James Sydow of Milwaukee poses for a picture on his pedicab on Jan. 20 in downtown Phoenix. (Ben Moffat/The State Press)Behold, a temerarious new world in which the modern man explores his pursuit of sartorial individuality through irony and outré incongruity. A world where the social membrane of what is fashionably acceptable has been breached to the point where men’s fashion has become that of a gallimaufry of different magazines cut out into one incoherent collage. This world, of course, is today’s glorious landscape of men’s fashion, where the new breed of man roams freely without the shadow of denunciation.
Who Is This New Breed of Man?
Simply put, the semblance of an urban vagrant seasoned with the metrosexual flair from the early millennium. You’ve probably observed them before, whether it was at the inner-city coffeehouse, the Apple store or even hard at work in the local Urban Outfitters. This new breed man of man emanates an appearance of inattention to his image when in reality, every contrasting article of clothing is precisely calculated.
How else could one explain a neatly-trimmed combover, an unkempt beard, ripped jeans, a freshly-ironed designer shirt, all while being garnished with thick rimmed non-prescription glasses? The result is like that of a salmagundi salad; a mixture of miscellaneous components that make for one interesting dish.
Evolution or Devolution?
Some believe that the prevailing taste of men has evolved from conformity to individual expression, where intrepidity is celebrated. Some men, probably clad in faded dungarees, believe that skinny jeans and long hair will soon absorb all remaining testosterone, eventually leading to their complete demise.
Upon closer examination, one may find that many contemporary trends were actually prominent in much of earlier times. Long hair, for example, has been associated with masculinity and strength ever since the biblical period. With that being said, could you ever imagine Samson carefully stuffing his flowing mane into a man-bun before grappling with a lion? Could you imagine Dirty Harry laying down on his bed, desperately trying to zip the fly to his glorified denim hosiery before going out to hunt down Scorpio?
What Does the Future Hold?
In previous years alone, we have witnessed new waves of men’s fashion that no pundit or meteorologist could have forecasted. For example, who could have predicted the new moody aesthetic where men wear dark, ninja-like drapery? Who would have guessed that Kanye West would sport a Givenchy kilt or that college kids would carve their crew necks into tank tops that resemble cooking aprons?
There is no way to tell, but what is for sure is that the days of wide lapels, pocket squares and broad shoulders framing decorative ties are long gone. Unless, of course, it is worn in the hands of irony.
Reach the reporter at zmoranno@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @thezackarymoran
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