Androgyny Goes Both Ways
January 16, 2013 244 Comments
There has been a trend in menswear that I don’t understand. It all started with Kanye and his skirt and leather meggings at the 12-12-12 benefit concert, and I decided to give it a pass then because I couldn’t be bothered.
But then I started seeing articles about womenswear inspired menswear on the runways. I suppose it was only a matter of time given 1) how bonkers Fashion is right now, and 2) that women have been wearing menswear inspired outfits for ages. For whatever reason, I find this a lot more awkward. Social Justice! types would claim it’s because I am restrained by gender roles, or perhaps I am limited by my white, cisgender upbringing and therefore do not understand the plight of the transvestite model, but maybe I just don’t think men in skirts or dresses as a Fall Fashion campaign is really a good business decision. It kind of limits the market, I would think.
But here are some examples of womenswear inspired menswear and my problems with them.
This is the most prominent example I can think of, since I saw many headlines and attempted to ignore all of them. Unsuccessfully.
It’s like a leather kilt with leather leggings. I would be mad at this outfit on ANYONE, doubly since it’s Kanye and he annoys me. That much leather is almost always a bad decision. I can’t even imagine how sweaty he is under all that.
Then we have this dress and leggings from Vivienne Westwood, which was not the craziest look in her show, since a large portion of it involved what we’ll politely call color-blocking and drawn on monocles and goatees. I’m pretty sure I only looked at that show since I saw the drawn on monocles and busted up laughing.
That is not a tunic, it is a dress. Also those shoes are an orange I haven’t seen since I left Champaign/Urbana.
I don’t get it. A tunic I could understand, kind of, but that is clearly a dress. He also has what look like plastic shoes. Oof.
Alexander McQueen, a designer I normally wet myself over, prominently featured dressing gowns (or bathrobes, in ‘Merica) as part of the menswear show.
And J.W. Anderson, who I know very little about, showed the male skort. Is it a skirt? Is it a pair of shorts? Is it a Fashion Tragedy? YES.
Also, having a kangaroo stomach pouch is only a good decision if you are, in fact, a kangaroo.
The proportions also look a bit off. I’m trying to figure out if he has CRAZY long legs, or if the skort is only barely covering his junk, since the fly looks like it’s approaching his navel. I also have thoughts on the Slutty Pirate boots, most of which are, “Why is he wearing Slutty Pirate boots?”
Then we have a dress.
This is an awkwardly short dress on anyone.
I would be mad at that dress on anyone, mostly because I am not convinced that a light breeze wouldn’t result in a serious wardrobe malfunction. I’m also annoyed that I feel like I have to qualify that the dress annoys me regardless of gender, but it’s a bad dress.
And then, just to prove that JW Anderson was clearly messing with all of us, we have Slutty Pirate Steals A Hospital Gown And Attempts Surgery:
Or as I put it to E: “This image may result in sexual nightmares.”
I have nothing else to say. Please don’t buy any of these outfits.
(Photo Credits: The Huffington Post, Zimbio, MetroVelvet)
About badfads
HAHAHAHAHAHA the last one xD Your title cracked me up.
I’ve told you before how I try to be open-minded about genders in fashion. But I have lots of trouble accepting skirts and dresses on men. My basic problem is that I don’t like exposed male legs unless it’s swimwear. And I’m telling you this as someone who constantly sees men dressed in shorts during the hot Greek summer. I’m used to it, but I can only accept it as a summer weather necessity. Not as formal, classy wear, as these dresses would be supposed to be.
1) That reminds me of Darth Vader or something. Please limit the black leather to a minimum.
2) I wouldn’t want my boyfriend wearing that, but it’s a rather sensible version of how to do a male dress. Except for the stupid hat-thing and the shoes. Oh, God, the shoes.
3) Haha, it’s frilly! And no, I don’t like it. Bad cut and bad fabric regardless of gender. And it’s too short. I don’t know, I just don’t find the male thigh something that should be so exposed. (I can barely tolerate anything shorter than long trousers on men, unless it’s swimwear.)
4) See, I like that dress. It’s very short, but I like it overall. I would wear it – with black leggings/tights.
The last picture is beyond words.
I think maybe it’s because we’re visually used to longer shorts on guys. We don’t start seeing men’s thighs until they’re actually in their underwear or possibly on the beach.
Re: the dress, once again, maybe it’s the visual of a guy’s thighs being out there and exposed instead of covered up by enormous shorts, but his ARMS are longer than the dress. I’m concerned about this.
This was by far the most entertaining post I have read in a long time regarding fashion! Thank you! Thank you for saying exactly what most of us are thinking in a much more articulated way!!
I think they all look like really bad halloween outfits….. scary!
Just stop it! I am reblogging this!
Glad you enjoyed. :-p
I think you are an oppressive hoe. Women won their rights now where are ours? if men want to show sensitivity and wear nice breezy clothing we can. It makes a hell of a lot more sense for a man with a sweaty dick to wear an airy dress then a woman who really doesn’t need the room down there. We think you bitches look like dykes and dudes in your masculine clothes, so maybe we should dress like gays and transexuals. Get back in the dresses and we will stay out of them. -B
Thank you for your opinion.
Except woman have this little thing you men seem to love that constantly creates moisture. You know what I’m talking about….a vagina! And don’t try to say it doesn’t, because I swear men think the sexiest line to tell a woman is, “ohhh! I like how wet you are!”
Reblogged this on Someone Fat Happened and commented:
I am working on an auction today so please enjoy this from my favorite fashion blogger, Bad Fads. I mean, really? What in the holy hell is going on and then of course, laugh your ass off!
Haha! Unbelievable!!! These styles remind me of Zoolander. They’re absurd. I’m just glad the models are not making the expression,”Blue Steel” or “Le Tigre”!!! (please tell me you’ve seen Zoolander and my references haven’t been lost on you.) If you haven’t seen in it, you must. You’ll wet your pants laughing.
What makes me sad is that these male models aren’t even really, really ridiculously good looking.
As for Zoolander, it is number one on my personal list of most quotable movies of the 2000′s. And alarmingly, I think we could be seeing the real life version of Derelicte at this year’s upcoming Met Gala, which is themed after the punk movement in fashion.
