Menswear, historically, has always been incredibly conservative and uniform compared to women’s fashion. But finally men are coming out of the dark ages and embracing the only really important thing in life:

NOW FASHION TRENDS

-Antonio wears Andrew Fezza Suit (Amazon) and PACT socks (Amazon)

Sound familiar? I think this line has been somewhat over-used for the past decade…often as a marketing gimmick. Whether or not men have, indeed, finally left the caves is a question for another blog; but the common perception of menswear in general is indeed rather stagnant.

-Antonio wear Vintage Jacket (in Studio) and Made to Measure Trousers (in Studio)

I’ll confess that I myself sometimes fall into the trap of considering menswear rather standard. Because of my bespoke suit niche I only really engage properly with four garments:

Jackets

Trousers

Shirts

and Waistcoats

-Antonio wear Shweshwe Pocket Square (in Studio)

Which is, if you think about it, basically the entire repertoire of formal menswear. So my first question is really:

Why do we think menswear (now and in the past) is so boring in the first place?

Roman Handt, one of my favorite local designers

Is it because the majority of men have a limited wardrobe? And even those that ‘dress up’ stay generally within the four basic garments?

I think men enjoy simplicity and certainty. Over a century we’ve determined what garments we require, and since they work well enough for every occasion there’s really no reason to re-invent the wheel.

Of course there are exceptions, but after so many years dealing with men and their clothes, I’m convinced that men really enjoy a uniform with very clear rules. The important thing is to know what the rules are so that they don’t have to make too many micro decisions and get distracted from running a business (or whatever their occupation is).

 

The second question about this stereotype is then:

Why is menswear in a seemingly perpetual state of emerging from boringness?

-Werner wears Vintage Jacket (in Studio) and Made-to-Measure Trousers (in Studio)

I think the answer is simpler than we expect: Men’s basic wardrobe is a bit standardized, but by no means uniform.

And is easily brought to life with a few good accessories. So although a man might wear a suit every day of his life, no two suits will ever be the same.

-Antonio wear Vintage Jacket (in Studio) and Giancarlo Tie (Amazon)

Which (don’t get triggered by my over-generalization) is what men really enjoy about our style: it’s infinitely variable while remaining subtle and understated.

 

So there’s my two cents on the matter. I trust you all attended Fashion Week so that you can know what’s ABSOLUTELY NOW!!!

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The Studio is at 625 Levinia Street, Garsfontein, and open every Thursday from 8am to 8pm. You can also subscribe to this blog by hitting the follow button, and join the monthly newsletter here for fashion scandal and awesome designs.