Dressing as a Man

A short examination on where men's fashion is currently standing.

First of all, I’m not commenting on the outbreak of the latest conflict in the Middle East because it’s far too soon to have even a slight resemblance of any real understanding of what is going on at any level, whether it be tactical, strategic or diplomatic. The short answer is, I don’t know; glad I’m not sitting under a potential missile.

So with that out of the way, I want to talk briefly about men’s fashion in the current age. I read an article by a chap referring to himself as Tanner Guzy on the topic of what is going to replace the suit, (the funny dresses that the muzzies wear, ammiright?? - boom, chick).

Anyhoo, I thought this quote was interesting:

If you go look at the social media feeds of any man who’s even remotely pushing boundaries and trying to experiment with his aesthetic you’ll see comments about how try-hard or awkward or queer or fake or whatever else it is.

Creativity and expression for their own sake are currently more ridiculed than celebrated in the men’s style space and I don’t know if it always has been or always will be that way.

Well, it was that way when I was a young man back in Perth, Australia in the late 80s. If you dressed well you stood the risk of having the shit kicked out of you. Mind you, Perth is the most parochial city of the most parochial nation on earth, so maybe it isn’t the best example. I worked with a guy from Sydney about ten years ago. He told me that he had a suit for wearing in Perth and then his suits to wear in the rest of Australia. You have to dress down in Perth or you can find yourself in strife, and that goes for the cut of your jib.

I dress well. I get told that rather a lot. But I dress in a way that is not designed to get any attention. I merely attempt to look like I care about how I look, but without standing out like an awkward peacock at a gathering of seagulls. I had a hard time trying to figure this stuff out when I was a young man, both for the fact that any mistakes could result in a beating, but also because I had nobody to guide me. So here are my general thoughts on dressing.

The suit. I go with navy blue or grey. Timeless, classic, looks great and they’ll always be relevant and in style without being flashy. Sure, you can go out a purchase that purple suit, but there is no way you can wear it two days in a row without everyone knowing that you’re wearing it two days in a row. I also like brown shoes with a suit, but I live in Italy so I can get away with that sort of thing.

Smart casual. This very rarely means T-shirts. It means any part of a tracksuit. Smart casual is the deadliest minefield of modern fashion that exists. If you can get smart casual right then you’re on top of it.

I’m not going to come up with a list of what I wear in this regard. All I will say is this: if you’re struggling then pick a men’s fashion icon from the past and try and learn from that. For example, Steve McQueen, who was the king of smart casual. The turtle neck sweater with the blazer and chinos. He wore that in all manner of combinations for decades. In the meantime the turtle neck came in and out of fashion. But McQueen just did his own thing.

Today, doing your own thing means no mention of social media. If you’re posting social media feeds of what you’re wearing then it automatically signals that you are a slave to other people’s good opinion. Which is the definition of being a try-hard. In order to pull off a look that projects masculinity, you have to nurture the subtle art of really not giving a shit.

So dressing well entails two philosophies. The first is that you give a shit enough to dress well and put other people at ease. The second philosophy is that you don’t give a shit about receiving approval. Which is the essence of confidence. Seeking approval is anathema to a man who does his own thing while respecting social norms and understanding that he is still a member of society. Any yob can be a rebel; that’s boring, unimaginative and lazy. Striking your own path in the way that I have outlined here is far more challenging, but much more rewarding.

Take time to build your wardrobe. I have a Hugo Boss wool and cashmere coat that I purchased in London over 20 years ago, and it still looks amazing. The reason for that is that it is a classic cut and I have looked after it. Quality hangers are your clothes’ friends. Classic cuts means that your kids will be stealing your clothes.

I mentioned the suit because the article I linked to is pondering if the suit is going to die. I don’t ponder that question; I merely wear a suit when I feel like it and when the situation calls for it. Save up and get yourself a good one. I don’t own a tailored suit, although I do own tailored shirts. My favourite suit is one by Paul Smith that I purchased off the rack back when the brand wasn’t completely homosexual. It still looks and wears beautifully today.

Anyway, you don’t need to be searching for creativity and expression in men’s fashion. We are in a time of major upheaval, and I personally think it is similar to the 60s in the regard that that period was about moving away from classic styles but this period is going to move back towards classic styles. Just my opinion, and I’m sure that many will disagree with me, no problem there. But that viewpoint orients how I dress, and like I said, I am known for dressing well in an understated manner. Just sayin’.