It is absolutely Derelicte. Hansel would do a far better job. Hansel.
PS -Kanye bugs me to no end. He’s ridiculous.
He is ridiculous and vocal about it, which is the bigger problem.
This model is going to seriously regret this assignment some day…be encouraged!
That is true. He will have to show this in his portfolio, and no one will say, “oooh, groundbreaking!” They will say, “Did you come to the show straight from the hospital?”
Maybe this is the end of his genetic line…teehee…be encouraged!
I snorted in laughter–never a pretty sound. I kinda like the boots…on me. Each outfit, starting with Kanya, I mean Kanye (pick a vowel, any vowel) and his sweaty leather mess, grows more and more ridiculous. Zoolander wouldn’t be caught dead in any of these! I do think men can wear a skirt–nothing is hotter than a Scotsman with good legs in a kilt–but, these aren’t kilts, they are, well, they are, um… they are a hot fashion mess and make as much sense as this stream of consciousness comment.
I agree about Scotsmen being really excellently hot in a kilt, but yes, these are not kilts. They are big hot messes.
I’m actually grateful to have seen this post, since I would never have known about this in Noo Zealand where the men wear boxer shorts in bed, on the beach and just about everywhere; and the only good thing you can say about them, is that at least they are not budgie-smugglers, aka speedos….
Even jeans and builders crack look better than these … er- are they outfits or jokes?
I did not know that men in New Zealand are perpetually in their boxers.
That’s the thing about high fashion; it’s hard to tell if they’re just messing with us. Sometimes they’re meant to be interesting technical exercises, but this is just awkward.
WOW!!! The dress in the 4th. pic is much too short, even for a women. I can see some embarressing moments for a guy wearing a dress that short. Thank god this is just runway styles for men that will never hit the street… right??
One can hope this is just bonkers Fashion instead of something that we’ll see on the streets of Pairs. The dress is way too short.
Dear badfads
Thank you for laughs that this caused for me this morning – just what I needed. Methinks the leather kilt would work best without the leggings and the kangaroo skort is an eyesore – on anyone. It’s an interesting idea that the designers are exploring, but I’m not sure they have fully rethought it for the male figure specifically because the shapes are abysmal!
I love the orange plastic shoes as they would fit very well into my “ugly shoes” collection – my own personal fetish.
The Slutty Pirate boots would only work at a costume party where most of those present were really, really drunk.
Thank you again as fashion trends normally pass me by.
Dear mightwar,
You’re very welcome for the laughs. I agree that they didn’t full think it through–it could have been an interesting technical exercise if any of it was executed in a way that wasn’t completely awkward. I’ve seen shows full of kilts and not felt nearly so uncomfortable as I did looking at these weirdly tailored pieces.
If you collect ugly shoes, then Vivienne Westwood is for you.
I think that is the appropriate venue for the Slutty Pirate boots.
You’re very welcome. I hope you will continue to stop by and appreciate all that is terrible in the state of Fashion.
Yours,
Badfads
That’s just f’d up – especially the kangaroo outfit… I can take the kilt and leggings – guys look good in kilts (woolen over leather ) – no one looks good in anything below it…
The kangaroo outfit just leaves me baffled. I don’t understand it even a little, and the show included multiple variations on that look. I just sighed my way through that show.
Kanye’s outfit is definitely the least offensive. I don’t mind kilts, but leather on leather seems like a sweaty idea.
the whole thing is just….well..AHHHHHHHHHHHH
You are hilarious! All of the outfits are “interesting”…uh, to say the least. “Slutty Pirate Steals A Hospital Gown And Attempts Surgery”…your remark under that photo really did make me LOL. Ha!! I would have loved to have been at these fashion shows to hear what people were saying. Trying to be so fashionably forward without laughing. Priceless.
Thank you!!
The outfits definitely are, um, something special. I’m glad I made you laugh, and I would love to go to Paris Fashion Week wearing a garbage bag dress or something. I’d probably end up on Vogue’s Street Fashion post. I would get kicked out of any show because I’d probably start cackling with perverse glee the second something like that came down the runway.
Your commentary on the outfits is right on and also hilarious- I had to wipe tears away I was giggling so much. There is menswear inspired, and then there are halloween costumes put together by a two-year-old. I’m baffled. Thanks for sharing! lol
*I meant to say “menswear inspired by womenswear”
Thank you!
There really is a difference between womenswear inspired and just pants-on-head ridiculous. This is the latter. You’re welcome, and thank you so much for reading and commenting!
This whole thing is meaningless to me. What is the point here? Is this the man only crowd that refuses a look because it was done by a woman and no other reason? Well, I am not all too comfortable dressed like a man either. My killer hips just don’t do men’s clothes well and look good. I really am missing the point here. It is lost on me this communication. Somebody explain it better to me in not so shallow terms.
Men-inspired female outfits doesn’t necessarily mean “dressing like a man.” Think in terms of how women didn’t used to wear trousers AT ALL, and now there are pants cut for the female figure. Plaid shirts cut for our bodies. Dress shoes inspired by men’s loafers with a more feminine edge.
This show was sort of that in reverse: men’s wear inspired by what is now traditionally-feminine wear. However, the fashions weren’t very well thought-out, proportioned, or…well..at all visually appealing. Maybe a lot of that comes from our culture not being very accustomed to exposed thighs on men, but that’s a different discussion that’s made appearances elsewhere in the comment section.
The problem is that this reinterpretation of womenswear as menswear is that the looks are unflattering. The tailoring of a suit has to change to work on my similarly killer hips compared to N’s long, straight lines. And while fashion has had skirts/tunics/kilts/hose as part of mainstream menswear in the past, this is a badly executed and sometimes creepy attempt at bridging the gap between womenswear and menswear. Take the grey dress, for instance: there are no circumstances, regardless of gender, where that would be an appropriate look. It’s too boxy and too short.
Also, since this is Ready To Wear and not Haute Couture, I expect the clothes to look at least somewhat ready to wear. It is a bit shallow, but that’s part of the fun of enjoying fashion.
