Are 'feminine' looks the future of men’s fashion?

BBC ^ | June 24, 2013 | Maya Singer

[Zakeet]

Gender bender JW Anderson's backless, semi-sheer halter tops for men raised eyebrows at London Men's Fashion Week.

Dry run Another London up-and-comer, Shaun Sampson, showed pale pink organza board shorts and 'skirts' made to look like beach towels.

Frill seekers Martine Rose’s collection combines feminine elements with inspiration drawn from sports and athletic kits.

Curtain raiser At Alexander McQueen, creative director Sarah Burton opened the show with a fitted suit of white lace.

Skull disclosure The trademark Alexander McQueen skull was woven into the lace designs.

Herd instinct The Topman show featured fanciful cowboys in embroidered florals.

Some fashion trends sneak up on you. Others ring out loud and clear. Last week, as the Spring ’14 menswear shows kicked off in London, one trend sounded with all the subtlety of an air horn: androgyny is the new black.

[Zakeet]

You Freepers may not want to let one of these trends sneak up on you with all the subtlety of an air horn!

Incidentally, the summary doesn't do justice to the message contained in the original article.

[MEGoody]

Real men would never even considering wearing this stuff.

[Red Badger]

Are 'feminine' looks the future of men’s fashion?

Not REAL MEN. We went thru this androgynous fashion trend before in the 70's. It failed then, and it will fail now even worse. They keep trying, though............

[SMARTY]

Right... and no real woman would been seen with him if he did.

[dragonblustar]

Must have missed the 80’s. The Brits paved the way for this sort of thing.

[dsrtsage]

Why not go all out and add in silicone implants as a must have accessory?

[Red Badger]

Look on his face says: I feel like an idiot............

[WinOne4TheGipper]

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!

Dear Lord, a million times no!

[BenLurkin]

[Uncle Miltie]

In style, shoes do matter.

Nothing wrong with an updated wingtip for stylin'. Hand made in America, Allen Edmonds.

[DManA]

I’ve been watching stories about far out fashion shows for 40 years. Nobody ever wears the crazy things they show. So why do they do them?

In fact look at a man wearing a suit from 1930. Looks almost exactly the same as the suit a man wears in 2013.

[5thGenTexan]

This cycles thru over and over again. Look at colonial upper class mens clothing with all the ruffles and lace. And how ‘bout those wigs?

[Uncle Miltie]

And boots for the well dressed straight gentleman (Also made in USA):

[rusty schucklefurd]

Can any of you oldsters (those over 50), thinking back to when you were a kid, imagine what would happen to any guy walking down the street in your neighborhood, dressed like this?

[KarlInOhio]

Men's fashion designers have a real problem. If they make small changes (this year's tie is 1/16" narrower than last year's), men will ignore them and keep their old clothes. If they make big changes, men will ignore them and keep their old clothes. Thus, they just have shows to impress each other and will be completely ignored by actual consumers.

[Rennes Templar]

“So why do they do them?”

For the Elton Johns of the world.

[Turbo Pig]

...and then he got beat up in front of his girlfriend...

[clamper1797]

Can hardly wait to see my biker buddies dressed like these faggots ... not going to happen

[Jewbacca]

And you gentiles mock how Orthodox Jews dress.

Ha.

[Obadiah]

I would venture a guess that most of those doing fashion are homosexuals who sexually prefer the androgynous teenage boy look, or the lesbian who seeks to deny masculinity altogether. In either case, ain't nobody buying that garbage.

[papertyger]

Men's fashion designers have a real problem. If they make small changes (this year's tie is 1/16" narrower than last year's), men will ignore them and keep their old clothes. If they make big changes, men will ignore them and keep their old clothes. Thus, they just have shows to impress each other and will be completely ignored by actual consumers.

DINGDINGDING! We have a winner.

"Fashion" is an inherently female concept. Men are more attuned to "style" which is not subject to quarterly review....

[clamper1797]

Or his girl friend beat him up

[Tupelo]

Does this mean my jeans and tee shirts will no longer be considered high fashun in this brave new world of men's fashion?

[Colonel Kangaroo]

Louis XIV

[Mr. K]

except for the pink laces, I would wear those. Black or dark dark brown laces would be nice, but you could probably get away with navy blue, grey or even white (especially on a golf course)

but pink? migtht aws well wear a sign “I’m a homo”

[Mr. K]

In some countries these would be called “ladyboys”

[papertyger]

And you gentiles mock how Orthodox Jews dress. Ha.

What makes you think these guys aren't Jewish?

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Some designers were trying to get men into dresses and using makeup 45 years ago.

[GraceG]

They really dressed metro-sexual in certain times in the past...

That being said men should not dress frilly and this is coming from a gal who is a self admitted tom boy!

[Buckeye McFrog]

Can’t hold a candle to Jack Lord in his lacy hat and jaunty scarf from the 1970’s.

[DManA]

I think it’s impressive how CONSERVATIVE, mens fashion has been for the past 100 years. Except for small details (cuffs/no cuffs) a man’s dress suit is virtually identical to what it was 100 years ago.

We pretty much dumped the vest but other than that.....

[Tupelo]

I cannot imagine anyone walking down my road dressed like that TODAY.
But then I do live in the desert where we wear boots and sidearms.

[sneakers]

GAG!!! OK, that’s just not right!

[Billthedrill]

Fabulous. Just freakin' fabulous.

I have one request to make of my fellow FReepers - if any of you ever see me dressed like this, shoot me, please. Twice.

[Age of Reason]

Can any of you oldsters (those over 50), thinking back to when you were a kid, imagine what would happen to any guy walking down the street in your neighborhood, dressed like this?

But if it happened now, they'd put guys dressed like that, on the list of hate-crime protected groups.

[Red Badger]

I think it was a ‘French’ thang............

[discostu]

No. Every few years fashion shows put out these kind of girly guy clothes, and you never see them off the runway.

[Resolute Conservative]

If it doesn’t say Justin (ok maybe Tony Lama or Nocona too) it isn’t a real boot.

[Jewbacca]

“What makes you think these guys aren’t Jewish?”

Oh, they might be Jewish, like Ms. Lindsey Graham is a Republican, but they are certainly not Orthodox.

[Colonel Kangaroo]

Those clothes are all rotten but that first one is in a class by iself.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

"Say, girlfriend, Bruce and Serge are holding a soirée at their loft, and I can't decide on whether to wear my Louis Vuitton taffeta nothing, or my Christian Lacroix white lace suit! You choose!"

[Red Badger]

Have you ever noticed that Orthodox Jews and Amish folks dress very similar?..........

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

[Age of Reason]

Good point.

[thackney]

I split my wear mostly between these two:

[Aevery_Freeman]

Yep, and my favorites: Tony Lama cowboy and Milwaukee motorcycle (both black).

[Resolute Conservative]

This is the head slap thread of the day so far.

There will be hipster in Seattle, LA, and Austin that wear this crap.

[NonValueAdded]

My gaydar just pegged off-scale high.

[rusty schucklefurd]

re: “I cannot imagine anyone walking down my road dressed like that TODAY.
But then I do live in the desert where we wear boots and sidearms.”

Yes, I forgot that there are still some places that have sanity left in them. But, they are getting few and far between I’m afraid.

[Colonel Kangaroo]

But the Little Lady Fauntleroy look with blondie isn’t good either.