For me personally the Basic Bastard era trend came at a perfect time. I was in my late 20's to early 30's and settled into my corporate career. I wanted to be fashionable yet presentable in the office and outside the office. Basic Bastard was PERFECT. Slim chinos and OCBD was the base then expand from there with layers. If I wanted to step it up one day I come in with a slim fit suit that looks tailormade in contrast to the boomers in the office wearing a baggy illfiting suit from Jos A Bank. Then I changed my hairstyle to the side part combover(which I STILL have to this day)
It was awesome because the trend perfectly fit the the season of life I was in. I dressed more like an adult AND it was fashionable and hip. The same outfit I'd wear in the office I could wear at a Christmas party, a date night with my girlfriend, or even on the streets of SOHO and be considered stylish. It was an awesome time because the style was so versatile.
Now if I go out somewhere with a basic bastard chinos and OCBD my friends would ask "did you just leave the office?" To be hip and stylish today the outfit looks like something way out in left field that if you wore in an office people would question your outfit. If you wore that in a non fashion forward city people would wonder "what is up with this guy?" What you wear in the office, on a date night out, or on the streets of SOHO are all now different outfits.
I like the comfort of todays trends but I often fondly reminisce about 2010's mens fashion.