I’ll buy that. Thanks. I personally have a problem with fashion leaning to self design since my hips are wider then most. I am for this for all instead. Self design and who knows your design may lead to some fashion opportunity you may not have known you had. Something you and nobody else can take credit for in the fashion industry, stock market. Why let Calvin Kline own it all in business making a huge, publicly loved, legal profit.
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Cheers
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Haha, this is a funny post, and that last pic is simply ridiculous. I find fashion in general to be way too whacky for my tastes, even the “gender appropriate” stuff is ludicrously unrealistic as something to actually wear.
Still I have to say dudes wearing dresses would not bother me at all, I mean between kilts, tunics, hula skirts, togas and so on, men being limited to trousers or shorts is a relatively modern development.
These days when a man wears a dress he’s “dressing up” as a woman, I think it would be interesting to see a time when a man wearing a dress is just that, like a woman wearing trousers.
Cool post, thanks for sharing and congrats on being freshly pressed
Rohan.
Part of the fun of high fashion (or Fashion, as I generally refer to it to differentiate from things I would actually wear) is the absurdity of it. It’s not always ready-to-wear, but when it’s not it’s clearly an interesting technical and visual exercise. Think of it as art, but on the human body.
I was bothered by my own clearly existing prejudice, hence why I kind of poked fun at it a bit, but I do agree. There are numerous examples of robes, tunics, etc. throughout the history of fashion. The biggest thing that would have to happen is a change in tailoring–dresses right now are cut for women, with fuller chests and hips. Managing to make a long piece of fabric figure flattering will be the biggest change if we’re to achieve that sort of gender neutrality in fashion.
You’re welcome and thank you!
I actually back you up, sort of in theory but still firmly.
I’ll make a comment below that goes exactly along the lines of your questioning
Lawd have mercy!!!
I wish he would. That collection is a big ol’ eyesore.
Eyesore is an understatement. I understand that fashion can be borderline risque at times, but come on, grown men in dresses? Seriously?
There are worse things. Anything by Stella McCartney springs pretty immediately to mind since celebrities seem to think everything she makes is amazing. I’m pretty sure she’s a joke perpetuated by Paul’s millions.
Lol yeah, I think you might be on to something.
I’m glad you brought this trend to our attention. I was wondering why all the guys out there had started wearing dresses…
Kidding aside, I find a couple of things interesting. How “tough” everything else is about the first two outfits–as if they were trying to compensate. Or maybe someone was just thinking juxtaposition. Also, I’m interested that in the middle two shots, the guys look really very hot. Man, I wish I had those legs.
I have no thoughts on the image of the man in gloves. Surgical gown does sound about right.
Well, leather’s been really in for both recently, but I like your idea about the juxtaposition. There is a little bit of a punk inspired movement going in Fashion right now (which I think is silly. Not the punk fashion, but the $500 pair of trousers version of it), so that toughness against traditionally feminine silhouettes is an interesting idea. It doesn’t make the JW Anderson collection any less baffling, but it does make me less angry at Vivienne Westwood. Her collection did involve drawn on monocles, though.
The surgical gown just blows my mind. How is that being shown on a runway as ready-to-wear fashion!?
Yikes.
That “tunic” was kinda cool. It would look fantastic on me.
Yikes is right.
The tunic would be better if it had more shape to it. I would look like a rectangle in it, which is not my best look.
I am having a difficult time envisioning where a man might be able to functionally wear the kangaroo outfit. If he were to wear it out on the town in the winter time, his hands and feet would be warm, but the rest of him would be terribly cold. But, if he were to wear it in the summer time, his hands and feet would probably be unbearably sweaty. And, that last outfit…I’m too scared of it to say anything!
I laughed so much at this post! Loved it!
Maybe it’s the Fashion reinterpretation of the hoodie pocket? I can’t come up with a mental justification for it. I think it’s just boundary pushing for the sake of boundary pushing.
I was reliably informed by my friend K that she had seen a similar outfit being worn by the Joker in an old Batman comic. That did not assuage any of my concerns about the look.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed!
Wow is all I can say. I was going to comment but I am left speechless. Men need to be men. I wonder if the trend is a result of a bet that a designer could make it and and have it modeled down a runway and men would but it?
That is very close to my theory about Stella McCartney, so it could be. You never know. Fashion could be playing an enormous joke on ALL of us.
this is really horrible! Showed it to my hubby, he was actually petrified! I am speechless myself. But honestly, will any “normal” male (gay or not) ever wear this?
When N read this post, he was horror-struck. And the only good thing about this collection is that I don’t see it going much past the runway. Unless it gets interpreted as an actually ready-to-wear look (unlikely), I can’t see many men, regardless of age, orientation, etc., thinking this is a good idea to wear in public.
Wow. These women’s wear inspired ensembles for men are truly a fashion faux pas.
They’re such a mess. If they were better executed, I’d be less annoyed, but it’s all atrocious.
Reblogged this on misentopop.
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Reblogged this on The Tai Beckensal Report… and commented:
Flawless… not that any of this is sensible at all, but it is a tremendous intellectual point being made via Fashion… love it…
Thank you!
Sometimes I think that the people who decide what models wear on the catwalk make stupid outfits on purpose.
I remember reading a newspaper on the plane and coming across an article with all the ‘latest’ fashions. The women had these massive black sunglasses that looked more like gas masks, and their dresses were horribly disfigured. They were definitely NOT the latest fashions.
What man would wear those? Lol.
There are some designers that show what’s basically concept art, and there are some that show an…augmented reality. The beauty aspects of fashion shows tend to be particularly out there, since the focus should be on the clothes, even if the clothes themselves are a bit hot mess.
And I have no idea.
I think that’s exactly why some budding fashion designers don’t make it. They spend ages perfecting these beautiful looks while the industry is just looking for some crappy look no one would wear, lol.
This made my weekend. Bloody brilliant!!!! It’s not that they’re wearing what we think of a women’s clothes, it’s that what they’re wearing would look ridiculous on anyone!!!!
That is exactly the point. I don’t care if a guy wears a dress or if a girl wears a smoking jacket, as long as they’re well tailored and flattering!
