THE JOURNAL
Modern Romance: How Menswear Fell Back In Love With Frills, Lace And Flamboyance
Mr Jeremy O Harris at the Venice International Film Festival, 4 September 2022. Photograph by Mr Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
At the premiere of The Whale at last summer’s Venice Film Festival, American playwright Mr Jeremy O Harris stood out among his fellow guests, and not just because he is 6ft 5in. Rather it was his outfit: a frilled shirt, pastel suit and Gucci clutch bag. It felt louche, dandified and inherently romantic.
Romantic dress has a long history in menswear. It takes its name from the artistic movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries when ruffle shirts with puffed sleeves, elaborately knotted cravats and frothy neckcloths in silk and lace were de rigueur. More than a century later, those references were fused with the androgyny and theatricality of 1970s glam rock and gave birth to the self-styled New Romantics of the 1980s. With their powdered makeup, big hair, voluminous blouses and layers of scarves, sashes and brooches, they displayed a penchant for the more flamboyant side of fashion and challenged the gender norms.
These days, thanks to a more fluid approach to masculinity, romantic style has made a comeback, albeit with a softer, more wistful feel, and Harris is not its only devotee. Take actor Mr Omari Douglas, who offers a languid spin on suiting, sometimes accessorised with silk scarves. Or musician Mr Troye Sivan, with his love of lace and frills. Or the actor Mr Laurie Kynaston, who showcases a more puckish take on the look, with short tweed suits and satin blouses.
Left: Mr Omari Douglas at the British Academy Television Awards, London, 8 May 2022. Photograph by Ms Lia Toby/Getty Images. Right: Mr Troye Sivan at W Magazine’s Best Performances Party, Los Angeles, 24 March 2022. Photograph by Mr Owen Kolasinski/BFA.com
It also goes beyond the red carpet. In the creative industries, you’ll find illustrator Mr Alfred Bramsen, who favours floaty skirts and crochet blouses; designer Mr Max Hurd, who loves pussy-bow blouses; and filmmaker Mr Akinola Davies, who mixes bold suits with ruffled shirts and strings of pearls.
We cannot talk about this romantic resurgence without a nod to its poster boy, singer Mr Harry Styles. Ms Terry Newman, the author of Harry Styles And The Clothes He Wears, says he takes his style cues from his predecessors. “His interpretation of classic rock-star imagery is fresh, but also works as an homage to some of the world’s most famous stars,” she says. Positioning his outfits in a lineage means clothes that what might appear outré on the hanger feel instantly more accessible. “He invites everyone to join the party,” says Newman.
Of course, Styles and the other romantics would have nothing to wear if fashion brands did not embrace this look. Gucci, under Mr Alessandro Michele, dominated this space and it’s arguably his influence that has shaped this new romantic age. In 2015, the designer threw down the gauntlet with his first collection, which included male models in pussy bows and frilly blouses. Over the next seven years, with Styles as his muse, he introduced florals, flounces and lace into his menswear collections.
Left: Mr Akinola Davies at The V&A , London, 17 March 2022. Photograph by Mr Darren Gerrish/Getty Image for V&A. Right: Mr Harry Styles at the Toronto International Film Festival, 11 September 2022. Photograph by Mr Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
Other designers were also on board. Cloaks and languid satin dominated the spring show at SAINT LAURENT, while Dries Van Noten embraced camisoles and corsets. BODE, meanwhile, is adored by Styles and others for its wistful, romantic take on craft that brims with cotton voile, ribbon trims, lace and embroidery.
Mr Iain R Webb, professor of fashion and design at Kingston School of Art, was part of the original New Romantic scene in the 1980s and says looks then went beyond the now familiar images of powdered faces. “The order of the day was all about experimentation and pushing the boundaries of perceived masculine and feminine styles of dress and redefining beauty,” he says. And while he quibbles that in 2023 much of the experimentation centres around the suit, he’s pleased to see that the status quo is still being challenged and style goalposts are being shifted.
“There are obvious parallels between then and now, especially politically and economically,” Webb says. “Despite the oppressive mood back then, there was immense freedom to be found. We had nothing so we had nothing to lose.” How romantic.