What's Your Take on Modern Men's Fashion (Not Talkin About Tieless Busi- Casual Crap)

[Lady Day]

I don't men's fashions to be as prone to going out of style to women's, yet I also am frustrated that men's formalwear is basically quite similar to that worn 175 years ago. If anything it has gotten more stringent.

Why has men's fashion been limited to black suit, white tie since basically the French Revolution? I can understand it happening in France (if you dress to nice, you're a bougeiousie and off with your head), but why has it happened everywhere else?

My understanding of the formal aspect of a man's suit is that as the man, he was the stately half of the couple, a foundation, a center, where as the woman would be dressed in a more flowing, colorful or flamboyant costume. The initial attention would go to her, and then be returned to him, because she was his counter part.

Take whatever psychological meaning you want with that (I am personally thinking song bird to a place to perch), and not saying that mens fashion did not have its own 'plumage' so to speak, but that has always been my logic on the topic.

I now exit wild kingdom.

LD

 

[Feraud]

I cannot see any logic in the comment that men's formalwear has gotten more stringent.
Society has certainly loosened it's rules over such matters.

If a guy wants to be a peacock and wear a turquoise tuxedo, no one is going to stop him. [huh]

 

[Jerekson]

What's your take on modern fashion?

Hmm...let me see. Sucks, sucks, sucks sucks, sucks, and...sucks.

It might stink a little too.

 

[DerMann]

modern, yet clean:
http://bp1.blogger.com/_qjpwnPW4c1o/SEUrwcG1cLI/AAAAAAAADeI/_l6jt1DCnGA/s1600-h/6028Ianweb.jpg

His clothes are far too small :\

One trend I've really noticed (spent a lot of time at an airport today) is that business men are starting to wear their shirt sleeves un-buttoned and partially rolled up (just over the wrist). Very disturbing.

 

[LondonLuke]

His clothes are far too small :\

One trend I've really noticed (spent a lot of time at an airport today) is that business men are starting to wear their shirt sleeves un-buttoned and partially rolled up (just over the wrist). Very disturbing.

I do that at work sometimes, stops cufflinks knocking against the desk as I type. And of course, there's no such thing as a shirt without french cuffs

 

[DerMann]

That also ends up happening to me, but I usually just deal with it. If I am going to do any sort of manual labour (god forbid ), I take out the cuff links and roll up the sleeves - after the jacket comes off.

But for walking around, in public?

 

[LondonLuke]

Not in public. Strolling around the office, yeah, but going out to lunch or home? Never

 

[resortes805]

Well, at least sports shirts with rolled sleeves look vintage and cool.

 

[cookie]

I do that at work sometimes, stops cufflinks knocking against the desk as I type. And of course, there's no such thing as a shirt without french cuffs

A friend of mine was travelling with an Aussie Senator who was notoriously vain (aka well dressed) regarding attire and he made that sort of comment to the friend to whom he gave a lift to in the Comonwealth car...along the lines that you had to admire a man that wore a french cuff...this was back in the buttoned down 1990s.

Your advice is spot on and correct unless you wish to destroy the cufflinks and shirt at the same time.

 

[arthur]

Umm, catchers and submarine captains invented that style, more than 100 years ago. Does it really bother you that much? Of all the abhorrent trneds in modern-day fashion, that should be the least of your worries. How about the girls with 150 tatoos? Guys with 150 piercings?

It is a visible symbol of the degradation of standards and the crassness and vulgarity of our society as a whole.Remember the Odd Couple,how Oscar Madison dressed?Well that unfortunatly has become the norm.It speaks to a lack of respect in yourself and the people you deal with.The backward basecap is not the issue,but it is a symptom of a much greater problem and probably the reason most of are interested in the the vintage lifestyle is to provide an escape to a time when manners and decorum meant something.

 

[arthur]

Oh and most often guys with 150 piercings are also wearing a backward baseball cap.

 

[Jerekson]

Or ski cap...

 

[3PcSuit]

Ultimately, while casualness has become more acceptable, the variety of choices men have in dressing themselves is a small percentage of the options that women have.

Basically I am lamenting the fact that my "party clothes" are the same as my "work clothes". Is there anything wrong with [straight] men wanting to have some nice clothes in which to hit the party scene? Let me just say that a black suit does *not* say "here to party" except at a wedding.

Again, there's nothing wrong with stately, at a wedding, the office, etc., but I don't want to wear jeans unless I am doing really dirty work, or unless I am on the family farm. There needs to be an alternative to stately and casual. Lol, like the "6 Million Dollar Man " look of the '70s, chest hair, bling, white leisure suit or something. Where is the modern-day equivalent of that?

 

[LondonLuke]

You could wear 40s casual when going out. casual trousers, shirt, no tie, sweater. Relaxed enough to party, but not dressed like a slob either

 

[DOUGLAS]

3PcSuit, have you checked out designers like Yoji Yamamoto, Matsuda or Miyaki. They all make high end mens clothing with a twist. All would be fine going out clothing. Ultimately, clothing is clothing is clothing and wanting clothing to be creative will be a losing battle. It is up to the wearer in my opinion to be expressive and imaginative. The combinations of color and fabric, detail and flair are endless. It is merely a risk one needs to take to pull it off well.

 

[Will]

Basically I am lamenting the fact that my "party clothes" are the same as my "work clothes".

Just cover yourself in Spencer Hart.