This is so terrible… I love it! I especially love the traffic cone- clown shoes, as well as the crazy jumper. I hate all of these, not because they are men, but because I hate seeing people`s legs. I just have an issue with that, male of female. That`s why they made leggings, tights, and stockings. And they`ve already made manly skirts, called kilts. These aren`t manly skirts. I`d be cool seeing more kilts, but this is just weird.
It’s like watching a train wreck or a Lindsay Lohan film. I’m okay with kilts, but these are, indeed, just awkward.
These outfts are all terrible especially that one that was kind of a playsuit with frilly shorts, but we know we will see the stars in them soon enough despite how terrible they are. That surgeons’ coat is quite funny though.
Distressingly enough, I looked at the women’s pre-fall collection by the same designer today, and those exact same awkward frilly shorts (or culottes, if you’re Vogue) and boots were in play. It was weird.
And if you do buy them, please don’t drive through Alabama wearing them!
Oh God, that would be like the Top Gear America special.
Reblogged this on Candyfloss Curls.
That’s not a kangaroo pouch, that’s a muff.
I’m not sure. I usually think of muffs as giant fur tubes as seen in Anna Karenina, Doctor Zhivago, or anything set in pre-Revolution Russia, and they’re usually a separate piece. Given that it’s a part of the shirt, I think it’s either a pouch or an awkward pocket.
If you’re not buying muff, I’ll go for awkward pocket. I’m from Australia – never seen a kangaroo pouch that works like the one shown. Then again, nothing about that outfit works…
Who thinks of these bad styles and how are they called ‘famous’ designers. I wonder. The short mini dress on the dude looks like something I could have made in ‘home economics’ in ninth grade and in fact I made something with sleeves and buttons so that was even harder to do than that??? I’m abhorred by these “styles’ and fashions….. I guess good taste is ‘subjective’ but I would never buy anything horrible like these!
Good taste is definitely subjective, but I don’t get these styles. I understand pushing boundaries and making your audience think, but these aren’t even flattering. They’re just awkward. Believe me, my favorites designers are generally the ones who make either beautiful, flattering clothing, or crazy, innovative, thought-provoking couture.
I actually have no problem with men in skirts. Some skirts do look alright on a man. I think the problem is that some of the skirts in your post just don’t work for the mens figures
Women have been wearing men inspired clothes for a long time. Wearing pants is considered feminist and anti-sexist! My arse! The thing is, straight men have also worn skirts and high heeled shoes (before even women started wearing them BTW) throughout history and it was considered very fashionable because pants hadn’t even been invented yet! If it could work centuries ago, I don’t see how it could completely fail now. We have a fracking phone that can take pictures and you can talk to people via video. Yet we can’t put a man back in a dress??! Maybe these designers need to learn how skirts and mens figures work. Or bring back those old manly fashions that actually DID work.
That is exactly my problem with all of the above skirts.
I don’t have a problem with a man in a dress. I’ve helped guys try on wedding gowns. But to make the man in a skirt silhouette work, designers need to actually think about the differences between men’s and women’s bodies instead of trying to have a collection that can be worn by either party.
This is something that we, in Scotland, perfected years ago in the Kilt: a manly skirt with different colours for each clan.
I was recently in Amsterdam and got talking to a Dutch man who said, “Schotland!? Where the women wear troushers and the men wear shkirts!”.
Because we can totally pull it off.
You must have spoken to the only Dutchman who has a lousy English accent.
There is something truly fabulous about a man in a kilt. There is also something fabulous about Scotland, but that’s just me wanting to go back.
I love that androgyny is becoming more popular in men’s fashion, I LOVE the long tunics, skin fit jeans, and skirts. However, I think I could do without the frilly hemmed skorts and short dresses.
The frilly hem really is the icing on the awkward cake, isn’t it?
Are you kidding me? Androgyny, misogyny, that’s the blend I see here. Godawful. Poor men, eh? Anything for money. I am bombarded here in the Netherlands with talk about the economic crisis and seeing these pictures caused my brain to short circuit. This fashion and the crisis could never happen simultaneously unless they happen in different realms.
Well, the Fashion world does kind of exist on this crazy other plane of existence. Conceptual Fashion like this is closer to art than actual fashion, but that 1) doesn’t make it any less bonkers, and 2) doesn’t make it any less politically awkward to be selling outfits that are hundreds or thousands of euros.
Bravo. I hate Kanye too.
I find him incredibly annoying. He just seems like such a vocal asshole. I can deal with assholes, but being vocal about it is intolerable.
Reblogged this on STITCH MODE and commented:
Exposure of the male thigh – I sure think it’s a little bit much, fashion is what it is – but on this particular occasion, it’s gone too far. Who’s idea was to invent a strapless top and frilly hem shorts for male genders??? All the men I know would definitely freak out at the thought of assembling these outfits on their bodies, never mind being seen out in public… oh gosh – thats a whole new ball game… So, no. Strapless tops, dresses and skirts should stay on the women. Trousers and shorts are interchangeable and we associate those styles and looks. But feminine attire on a male? Simply – no.
Thank you for posting to WordPress and congratulations on becoming Freshly Pressed!!
It’s too extreme and it’s badly tailored, that’s my big problem with the whole thing.
You’re welcome, and thank you so much!
Yes. I suppose it’s all because we only associate the male gender to wear particular clothing and when it changes – the tables turn, everyone stares, gasps and thinks “Am I dreaming? A male dressing up in woman’s clothes??!” Maybe, the designers of today have got a little bored with dressing for specific genders and thought it would be fun. Well it certainly created a reaction alright – I’m just not sure it was a good one…
I don’t understand any of it. When I saw Kanye I thought I was hallucinating. Then I went, Mmm I get it, Kardashians!!!
If by get it, you mean, “get where we can lay the blame,” then by all means, yes, let’s point the finger at the Kardashians!
