you see someone on the street, you can scan the top and find it right there or one like it if it's from a few seasons ago," says Karen.

Besides new technologies that'll allow people to shop, curate, and share, will the actual way street style is shot change? Even on The Sartorialist, Schuman is starting to revert back to the Bill Cunningham model and is taking photos of real people off the street who don't have magazine bylines, a 24-inch waist, or a villa in Spain. Though the outfits aren't nearly as blockbuster, there's a certain honesty about them that makes it attractive in a different way… but is going back to the roots enough to keep street style vibrant?

Photographed by Mark Iantosca