For a long time, clothing has been considered one of the fundamental needs of man, alongside food and shelter. While initially it was mainly related to facing climatic factors, it has gradually evolved, and now we talk about style, communication, personality, and more. But now, we also discuss how fashion influences men.
Clothing and Fashion
It could be said that, tacitly, clothing has been closely associated with the movement of fashion for many years and is known as something that constantly changes and functions as a kind of symbolic device within a society.
Therefore, the way people dress gives the world an opinion of who they are and how these individuals perceive themselves. Women in the industry like Coco Chanel or, for example, Margaret Thatcher have tried over the years to borrow some of the authority symbolized by typically masculine garments. So, on the contrary, we must ask ourselves: How has fashion influenced contemporary men?
So, How Does Fashion Influence Men?
Currently, fashion is something that has enveloped the world both consciously and unconsciously. Men are so influenced by fashion that producers have been forced to constantly change or renew market products to meet the new needs created in society.
Thus, it can be affirmed that fashion is everywhere, from clothing, music, artists, technological items to places, increasingly influencing the tastes of the individuals that make up that society. And it is not only about how fashion influences men directly but also indirectly.
Fashion in Today's World
The importance of fashion in society is palpable and quite evident. Just by going out on the street, you can see all kinds of styles and how trends are constantly reinventing themselves.
In this way, you can find ambassadors who influence the way contemporary men dress. Men like Jerry Lorenzo have shown that, despite the simplicity of their style, they can set the tone with casual jogger-style pants and minimalist solid-color shirts.
On the other hand, we can highlight Kanye West himself who, although maintaining a rather sober style of dress, seeks to keep the spotlight on sneakers and aims to impose a new standard of beauty.
But if we talk about how fashion has influenced the current male figure, we can find the example of the most daring influencer to date, Harry Styles, who has taken on deconstructing the classic male style, opting for dresses, sheer shirts, bright colors, and prints.
Based on the work of such eccentric ambassadors as Harry Styles, artistic movements and trends have been seen both on runways and streets, filled with the same style and aesthetic imparted by the musical icon.
The Influence of Fashion on Society
And indeed, fashion has been present throughout human history for various purposes, so its influence is undeniable for countless reasons. The very act of dressing or covering the body with garments responds to a social requirement.
Moreover, dressing in a specific way taken from fashion is a way to communicate what a person assumes as their gender, age, status, and role in society. That is why, even when going to work, we must project an image that matches the position we hold, our personality, fashion, and the values the company has encouraged. A good example would be going to work with a shirt that is both elegant and casual. In this case, we would be projecting the values just mentioned.
It is also worth noting that fashion and the way of dressing are considered one of the greatest expressions of freedom in some societies. Likewise, it reflects the main moral and aesthetic values of those societies.
Impact on Society
Currently, its impact on modern societies cannot be denied, and for years it has shaped how men and women “should” look. Its influence is more than visible when comparing the “ideal bodies” of the fifties and sixties with the physical characteristics of the contemporary man.
If this topic is discussed superficially, fashion and design may seem very irrelevant, when in reality, they have a deep connection to the progress and development of societies.
The Most Influential Men in Fashion
Just as Jerry Lorenzo or Kanye West were mentioned, one can easily talk about Raf Simons, who revolutionized Europe when he led the houses of Jill Sanders and Dior; also François-Henri Pinault himself who manages brands like Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, and more.
On the other hand, we need not go far from the previously mentioned example of artist Harry Styles, who champions genderfluid and vintage fashion.
On various occasions, he has dared to wear pieces from women's collections, painted his nails, worn high heels, and even ballet costumes, aiming to eliminate the labels of women's and men's clothing, arguing that when these disappear, one enters a world of infinite possibilities.
Based on this, besides causing a stir in artistic movements and trends, he has also opened a space for debate about new masculinity and whether clothing really needs to have gender since, at the end of the day, these labels limit people.
Fashion Is Not Just for Women
It is a reality that fashion is not only for women. Although much of what is on the market is aimed at women and, in some cases, by women, the fashion world is full of men who, for a long time, have also been making history in the men's clothing industry and even on runways.
This aims to reclaim men's fashion, create new concepts, and with them, social awareness just as is currently emerging with the deconstruction of men's garments and their new meaning in society.
The influence of fashion itself helps in the mental growth of people today, using it both as an artistic medium and a tool to reaffirm their personality and show that clothing does not need to have gender.
A unique style, for example, is manifested in sleepwear, more than from a utilitarian sense, men's pajamas overflow with elegance and good taste for men today. Hence, a classic pajama will be well appreciated in the wardrobe of a gentleman. And not only sleepwear or loungewear, but also underwear. For a gentleman, when it comes to fashion, it is not only important to dress well on the outside or project a good image as seen by others but also in intimacy. It is tasteful and a sign of a man who cares about hygiene to pay attention to these details, using appropriate and elegant boxer shorts. At El Búho Nocturno, we can offer a wide range of men's pajamas and boxers that will surely please you.
Although the fashion industry mainly works to satisfy the female niche, which is the most changeable, men's fashion is not far behind since, although produced in smaller quantities and therefore more expensive compared to women's clothing, these pieces are of quality and durable.
There are countless artists, concepts, and influencers revolutionizing the fashion world right now, so the job of male consumers is to let themselves go, open their minds to new alternatives, but never lose their own essence.