Yee-aahh… Kanye’s outfit would be a bust on anyone, but… Maybe it IS a double standard. I don’t mind men with “fine” features or an androgynous look, but I like for my man to dress and act like a man. As open-minded as I am, it is a personal preference and I’d be lying if I said these outfits are not a HUGE turnoff. That said, unless “menswear” is tailored to fit a woman, I don’t much care for that look either. And as far as I’m concerned,. you can’t go by runway fashion anyway because even the “gender appropriate” clothing is wacko half the time.
I think the big things are that tailoring and being adaptive with fashion are key. Yes, it’s a bit conceptual, but it’d be so much less creepy if any of it were better tailored for a man’s body.
And yeah, Fashion is crazy. I love it.
OMG – hysterical! I am not a fashion type – jeans and a sweatshirt are as dressed up as I get. So I would normally never have seen this blog if it hadn’t been FP. Kudos to WordPress for sharing your blog and giving everyone a good laugh. I would be so mortified if I were one of those guys being asked to prance around in those outfits. Unbelievable! Thanks for the yuks and congrats on FP!
I’m not super fashion forward. I would describe my personal style as “safe”, since I 1) do not have the budget for the things I lust after, and 2) would rather dress my body well than experiment with slightly more out there fashions. I love it though. It’s interesting, thought-provoking, and occasionally hilarious.
Thank you so much, and I’m glad you got to laugh and enjoy my snark!
My only consolation is that I won’t live forever so I won’t have to live in a world where men are wearing skirts and dresses and women wear the pants. Thank. Goodness.
But oh the caption on the last photo made my day!!!
That is something to think about.
I’m so glad! Thank you for reading and commenting!
No kidding. I saw this show, and thought perhaps it was for the next halloween season or costume ball to be held in England.
It is the Fall 2013 menswear season, so maybe this is High Fashion Halloween.
That actually sounds like the best thing in the universe. I would make fun of it so incredibly much.
Mmmm nothing gets me hotter than a man in a skort.
I know, right? I mean, dayum, look at those legs…..
Oh wait….
Reblogged this on Life with Loder and commented:
He knows what he’s talking about.
She, actually, but thank you!!
Ewe. Gross. These are not suitable outfits for women, men, gays, lesbians, transvestites or mixed gendered people. Ewe. Great post!
Yeah, these are just all-around bad. Can’t we all just dress to flatter our bodies?
Thank you!
Reblogged this on psmickeymouse98's Blog.
Not even in Tasmania, the scene of some truly uninspiring dress sense. This takes the cake, I mean really takes the cake if not all the crockery, the plate and table. Wow, men in skirts.
I’m trying to think of a worse look I’ve seen in the past year, and the only thing that’s coming to mind is the girl from a few months ago wearing too-tight clothes, a bandana, and an awkward tuft of fake blue hair sticking straight up like a who from whoville.
I really liked your blog post, funny and sarcastic… Those dresses are insane, and you are right, they would look bad on women too. And although women do wear mens clothes, there are lots of differences in the way they carry them and the dresses themselves are modified, sometimes subtly and sometimes in quite a major way to look good on women.
There are incidents where men and womens clothing overlap, like mentioned above the Scottish dress and in the middle east the men have long flowing dresses. In Rajasthan and much of india, the men have a Type of dress called a “Sherwani” http://ztrendz.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/sherwani/ (This is not my blog, but someone elses) which are very colorful and graceful, yet distinctly male.
As badfads, said. The designers may have the right Idea but they have not really thought it through. Which is sad. Western mens wear is very limited in its range on colors and style for males. I would be happy to see this expand so men who did not want to look feminine could wear something other they grey, black and dark blue…
Thank you! And you’re right, there are a lot of changes in tailoring to make a traditionally male suit look good on women’s bodies, and the reverse should be true. I think the expansion of menswear is good, but I don’t know that this show is the right direction. I do think the Sherwanis look amazing, it must be said.
Oh.. everything you say about that show is true.. If I put my attention on it.. I begin to get angry as well. So I can totally understand your sentiments… Way to go! Someone should be complaining about this! You have my full support!
Reblogged this on FashionNerd.
This is what I am wearing on every day life. It is a normal version of the woman influence on man style. Even this soft version on the normal streets make people whisper.
http://www.piecesofsoul.com/playing-lenght/
See, what you’ve shown in the post I don’t find problematic–you’ve expressed personal style while still managing to flatter your body.
This was so bad I can’t even grasp it. I am pro gender-mixing, and I sometimes crossdress as a male, but this is just too bad for words.
I have no issues with cross-dressing; I have issues with unflattering. :-p
Agree. Definitely agree. And those dresses… I know no man, not even (definitely not) a cross-dresser, who would wear those. They are utterly ridiculous.
For young men, it is important to keep their pills farther away from their granma’s.
Indeed
Heeheeheekhekhekhekhe!!!
Slutty pirate ftw!
Oh man. Those boots.
This is a prime example of where high fashion leaves the average person in the dust.
High fashion really is in a world of its own. A crazy, crazy world, but a fun one.
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This is so interesting! I can’t believe this
)
I find Fashion really interesting and fun, so I’m glad you enjoyed as well.
Oh well, we are entering an interesting era!
:)
To say the least!
Reblogged this on Thoughtful Cyn and commented:
I’m all about people expressing themselves to the truest of their personal identity, but these fashions… I can agree with most of what badfadsblog.com says here.
Thank you for the reblog, and yeah, these outfits were pretty rough.
I can’t say I’m particularly fashionable — heck, most of the time, I’m not even sure what’s trendy. As a woman, I enjoy (nay, love) wearing pants — but mostly because I’m so glad/relieved not to have to wear skirts and dresses! What’s next? Underwire bras for men? (Oh, wait…)
I’m not as fashionable as you would imagine, mostly because I ignore trends I don’t like. I own one pair of skinny jeans (and they’re at the bottom of my drawer), and I never know how to color-block.
And some guys NEED an underwire bra. :-p
That last one, I may have just spluttered tea everywhere…
When I first saw the picture, I may have gaped unattractively and then cackled with glee.
Reblogged this on Jada Ashley Says and commented:
I just could not stop laughing at these outfits. I love the idea of girls donning mens wear, but this is a tad bit too much for me.
Thank you for the reblog, and I’m glad I made you laugh!
