100 years of men’s fashion dissected
It was inevitable, I suppose. With all the videos out there of 100 years of women’s fashions, the people at Mode finally got around to men’s fashion. While obviously oversimplified, this video does more to show our current biases and perceptions of ourselves than what men actually wore.
I’m not sure how the clothing for this project was sourced, but I’m going to guess not much of it is actually vintage. This jacket, for instance, is very short for the era. Also, perhaps because the model isn’t used to natural-waisted pants, they are riding too low, so that his crouch hangs down and the pants bunch up on the shoes. This is also a very sporty look, not necessarily that common in 1915.
Some things here are spot on. The straw boater and the white bucks. This is a very common summer look in the 20s. However the jacket is much, much too tight and short. He ends up looking more like a guy at Pitti Uomo in 2015 than a guy in Brighton in 1925.
At this point in the video it becomes clear that these are costumes and not actual representations of what men wore at the time. The pants don’t fit properly and the jacket is much too short, again. While some of the elements – the shirt, shoes and hat – look like they might actually be vintage, they are exaggerated. This video is about our perception of the past, not what the past actually was.
This one might be my favourite because it is most accurate. The hat is simple and contrasts nicely with the outfit. The vest is appropriately short because the pants have a high rise. The collars on the shirt are long and floppy. And while the pants seem just a bit too wide, they fit better than some of the others so far. And the shoes are also simple and understated.
And this is where men’s style goes sideways. This is also when the look becomes much more familiar, because in many ways we haven’t moved on from the jeans, tshirts and sneakers of the era.
This one baffles me. Is he supposed to be a high-end fashion model? Or a background dancer on Hullabaloo? In keeping with the costumes of the rest of the video, I’m surprised not to see a full hippy getup at this point.
Once again, this is an over-the-top costume that represents more what we think of the 1970s than what they actually were. Yes, hair got big and pants got wide, but not everyone dressed like a clown.
Having lived in the 80s, while I saw this look a fair bit on television, it was rarely seen on the streets. You’d see elements of it, like the popped collars and rolled up pants, but all done together and you’d turn a few heads.
What’s especially caring-worthy about this look is that you still see it today. Mostly on men in their 40s who still dress like they did in their 20s.
This look doesn’t seem that dated, as you will still see a lot of guys wearing their untucked “night out” shirts. And of course the crushing conformity of jeans. The square-toed shoes have thankfully faded, but crappy black shoes are still everywhere.
And this look, and the reaction it’s garnered, is the most absurd. In every other image, the model acts “of the era” in some over-the-top parody. He is saying, again and again, “look how ridiculous fashions used to be.” But at this point, our time, he just looks seriously at the camera, gives us the peace sign and walks away. No obsessive looking at his phone or any other stereotypical satire (except, I guess, for the beard). Now the video is saying “thank god we can finally be ourselves.” And that is the reaction I’ve found on numerous sites: we’ve put all the silly fashions of the past behind us and found a look that is true and authentic.
Utter nonsense. All fashion is an exaggeration of its era. That is why it is popular and trendy. That is also why it is so easy to ridicule in the future. Do people honestly believe that today’s fashions won’t look absurd in 20 or 30 years? Or that we’ve finally figured it all out? My fear is that this video will further the current narrative that past styles were frivolous and ridiculous, whereas current trends are truly timeless.
Instead, we should be judiciously borrowing from the past, bringing in contemporary sensibilities, to build our own styles. Remaining aware, however, that while we contribute to the culture around us, we are also a product of that culture.
1 Comment
Peter Marshall
July 21, 2015 at 5:05 pm
This certainly reflects how depressing “fashion” has become. Say what you will about pre-millennial styles but at least the wearers put effort into their appearance. The near identical outfits in the 90s, 00s and 2010s are notable only for their complete lack of originality and effort.