It’s no secret that the bar for men is tragically low. And while I’m not yet making a grand statement about the social expectations of men, I will assert that the benchmark for men’s fashion may as well be non-existent (ex. the boring suit epidemic at the Met Gala). I think it useless to make a comparison between the social expectations for men and women beyond stating the obvious that expectations for either sex are harmful to both. I would much rather investigate how the contemporary expectations for men came to be and how they impact men who chose not to subscribe to them. I suspect there will be an intersection between masculinity, the perception of gender, and the inherent qualities of self-expression that, in the current age, appears to be inescapable as we are all plagued by the shortcomings of our predecessors.

To put it simply, I find the current state of the average man’s presentation deplorable. Cultural and socioeconomic expectations aside, men who are financially privileged enough to engage in a certain level of fashionability refuse to do so. Perhaps this stems from mere apathy or instead a fear of being truly perceived. This certainly wouldn’t be the first time I’ve heard of someone in the contemporary era admit that they dislike being perceived in public, after all, there is comfort in anonymity, however, the pervasive (heavily generalized) male refusal to engage in “style” feels different. Fashion is known to be a particularly unavoidable method of self-expression, a concept often associated with flamboyance or femininity. Beyond just silently communicating what teams you like, what college you go to or what city you’re from, fashion is designed to communicate key indicators about nuanced identity. The association with flamboyance likely triggers the deeply embedded homophobia within Western society. For a man to be “expressive” often leaves him vulnerable, subject to criticism for a lack of traditional “masculinity”. This construct of masculinity leaves the men it touches devoid of healthy emotional expression and regards the rest of the people it affects as victims of permeating toxicity.

I won’t blame the contemporary man for the mistakes of his precursor but I do blame the public at large for the continuously low standards for the average man. We cannot allow atrociously tight skinny jeans and an ill-fitting T-shirt to remain the standard. That’s not to say that every man has to be Wisdom Kaye, but we should encourage a healthy pride in appearance. While we allow men to coast along the bare minimum of clothing (aka…being clothed), the general public expects women to be what they would consider presentable. This has evolved in recent years to include a more casual look, encompassing athletic wear, sweat suits, and even pajamas on occasion. While the general standard has expanded to include comfort, it has not grown any more forgiving for women. The definition of presentability has changed, but the expectation remains primarily on women and female-presenting people.

While we’ve identified the problem and its source, we are left with one more task: identifying the solution. While we can’t change the collective consciousness, what we can do is help anyone seeking some first steps.

Tops:

There’s nothing wrong with your classic, comfy tee — just make sure it fits!

You can’t go wrong with a classic crewneck, but I personally believe in the True Classic method – the best universal fit is generally fitted around the upper chest and arm, and a looser fit in the torso, ending just below the belt line with the ability for a slight gather.

If you’re looking for something a little different, a classic polo or short-sleeved button-down is known to tie a look together. The key is to make sure clothes fit! Your personal style is free to change and expand, but having key staples that fit well will serve you in the long run.

Bottoms:

If you remember nothing else, remember this: Skinny jeans are not the best look. If you love them, wear them! But otherwise…aim for a looser fit. No one’s telling you to start wearing bell bottoms or anything, but a slightly more relaxed, straight-leg pant works wonders.

Layering:

Don’t overthink it. A cardigan with a tee shirt, a sweater with a long sleeve button down, and a light, well-tailored jacket (denim, leather, suede) when weather appropriate.

Just as a final note: the current state of fashion and expectation is no singular person’s fault, but it is obvious when individuals suffer from it. The standards for the average man are in the gutter, and while I’ll complain about it until the end of time, we might as well do something about it.