Written by | Austin Ulen |
From V-necks to shawl-collars, skinny jeans to short shorts, and even men’’s leggings, modern men have had a recent touch from the feminine side in the fashion world. Thanks mostly to the high-fashion world of Europe, the metrosexual of yesterday is today’’s mass market.
Some may take offense to the idea of men not wearing a traditional suit, or a tT-shirt and jeans. Some would argue that it’’s just not masculine and doesn’t represent what a man should be, but it seems inevitable. If trends continue in this direction, where does society have to draw the line with gender roles in style of clothing? The answer: nowhere. The line doesn’t need to exist. In fact, it hardly ever has.
Through the 1600’s, and even into the 18th and early 19th centuries, men wore some of the most decorative and flamboyant, costume-like attire of any period in history. Not only were their puffy sleeves adorned in gold trim and lace, but they almost always wore leggings or a type of hose. That’s right,men were trying to keep their legs warm with skin-tight goodness long before women.
Throughout history men have even worn high-heeled shoes for both practical reasons and as a fashion statement. It wasn’t until the 1800’s, and especially during the last century, that men’’s fashion began to truly separate itself from the femininity of previous norms. Men began wearing suits. The suit
became the staple of a gentleman’’s wardrobe. During the first half of the 1900’’s, this trend coincided,
and was cemented as a standard, due because of the societal roles of men and women during and after war times.
Fast forward to the present day. Societal roles are beginning to blur, alternative lifestyles are becoming more accepted, and Jaden Smith is modeling dresses. Overall, equality is reaching a point of normalcy. Body art and modifications are becoming more accepted in the work place. Fashion choices should be no different.
To judge or criticize someone based on whether they wear “meggings” instead of a flannel shirt and suspenders is simply ignorant. It doesn’t change the value of their worth in society and what they contribute. A banker’’s ability to count money or file a loan application isn’’t affected by his one-
strap man -purse. A doctor’’s ability to have a steady hand while holding a scalpel next to your vital
organs isn’’t affected by his fitted pants and fur-lined jacket. A newspaper journalist’’s ability to write a great story isn’t affected by his pink, leopard print tights. In fact, it may have made it better.
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