American Men's Fashion - So What's Next?

http://www.gilt.com/giltmanual/2011/...whats-next/#16 Interesting, but there are some really plain wrong comments there by folks who you expect really should know better - Really, men are not into trends? So WTF are all those Barbour wearing kids (and grownups)? And what about chambray, which is everywhere? Or buffalo plaid? Or waxed cotton anything? Or too-short hems? Or slim-cut anything? And no one seems to have picked up on what IMO is the most ******* annoying trend of all - the quest for 'authenticity'. As in 'authentic workwear'. Or clothing that is 'real'. Or 'heritage clothing'. No one really seems to have nailed down what 'authenticity' is in clothing, but I'm pretty damned sure it is not found on the backs of those deadly serious special flowers in the fashion industry, who could not wear them for more contrived reasons... Or in a rack in some store in a rapidly gentrifying neighbourhood staffed with fey men and hot hipster girls... Or in a big ass price tag for 'made in (insert 3rd world country)'... Or surreptitiously sneaked onto blogs read by you or me with under-the-table deals for the blogger. Or worse, when behind the facade of a blogger is actually the PR department of a brand - which happens more often than you might think... And it certainly isn't found by directly copying or 're-interpreting' what (great-)grandpa wore back in the sepia-toned or faded-polaroid-hip good old days while doing all of the above. Anyway, happy reading.

You are absolutely correct. That's why I bought my western shirts
at a ranch and farm clothing shop in Mariposa CA. They were also
a fraction of the price of "authentic" knock-offs.

I saw one blogger label this as "the single best article on menswear they'd read in a long time".

I expected so much more.

Sad thing is that its probably true, given most of what else is out there seems to be thinly disguised ad-copy meant to create a frenzy about particular items/brands - i.e. nearly every post on Selectism.

The only conclusion I've come to so far is that eighty percent of those involved in the article desperately need a proper haircut.

Originally Posted by JohnShaft

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The only conclusion I've come to so far is that eighty percent of those involved in the article desperately need a proper haircut.

agreed. there are some ugly guys there...

Originally Posted by apropos

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And it certainly isn't found by directly copying or 're-interpreting' what (great-)grandpa wore back in the sepia-toned or faded-polaroid-hip good old days while doing all of the above.
You can argue that mens wear really hasn't changed all that much and it really is just "copying" what our grandpa's wore. For example if you look at the Japanese photo-book "Take Ivy" and compare what was being worn in the 1960's to menswear today, you will see that almost nothing has changed. When compared side by side to, you can even say that designers like Ralph Lauren literally copied looks out of this book for his own line. If you don't believe me look here: http://www.acontinuouslean.com/2008/...more-take-ivy/ Nothing has changed!!! And if nothing has changed, one can make the argument that men are not into trends. If you look around at the common working man in manhattan, he is significantly less susceptible to going out and changing his wardrobe vs his female coworker because of a new fashion trend. You can even argue that there really is no such thing as men's "fashion" and that it's all just the classics done in different fabrics and prints. *I don't know too much about fashion, just going off of observation

"This internet thing has also spawned a new breed of unoriginal folks that have been 'dressed by the internet' and that have subsequently forgotten how to think for themselves"

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In the big picture, isn't the new interest in proper dressing just a backlash against the prevailing lowbrow cultural climate and little articles like this are just addressing a small piece of what's really going on?

Originally Posted by JesseJB

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In the big picture, isn't the new interest in proper dressing just a backlash against the prevailing lowbrow cultural climate and little articles like this are just addressing a small piece of what's really going on?

For sure. Just at the top (or bottom) of the roller coaster.

Originally Posted by alphaO888

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You can argue that mens wear really hasn't changed all that much and it really is just "copying" what our grandpa's wore.
Here's some food for thought - has this ever happened before in the history of the menswear world in the scale in which it's happening today?

Did the good menfolk from Renaissance times ever decide to dress Medieval because they hearkened back to a simpler, better time?

Originally Posted by apropos

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http://www.gilt.com/giltmanual/2011/...whats-next/#16

Interesting, but there are some really plain wrong comments there by folks who you expect really should know better -

Really, men are not into trends? So WTF are all those Barbour wearing kids (and grownups)? And what about chambray, which is everywhere? Or buffalo plaid? Or waxed cotton anything? Or too-short hems? Or slim-cut anything?

And no one seems to have picked up on what IMO is the most ******* annoying trend of all - the quest for 'authenticity'. As in 'authentic workwear'. Or clothing that is 'real'. Or 'heritage clothing'.

No one really seems to have nailed down what 'authenticity' is in clothing, but I'm pretty damned sure it is not found on the backs of those deadly serious special flowers in the fashion industry, who could not wear them for more contrived reasons...

Or in a rack in some store in a rapidly gentrifying neighbourhood staffed with fey men and hot hipster girls...

Or in a big ass price tag for 'made in (insert 3rd world country)'...

Or surreptitiously sneaked onto blogs read by you or me with under-the-table deals for the blogger. Or worse, when behind the facade of a blogger is actually the PR department of a brand - which happens more often than you might think...

And it certainly isn't found by directly copying or 're-interpreting' what (great-)grandpa wore back in the sepia-toned or faded-polaroid-hip good old days while doing all of the above.

Anyway, happy reading.

That website

Originally Posted by JesseJB

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In the big picture, isn't the new interest in proper dressing just a backlash against the prevailing lowbrow cultural climate and little articles like this are just addressing a small piece of what's really going on?

Agreed. Ten years ago, urban wear consisted of baggy everything, pant hems dragging on the floor, pant waist hanging off your thighs. Now, you'd struggle to find anyone in a big downtown (e.g. Toronto core) wearing that, and if you do -- they're from suburbia. The skinny stuff will migrate outward, and the downtown folks will once again come up with something new.

Originally Posted by TRINI

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I saw one blogger label this as "the single best article on menswear they'd read in a long time".

I expected so much more.

From the authors or from the blogger?

amidst all of the hot air that made up those interviews was a statement by billy reid that was spot on:

"Trends are gone. It seems to be all about individual tastes. I think what becomes critical to us as designers is to stay true to what you believe in and hopefully build an identity and look that people can relate to."