Dressing as a Man: Effortless or Arduous?
Male fashion is a duality of expectation: some are manageable when compared to the standard for women, and others particularly limiting due to gender and sexuality “norms” as well as hypermasculinity.
One way men benefit from fashion expectations is the bar to be considered “fashionable:” it’s much lower than that of women. Societal norms expect women to look “presentable,” to shave, and always look conventionally attractive. This distorted and objectification of women (throughout quite literally all of history) places female value not in one’s character or actions but in beauty. While one could argue presentability is a standard for men as well, it is not nearly as high of an expectation as it is for women. Because of this lowered expectation to dress well, fewer guys see it as a valued use of their time. Moreover, because fewer guys dress well, if a man dresses marginally better than those around him, he easily meets the lowered standard to be considered fashionable.
A basic look on a woman can qualify as a stylish look on a man.
But while the bar to be considered fashionable as a guy might be low, even getting to that bar proves a challenge. One of the reasons for this is the increased fear of being different. Self-exploration and divergence from the “male normal” is not only less encouraged but actively discouraged for men. Immediately venturing outside this male norm directly opens one up to the stigmatization of being gay. While progressive strides have been made to destigmatize being gay, there still exists a negative stigma surrounding the suspicion of one being queer, as well as blatant discrimination against queer people themselves. Furthermore, looking different can very easily be construed as being gay or queer, hence discouraging any deviation from the norm for fear of othering and discrimination.
Another reason reaching the fashionable bar for men is difficult is due to terrible role models. While TikTok has popularized stylish men such as fashion influencer Wisdom Kaye (@wisdm), who showcases a variety of outfits widely straying from normal male fashion, more “alpha male” YouTubers remain prevalent. Examples of these figures include “alpha m.” and “Teachingmensfashion” on YouTube, both pushing the hypermasculine narrative as essential to being a stylish guy. As a result, when your average man looks up the term “fashion” on YouTube or Pinterest, they are flooded with images of muscular men, thighs bulging from their tapered pants with biceps ready to tear through their shirt sleeves.
This portrayal of a stylish man is utter nonsense. Rather than giving any thought to fit, silhouette, proportions, layering, cohesion, etc., this hypermasculine style focuses on muscles. It pushes the objective that guys must bury all femininity, replacing it with macho and muscle in an abhorrent attempt to appear stylish. Instead this standard degrades and warps self-image, discouraging exploration.
Dressing as a guy is both eased and hindered by expectation. While there is a much lower bar for men to be considered fashionable, even walking the path to get there is difficult. This is especially the case when that path is filled with terrible fashion advice and constricting expectations, forcing one to stay closer to the “regular and expected” man for fear of being othered. However, should one surpass the expectations and norms, a world of exploration, comfort, and self-truth is revealed.
Personal Note:
I decided to write this article because I’ve felt both pros and cons to wearing more traditionally feminine clothes like crop tops since starting to expand my style. On one hand, it’s been unnerving, always feeling watched and judged for wearing something “unusual.” But on the other hand, it’s been especially freeing and has made my personal style seem much more genuine. If one’s safety is not threatened by dressing a certain way, my advice is to always dress for self over society. Here’s some cool pics from the same mirror of me in a crop top for boundary-breaking inspiration:
Sources:
https://youtu.be/DA2PqBAyGqI
https://www.tiktok.com/@thestyleturnernyc/video/7119587750352932139?_r=1&_t=8VcGScH2DmN&is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7119587750352932139
Images:
https://i-d.vice.com/en/article/n7j89b/7-of-dennis-rodmans-most-iconic-outfits
https://pin.it/2nSqzV5
https://okmagazine.com/deals/hailey-bieber-street-style-amazon-outfit-inspiration-shop/
https://wellbuiltstyle.com/the-ideal-physique-for-maximizing-your-style/
https://www.vogue.co.uk/news/article/hailey-bieber-baggy-jeans-and-white-t-shirt
