Has men's fashion become stale lately?

[Sway23]

Lately, I've been feeling very bored with shopping for clothes. I usually tend to go through phases where I'll go a few months of being really into fashion and loading up on stuff, and then another few months of being completely bored of everything that's out there. And now I'm going through the latter.

But is it just me, or does it seem like it's all the same ol' stuff? For tops, it's either some vintage looking, overpriced t-shirt, some sort of solid or striped polo shirt, or a solid or striped button down shirt. And as for pants, it's mainly just a pair of designer jeans.

Has anyone else been feeling bored/burned-out of men's fashion? Any suggestions on what to do to renew my interest?

 

[jet]

I've been feeling that way also as of late. I used to go to Barneys in bh and find tons of stuff I liked including shoes there and rodeo. Now though, seems it's all the same which is actually a good thing for my bank account and I'm burned out from it. It's all cyclical like you said and you have to take breaks or it just drains you. It's a good thing though.

 

[DGP]

When big things like the dry denim craze hit, I feel as though it takes the mainstream long enough to copy it, and the avant garde wants to wait a little longer to bring something new out, until it can steal all of the former's thunder. Same thing happened/is still happening with the striped shirt/black cement block shoes.

 

[Tck13]

Originally Posted by Sway23

Has anyone else been feeling bored/burned-out of men's fashion? Any suggestions on what to do to renew my interest?

This happens to me once in a while and I usually turn to what I love the most. In other words, pics of rock stars whose style I like, movie stars, fashion magazines, whatever.

When I was in college, I started a scrapbook. I started cutting out pics - wherever I found them - and compiled them in the scrapbook. I found some styles which I always go back to and they are always refreshing. Brings new ideas...

Menswear seems to capture a lot of what I like at times and then, sometimes, nothing.

 

[keal]

There's Fruits and a bunch of other Harajuku fashion magazines from Japan that are really over-the-top as far as streetwear goes. That, and the occasional ebay search on 'retro/vintage/emo/rave' items are sure to inspire, or at least add a little to your fashion sense

 

[TrojanGarb]

I feel similar. Although theres still plenty of items my wardrobe could use, It seems like I can't find anything worth buying. I can't walk into a mall and take anything seriosuly anymore... thanks alot SF!!

I can't find anything in a mall I like anymore and theres no way I'm going to pay retail for some of those designer things. I can't find a damn t-shirt I like to save my life! A lot of the new trends, whats being displayed, is ugly anyway.

Things are either too ugly, too expensive, crap quality... or all three.

 

[LA Guy]

If you are looking for some fresh ideas, guys, just browse through Yoox. If you can't find *something* interesting to look at (not saying that you'll be able , yeah, it's probably time to take a hiatus. Breaks are good for the soul in any case.

 

[Get Smart]

my lull was a few years ago when there didnt seem to be anything to buy. but right now, for me anyways, the direction men's fashion has gone is in sync with my own sensibilities so there seems to be a lot of things I want to get. Hopefully the shift will change to something else soon so my wallet can recover.

but if you want inspiration check out some photo-laden books on music scenes from past eras. that seems to be where the major designers are all getting their ideas from.

 

[tweedlesinpink]

Hmm...i'm not particularly clued into the trends and all, but i think looking good will never grow stale. i used to think that shopping was pretty boring as well, but recently i've been snooping about more, walking down lanes and places i wouldn't normally go to shop. cheap places, expensive places, old places. And i guess the one thing i've learnt is that there's always something new and different to wear or to add to your wardrobe. If you're talking about looking and shopping "fashionable", that's something else altogether because you're constrained by trends, but looking stylish or looking good is always an experience in my opinion.

 

[cmrocks]

I was mad for a while because everywhere I went, I would see either polos with popped collars or ill fitting untucked button front shirts. Because of that, I avoided wearing either polos or button front shirts because I didn't want to be associated with that image. I became bored with my wardrobe and what I was wearing pretty quickly after that. I finally realized that I could still look good wearing these items as long as I pay attention to the fit and design and made sure the rest of my outfit was good.

 

[shoreman1782]

Well, with lot of people (esp. men, relatively) interested in "looking good," and the general super-premium-ization of everything in the last decade, I think a backlash will be in order soon, no? Maybe I'll be flyin the dimestore flannel before long...

Oddly enough, though styleforum and a general cynicism about anything in a magazine or catalog have conditioned me to roll my eyes at pretty much everything (including, to some extent, more esoteric, SF-approved stuff), my own clothing ends up being pretty middle-of-the-road in a quest not to try too hard.

Do you think the emphasis on genuine clothing (or it's paradoxical companion, clothing artificially made to look genuine) will die soon? The just-right distressing, the obsession with authenticity (japanese repros, american workwear stuff) and artisanal clothing?

EDIT: With all that said, I am NOT having problems spending money.

 

[StevenRocks]

Traditionally, men's fashion moves very, very slowly. We see more inventory turns these days because retailers and designers want to maximize profits, but they're also scared of failure, so we end up with predictable cuts and patterns every season. In essence, we have more choice overall, but less meaningful choice at the same time, which I think leads to malaise.

 

[LA Guy]

Originally Posted by shoreman1782

Do you think the emphasis on genuine clothing (or it's paradoxical companion, clothing artificially made to look genuine) will die soon? The just-right distressing, the obsession with authenticity (japanese repros, american workwear stuff) and artisanal clothing?

Hey Shoreman,

Listen, if you are sick of genuine clothing, I can more than happy to provde you with some fake clothing. Paypal me (you know the address) and I'll send you some fake clothing in the mail. Guaranteed to fit!

 

[shoreman1782]

New thread: is my fake clothing legit?

 

[jet]

Originally Posted by shoreman1782

Do you think the emphasis on genuine clothing (or it's paradoxical companion, clothing artificially made to look genuine) will die soon? The just-right distressing, the obsession with authenticity (japanese repros, american workwear stuff) and artisanal clothing?

EDIT: With all that said, I am NOT having problems spending money.

I don't think the weathered look will not die soon. Men just look better in some things that don't look spankin new like women do so I doubt it will subside. Ducati is right on, I'd be the anti-trend too with the striped button fronts and polos but you just can't live without some so you have to wear them the way you feel like wearing them. The classics will always be classics.