It is a tale as old as time. Women come dressed to the nines to award shows and red carpets in the most ethereal ensembles we have ever seen, and still get ripped to pieces. Yet men wear the same classic tuxedos they always wear and have been wearing since the dawn of Hollywood and no one says a word. It’s time we admit it. Men’s fashion is lacking and is not being held to the standard that it should be. Why should women only be the ones who have to do the most? Why can’t a woman just wear a simple black gown when her plus one is the one wearing the bells and whistles? Men’s fashion slips through the cracks and it’s time for a change.
I won’t go on and say that men never wear extravagant pieces, there is the occasional winner. A prime example would be the late Chadwick Boseman at the 2018 Met Gala wearing a breathtaking Versace ensemble consisting of a white button-down shirt and blazer, paired with ivory pants and cape embroidered with gold crosses and red tassels connected by a chain to complete the look.
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While he still based his look on the classic tuxedo pieces, he elevated the look to much more. That is the key when dressing men for high press events. Oftentimes the industry overlooks the styling of men and men's fashion collections in general. Due to the standard being a black tux and a nice pair of shoes for so long, we have stopped caring altogether about what men wear. Not only is that unfair to the women of the industry, once again perpetuating the idea that women have to work harder for their place, but it also does a disservice to the men. Men should not be shamed for wearing something out there, nor should it be seen as an anomaly.
This harkens back to a previous article I wrote about the recent surge in androgynous fashion. Harry Styles got mercilessly shamed online for wearing a dress on his 2022 Vogue cover shoot, but that is exactly the energy we need to be channeling when styling men. I am not saying that all men need to wear dresses because that is not the style or vibe of every man. What I am saying is that we should not be scared to think outside of the box and go beyond the traditional idea of what a man should or should not wear. If we look at this year's most recent spring and summer collections at Fashion Week, we see a lot of sparkles and a lot of crochet. We are entering an era in fashion in which it is okay for a man to come across as softer.
I believe that a common ideology that dates back to the Golden Age of Hollywood is that a man has to be tough and sharp. However, just because a man wears a sparkled vest or a crocheted top does not take away from his masculinity nor does it make him any weaker. Clothes only have power if you give it to them. The great thing about fashion is that you get to make an active choice every day of what you want to convey to the world that day. Female celebrities have been doing it for decades, a prime example being Billie Eilish. Eilish is frequently blurring the lines between femininity and masculinity blending large tailored suit jackets with a tighter, more feminine skirt and makeup.
via Autoro Holmes/Getty Images
While this all circles back to that surge in androgyny, it also boils down to the stereotype that fashion is a women's industry.
These men bring so much joy and magic to our screens, our soundtracks, and our lives. It is about time we stop seeing tuxedo after tuxedo when we scroll through GQ’s Best Dressed List. While I can appreciate that many designers love to design gorgeous gowns and ensembles for women, that does not negate the fact that men have countless designers shooting out unique takes on their classic go-to that bring them up to par with their female counterparts. I do not believe that fashion means comparison and I can respect that not everyone wants to walk out in the bells and whistles, but that same energy should be reciprocated to all in the industry, not just the men.
By Abigail Moynihan
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