I just wrote a blog about this a couple of days ago – I guess that as long as you’re not against the fact that it’s men who are wearing the clothing (as opposed to the fact that they’re just ugly) I agree with your opinion. Congrats on the freshly pressed!
I saw your post! Very nicely snarky, I enjoyed it. And yeah, my problem doesn’t lie in the guys being in skorts or dresses, my problem lies with how awkward the skorts and dresses are in cut and proportion. I would (and did) hate them on girls (The pre-fall JW Anderson show, unfortunately, is pretty much exactly the same stuff but for women. I thought about doing a follow-up to this post about it.). Thank you!
Those are just plain ugly, no matter who is wearing them. I never understood why a guy would want to wear a skirt. Many women don’t even wear them more than maybe once a year anymore.
They are so bad. The pre-fall show was the exact same and it was mind-bogglingly bad as well. And it could be personal preference/comfort. I love a good A-line skirt, and given that fashion used to have robes and tunics and the like for men, why not?
I’m just a little confused right now. I have to call my therapist.
The JW Anderson show is downright baffling, yeah…
hahaha wow that looks so weird! But why? =S Probaply because that’s how we are raised…
I think it is a combination of cultural conditioning, but also, the clothes are visually awkward.
ok, these clothes are just UGLY
Love it! When I saw that last picture, I thought, “Somebody has been watching Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Except for the Slutty Pirate Boots, that could have been Tim Curry’s outfit in the “Rocky Comes to Life” scene.
Google:
https://www.google.com/search?q=rocky+horror+picture+show+rubber+gloves&hl=en&tbo=d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=OCb8UJKwIMXw2QW804CQDQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAA&biw=1024&bih=546
Okay, yeah, it is a bit Rocky Horror! Too funny.
This is just beyond bad! If a straight guy was wearing this, he would be sending signals out to women that he’s either gay, trans, confused, or just psychopathic!
The clothes are pretty bad, yeah. Not a good look.
I thought this was a joke when I stumbled across this. Where are these fashion shows taking place? I’m guessing EU though that doesn’t mean much. Gender conditioning aside, men wore shit like this way back in the dark ages and they were still considered men….but even knowing that doesn’t make me feel better.
I think this may have been Paris, but I’m afraid to go back looking for it. And I wish it was a joke.
There is a distinctive difference between a robe or a tunic and this nonsense. There are ways to make what are now typically female silhouettes look masculine or figure flattering, but these are just awkward.
Reading between the lines, I see an opportunity for new designers to innovate and gain first-mover advantage.
Sorry, but I don’t have ANY problems with it. At all. If he’s got the legs to pull off the look, I’m happy to see his legs. I think a lot of women who object to this are just afraid that the guy will look better in the dress than she would.
I don’t mind the legs (except on the really alarmingly short dress, but that’s mostly out of concern for him and anyone who’s seated at the wrong angle) so much as the awkward proportions.
Pity those models.
One can hope that if they’re on the runway for a designer that makes Vogue.com they’re at least making a decent paycheck for it.
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Not gonna lie, I’m slightly horrified.
I can’t say as I blame you.
sick funny! but hey what about quilts? now those are sexy!
Kilts are fantastic, but they are a great silhouette. A good pleated, knee-length skirt looks good on everyone, regardless of gender.
But then I’ve worn a good tartan kilt for years – to the rugby world cup no less with no more than good comments. The pictures you show are just crap design, but – Mate, whatever takes your fancy. Tony
I love kilts, but they’re much, much more figure flattering on a guy than anything shown above. Good on you for wearing yours proudly.
kanye looks more pregnant than KIM! hahahahaha! ridiculous with no inherent artistic value.
although i have seen this trend of ‘meggings’ ,mens leggings,but none of my fashionisto men friends find any of it the least bit interesting. only an old, sick pedophile would enjoy seeing young men dressed in this way. the boots look plastic and a waste of good leather. ruffles for men are not a new thing in fact its OLD NEWS! this is shock value and I feel sorry for the business partner of any of these designers who design lines that look as brutally impractical and useless much less fashionable because it is just a waste of their investment money. yuck!
I am very open minded when it comes to fashion but this just seems a bit much doesn’t it? Maybe this look should remain on the runway. Anyways.. for some good fashion photog, check out http://www.blogsandaddicts.com
HOW VERY DARE!!!!
Granted, those last three are just awful, but I like how fashion is becoming androgynous. I could understand why some might think it’s silly, but fashion is silly. Even basic stuff like cowboy hats. Why do people wear those? They aren’t cowboys; they’re just playing dress up.
My problem really with the last three are how plain they are. More layers might make those work.
Reblogged this on Elliot Claire London and commented:
What do you think, yay or nay?
Hahaha! Thanks for a good, light read. Don’t want my bf wearing those either. But well, let’s see how men cross over to women’s dresses. Kudos on the FP. :=)
These all look awful and the models face says it all
the male models has a pokerface when wearing that skirt.
i never understood even the concept of fashion, non of them i have ever seen worn by common men. or women… so whats the purpose of whole thing.
Reblogged this on anainlife and commented:
I agree entirely, though I don’t know what Androgyny means….
really weird right? i guess designers are just run out of ideas on how to dress men so they try to dress them with female clothes. being a butterfly and all (if you get what i mean), i personally think that it is still awkward and it might take a long time to before we see men walking around in skirts. if they do, then so be it as long as the wearer can work it right?
Reblogged this on greenpointdesign.
So, people got PAID to make this stuff?? The only folks that should be makin’ any money there are the poor, poor models that had to wear it – and they should be making a lot of it.
I just, wow – never thought high fashion would go to these pathetic levels and I can appreciate some of the crazy stuff we see out there. I don’t even think a transgendered man would consider wearing these things. Well, maybe Franke-N-Furter would dig the last one – but, he had a little more taste than that.
The feminist in me likes the idea, and thinks that men are definitely allowed to wear women’s-inspired clothing. Also – it’s kind of cool that there are men who would like to wear women’s clothing who are prominent! If Kanye is willing to wear a skirt (we all know a kilt is just a skirt for men, right?), then maybe more people will realize girls don’t have cooties. (Or, at least, will go to the trouble of making a cootie-catcher instead of calling us names & taking away our birth control.)
