Where
have all the cowboys gone? You guessed it – another annoying pop song
motivated me to write a column on something that makes no sense, yet
it’s the “in” thing everywhere you look. I’ve seen plenty of blogs about
fashion trends that are ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’. If men dressing feminine
is a new ‘do,’ then our country is heading in a very sad direction,
where real men – burly and brimming with testosterone –no longer exist.
You know who I’m talking about – men who wear pants that are tighter
than a blood pressure cuff (whether they’re sporting pants to the ground
or not – it just looks ridiculous). Women are the ones who are supposed
to show off their figure with skinny jeans and fitted tops in bright
colors...We’re the ones who are self-conscious about our wardrobe
showing off the tightness of our derrière – but don’t men need to wear
breathable pants for their...um...boys? I guess not anymore.
If
you shop in most local stores, you’ll see that they’re not giving men
the option to look like a MAN. They’re selling narrow, short and
colorful clothes for skinny hipsters who walk around wearing loafers
with no socks. I don’t understand how women could be attracted to a man
who dresses just as ladylike as they do! Are you going to start
exchanging swimwear too?
Now, more than ever, I see men – or ‘boys’ it seems – rocking styles
that include pink sneakers (don’t four-year-old girls fancy this fashion
statement?) and shirts. They could be gang-related colors for all we
know, or it could be the brand that’s so popular. To me, it’s still
effeminate when there are so many other styles and shades of manliness
to choose from. But wait – those ‘manly’ styles are slowly disappearing!
More and more, the ‘metrosexual’ look – defined as ‘an urban
heterosexual male who enhanced his personal appearance by fastidious
grooming, beauty treatments, and fashionable clothes’ – is taking over.
Among the younger crowd, there are men whose shirts are so tight and
short, it looks like they’re trying to accentuate their ‘figure.’ In
reality, they’re showing off how they’re disgustingly overweight, thin
as a rail or hairy as an ape. The worst part is when a man – wearing
these metrosexual clothes – lifts his arms to reach for something, or
maybe to hold onto a pole on a bus or train, and the shirt is so short
that it rides up, allowing everyone to see a stomach covered with hair
or unflattering flesh (on women, a peak at the belly can be sexy – on a
man....not so much!) Wear a damned t-shirt that’s long enough to tuck
into your pants and hide that unsightly skin!
Honestly, it still doesn’t sit right with me when professional, older
men sport feminine colors – even when it’s a pink button-up shirt
they’re planning on wearing to the golf range. It might be
distinguishing and acceptable if they sport a pink or pastel orange
shirt under a blazer – or they’re in “cruisewear” in an unprofessional
environment.
Let’s get real! The current color coordination and gender based
‘styles’ go against the values we created for children – that pink is
feminine and blue is masculine. Now, we can’t separate boys from girls –
especially guys in their upper teens and lower 20s who could easily be
mistaken for a female if you don’t look at their face.
In my mind, there’s nothing that says: “I’m ready to put a dress on
now” like a man whose shirt and pants resembles that of his
wife/sister/mother/girlfriend. What possessed the first man who made
these styles “cool” to establish these fashion statements anyway? No one
is making fun of these guys, so it’s become more and more socially
acceptable.
Also, what happened to men of distinction – like Pierce Brosnan or
Denzel Washington, who are contemporary examples of masculinity and
testosterone? The rugged, yet clean and sexual male image has
disappeared.
Should we bring back powdered wigs from the Colonial days? At least
these long white tresses symbolized social status and rank. How about
having local shops sell kilts – which are widely worn by Scottish men?
Sure, they’re ‘feminine’ – but these skirts were worn by Celtic
warriors! Kilts are also worn ceremoniously, like at funerals and
parades, and are considered formal wear. Would you catch a 25-year-old
in Canarsie wearing one of these socially powerful symbols? No – because real men don’t wear feminine things like that...
How do I expect a man to dress? When I met my boyfriend, he was
wearing regular, relaxed jeans and a basic flannel button-up
shirt...Nothing too tight, fancy, bright or outlandish – despite the
fact that we were at a nightclub where dressing over-the-top is
expected.
It doesn’t matter what race or background you’re from. If you’re a
man – and you’re proud of it – DRESS LIKE ONE! If you’re not proud to be
a man...now’s the time to whip out those skinny jeans, flashy shirts –
and don’t forget to strap on that purse!
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