When it comes to style (or clothes) what really makes the man? Another Details article titled The Death of Hollywood Style laments the ultra-casual style of celebrities today vs. celebrities of the past. In the article one paragraph, essentially, summarizes the author's position:
“The jeans-and-T-shirt look has become the establishment,” says Thom Browne, the meticulous suitmaker who won this year’s CFDA menswear award. Today’s real rebels, he says, are the ones in suits. Coulter thinks that the music scene is having an influence again: “Look at what all the cool British bands are wearing now.” Even Dolce & Gabbana, the designers who once touted shredded denim as formalwear, are putting their celebrity clients in basic black suits. “I’m 47 years old,” Domenico Dolce says. “I want to dress like a man, not a boy.”
And that suggests the age-old question: do clothes really make the man? Or, does a strong, confident man (regardless of what he's wearing) make the clothes? I'm clearly no fashion expert. I'm not even sure that I've developed a discernable style of my own but, I guess, I've never believed that clothes made me smarter. Or better looking. Or more of a man
True, sometimes putting on a nice suit really makes me feel like I'm ready to take on the world. And sometimes an espresso caliber shot of confidence like that is really what I need. And maybe it helps me command a different level of respect when I need it. But, by and large, I dress down. I consistently choose comfort over style. And, I guess that means I just let the chips fall where they may. So far it seems to be working for me. And George Clooney. And Matthew McConaughey.
So maybe the only connection clothes actually have to manliness lies in the idea that a man understands what standard of dress is required by the occaision. Or what type of image of himself he needs to portray for the situation at hand. A boy could probably just care less.
This post has been written as part of the Carnival of Modern Man.
Clothes do not make man the only make him feel like man
Posted by: Leather Blazers | June 03, 2010 at 07:48 AM