I have to agree, however, that I am not fond of these women-inspired fashion pieces. I don’t think it’s the androgyny that bothers me, however – it’s just that these are terrible pieces. I wouldn’t wear them as a women, and I would feel inclined to snicker at a person of any gender wearing these pieces. (Like, what’s with all of the frill/ruffle edging? Most women who wear clothing with that accessory need to stop.)
Wow, it goes from Gladiator to Mad Max to Finocchio’s to a bad horror flick. I am sure it is in jest, just like the crazy women’s fashions that no one actually wears anyway. What a waste of money all around -
Those were just painfully awkward to look at. No guy I’ve known ever would be caught wearing these. Some of the men I’ve known might very well fit into the “the plight of the transvestite model” category too.
There seems to be so many thoughts and interest in this blog that I asked my boyfriend to take a look to get a man’s opinion. He didn’t like any of the styles these males were modelling but did feel that the idea of a man wearing a dress had it’s benifits. 1: A dress in extremely hot weather would be cooler then even shorts. 2: Casually a dress could be more comfortable then a suit & tie. 3: It may add some pleasure when you feel the breeze.
With all this been said we had our own fashion show with my guy dressing in some of my clothes.
I must admit there were a couple outfits that I think looked better on him then they did on me and I think he enjoyed the experience as well. Before jumping to any conclusions you may what to, if your male counter part is up to it, play a little dress up and see how your guy looks in a dress. You may be surprised and it could be fun for the both of you.
Well done sir
Madam, actually, but thank you!
I kind of like kilts and kilt-looking skirts on men. But those sheath dresses with slutty pirate boots are just unattractive.
You re very funny….. well done! Laughed my way through your article
Well you know the end of the world is near when…
How on earth do they keep a straight face? How are they not completely flushed with embarrassment? True professional models, these.
Hahahaha I had a good laugh.
I think this would be nicer….http://www.anntaylor.com/ann/product/AT-Apparel/AT-Tropical-Wool/Tropical-Wool-Emile-Jacket/281931?colorExplode=false&skuId=11749967&catid=cata000013&productPageType=fullPriceProducts&defaultColor=6600 wow pardon, long link to the image, this is in a petite, so the waist would have to go lower and the tucks shifted to accommodate wider shoulders, and perhaps the sleeves altered a bit for free movement, black tights and black and white wing-tip shoes! If the white sheath bit under doesn’t feel right, put one of the slim fit brighter colored and tailored shirts under it.
What a brilliant piece. The last picture is my personal favourite.
OMG!!! Those outfits are hilarious!! Seriously!! WTF!!
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what a rubbish work
Had to do a double take there. I bet the guys won’t forget that catwalk session in a hurry!
I could almost stand what Kanye had on because as you say, it is kilt-like. But that other mess…give me a break! You are so correct.
Great post and the questions that it poses, especially through countless comments that just added to the richness of the debate… Why shouldn’t men wear this sort of attire, and/or why do most of us find it a little shocking? (Not why do most of us find it visually challenging, as in the case of the above designs, which needs no explanation).
What has had menswear narrowed down to what we currently have is [drumrolls] the recent history of Western domination. Not only that, by the way, I’d rather say Eurocentric domination…
However, it is almost unbelievable, that is, to the naked eye, that it should be so, for there are still various cases of “non-pant wear” for males even in recent (Eurocentric, etc.) history. Take the clergy for instance, or then again men in the Judiciary in several countries. THEY can wear that!
All in all, I guess we have to admit that trousers must have been way more comfortable to wear, not to mention practical and even less dangerous, for example at WAR. And there you are IMHO what is perhaps that most likely argumentation:
a) practicality/war/domination;
b) soldier = brave = conqueror = the ideal of man;
c) standardization…
…and off we go.
Take that as a package, plus women becoming the usable and disposable thing to look at and be exposed and exploited both visually and fashionwise, and we get an all-out trend towards having men go in the opposite direction.
By and large, it is not hard to understand how we’ve come to this. We males of the species have to be more covered, less passed around; our skin exposed equals weakness, unmanliness, and the lot. Sad.
Congrats on being PF’ed and keep it up!
Oh dear! Imagine if my boyfriend had to start dress this way because there was no other way!!!
All I can say is that I am very VERY grsteful that I didn’t have to sit on the front row that night looking up at the models, especially the one is the very Very short gray dress…. I think my husband would go about in his underclothing before ever donning any of those pieces!
Thanks for the laugh!
Oh my * I agree with Karen and I hadn’t even thought about that before I got down to the bottom of the comment.
I just wanted to say that they are all grounds for divorce. If they aren’t then they should be. I like a kilt on a man with good legs but some of those are taking the biscuit – or not even covering it – someone could take their biscuits if they wanted to.
Loving the fact men’s clothes are becoming more interesting. It has always annoyed me men’s departments in clothes shops are so much smaller than women’s departments, with limited ranges. Wanting to show my own personality instead of being a proverbial sheep, just wearing what everyone else is wearing, has usually meant shopping in the women’s departments. Interestingly, because of this, men have often presumed I’m gay (I’m not) and have said “What the hell are you wearing?” while most women have described my look as “cool,” “sexy” or even “best dressed.”
Basically, I think men who want to dress more traditionally should, of course, be able to do so, but shops should also cater for those of us who prefer to dress more outrageously, too, and find a way of doing so without charging excessive prices. Why should a pair of meggings cost, say, £25 when a similar pair of women’s leggings cost just £5? My hunch is, as more men felt less constrained by what is socially acceptable and dressed to reflect their personalities, as women do, social acceptance would broaden anyway and that can only be a good thing. After all, what you wear doesn’t hurt anyone so why shouldn’t people wear whatever the hell they like?
Having said all that, what appears on the catwalk is usually very toned down by the time reaches the high street anyway.
I can’t say why, because I don’t love Kayne either, but I don’t mind his choice of leather pants and skirt. The other men, couture runway males on the other hand, really make me cringe. WHY?! I don’t see how that’s attractive, or stylish? It does push the boundaries and make me feel uncomfortable, so maybe that’s the point.
Wow, that is quite interesting. Then again, I think much of what comes down the runway ends up looking kind of goofy! I want someone to do a runway show of clothes that people would actually wear
Cheers,
Courtney Hosny
http://www.oneweektocrazy.com
Terrifying. Let’s hope these designers take note of how frightening such ‘high fashion’ is!
Hahaha “Slutty Pirate Steals A Hospital Gown And Attempts Surgery”. Awesome.
Reblogged this on al3j's Blog and commented:
Haha, no words.
In the 60′s when the mini-skirt first hit the street, they were also marketed for men, thankfully that didn’t take off and I don’t think (pray to god) it doesn’t.
As far as I’m concerned men can wear dresses and skirts wen they learn to sit with their legs closed. Enough said!
Absolutely hilarious! My reaction the whole time (aside from hysterical laughter) was “What the f*** is going on?!”
Funny and yet disturbing that we’ve come this far…
freedom of expression… fashion is a way to express who you are! you are not oblige to put that skirt on you if this is not who you are! they are designers,they have the right to show whatever they want,and it will be their problem if they don’t sell after, and we have the right to buy what we like and want! i think there are other issues around us that we should worry about… ae innd that really affect the society we live in….
Tears. Tears. Sometimes the mind reels at how much fashion can be a satire of itself.
The gloves, the boots, I’m all for men dressing more feminine, but those outfits are offensive on any gender or organism.
These are so NOT ‘so hot right now’
Well I for one love androgynous men. There is a music movement in Japan called Visual Kei, where male musicians are incredibly androgynous and overtly feminine in their attire, because the whole point of Visual Kei, aside from one’s image 100% reflecting the music one makes, is to reach an ultimate state of beauty. And trust me, most of these musicians you wouldn’t even realise were men, they’re that beautiful. I think androgynous men, and men in female clothing, can actually work sometimes and doesn’t have to always be camp, naff, or utterly ridiculous. You just have to look in the right places, and that catwalk obviously wasn’t it.
Two blog posts of my own that might be more helpful in getting my point across:
http://raelouisejones.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/poem-the-future-is-female/
http://raelouisejones.wordpress.com/2011/09/20/poem-kawaii-hybrid/
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I don’t think that designers intend for all of their designs to actually hit the mainstream and be worn in public. Some of them are meant as artistic expression. (I can’t explain the Kanye thing, though). With the runway shows, I think the designers are trying to point out the duplicity in women’s clothing designs. They are showing, through this display, how ridiculous it is to dress women in these manners. See, those men have just as sculpted and beautiful bodies as women, yet look how silly it seems for them to be wearing those clothes! It is only through circumstance and tradition, that women ended up on the receiving end of objectification. It could have been men. In the animal kingdom, it is often the male of the species that has the colorful markings or plumage because it rests upon them to attract a mate. We evolved from medieval societies where “might makes right” was the rule and men were simply built more muscular. Now, we live in a society were reason makes right. That’s what those designs are about.
Still, I think your comments are hilarious. I appreciate your sense of humor.
hilarious post, loved it!!
Cool! I really liked reading this!
LOL!!!! I hope this is just a joke.. no men should wear THAT!
I was thinking the last one was more “institutional maid ready to do dishes”
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No men should wear dresses! Where is the aesthetics! Interesting read!
Checkout our aesthetic vision at http://absondesign.wordpress.com/
This easily qualifies to the ugliest sh*t I´ve seen in my life! My eyes started to burn and I got this funny feeling of “MOMMY! Help…” Let´s close our eyes and pretend this never happened.
It. Is. Unf*ckingbelievable.
Bwahahaha! I love the “sexy pirate boots”! But I do not recomend anyone wear these “fashions”!
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oh!! god ;where fashion is going , i don’t get it, does it look normal to those designers, man those are signs of the end 0_0
I wouldn’t even want to wear those clothes… but on a man? Umm no. Great post. Thanks for the laugh!
Lolz….seriously wats wrong with the fashion world ? they want women to wear men ‘s dress & men to dress up like women …. I won’t be surprised the next time i see a scene in movie where a girl carry’s a guy in her arms in romantic way …
Thx for bringing this important fact into limelight ….
haha great post!
Food for thought Ugh!?,fact is these dudes are being paid to wear clothing designed by designers that can only be shown and Must only be seen on a catwalk,sure freedom of expression but let me be free to puke at stupid creations OK?. Nobody else off the catwalk would get away with wearing any of these if not get shot at or raped out of total confusion; Androgyny,Transgender?. Bah. What you do in your sex life is your damn business. Don’t go out in the street wearing any of that Please!
Reblogged this on The Viewing Tank and commented:
Slutty Pirate Steals A Hospital Gown And Attempts Surgery
Wow…they were all pretty horrible. Do people buy those? I mean like normal people? Do they?
It’s interesting to see this coming into the West now. Androgynous fashion has been prevalent in the East for quite some time now, especially amongst the Japanese rock scene. The first pic right there with Kanye is so similar to a look done by Miyavi about 5-7 years ago now http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/8875/miyavi162ol3.png (one of many examples). I know for Japan, androgyny has roots in its traditional cultural past and ancient Japanese theater, where the more androgynous you looked, the more you were considered close to the “gods,” or even a “god”….. but as to why the West has now decided to adopt such a style…no idea….and..I really do not find it appealing haha!
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Awesome!
I don’t really know if I feel okay with these men wearing these outfits. They either need to tan their legs or not wear them at all! I have male friends that are models and I don’t think I could ever look at them the same after seeing them in those outfits.
http://polishmeperfect.wordpress.com/
LOL loved your last line!! We sure do have some rather weird photos here. But mind you, some young men in Tokyo have already started wearing skirts already!! What a strange world we live in now…
J.W Anderson, a former Prada’ visual merchandiser… Some of his designs are totally wearable, others definitely push the boundaries. Either way, I think he has all potential to become a tremendous force within the industry. http://styling-on-the-edge.com/
Ha ha. I love this article! Had a good giggle to myself!