THE JOURNAL
At its root, most menswear is about from functionality. Some of it comes from the military – think of bomber jackets, trench coats and aviator sunglasses – where innovative and protective clothing has passed into everyday wardrobes. Then there’s workwear, all tough canvas and double-knee pants, and the technical one-upmanship that lies at the heart of Gorpcore and athletic wear. All of these come from a place where aesthetics and appearance are secondary. What really matters is how things work and what they do, their toughness and protection. Clothes are a layer of defence against whatever the world can throw at you.
In reality, though, most of us don’t wear these clothes for their original purpose. The function is an add-on, something that may never be tested on our commute, but is still nice to have. It’s a cover for making safe decisions when we get dressed, hiding behind functionality and practicality in our conservative choices. The truth is that menswear doesn’t need to be like this. There’s another – lighter, more playful – way.
American label BODE, for example, points to a more gentle and tactile way of dressing for men. One that celebrates soft materials and light-hearted details. The brand was founded by Emily Adams Bode Aujla and is often inspired by family stories and memories, something that the brand describes as “express[ing] a sentimentality for the past through the study of personal narratives and historical techniques”. This is rich storytelling in clothing form.
This sentimentality creates a different style of menswear, one that is still rooted in heritage, but comes without the hard edges and tough fabrics of other traditional styles. You can see this approach in BODE’s knitwear, with contrasting love hearts on cardigans and countryside-inspired Jacquard images. When it comes to tailoring – a world historically governed by strict codes of tradition and etiquette – the brand introduces hand-crochet florals and a delicate lace trim on soft wool suits.
BODE’s collections use vintage and rare fabrics. There are references to the first edition of Alice In Wonderland and illustrations from children’s books. These details are whimsical and playful, a world away from the pure function of other classic menswear styles. Even when the brand takes on a staple track jacket, for example, it uses a colourful candyfloss embroidery to soften those functional edges. The brand’s pieces are designed to have history and character, heirlooms from another era that have been repurposed for today.
Other brands are doing something similar, using details and embellishments to show a gentler and more considered way of dressing. Take Story mfg., with its appliqué flowers and a motif that reads “kindness wins”. Or the intricate patterns of Kartik Research.
Gentler dressing also comes back to fabric and materials, the way clothes feel and the way they hang. BODE’s shirting, for example, comes in soft silk or semi-sheer broderie anglaise. It’s a similar story with brands like Dries Van Noten and its satin shirts, or the tactile calf-hair jackets of Auralee. And then there’s the colours, with a swing towards pastel tones over the uniformity of black and navy.
JW Anderson is another label taking a light-hearted approach to clothes. See its cardigans designed to look like countryside cottages, complete with flower-filled window boxes. The same design is replicated on a knitted key fob, alongside a crochet radish bag charm, showing how adornments and add-ons can help to show a more playful side to your outfit.
Then there’s softer dressing that arrives on foot. The obvious example of this is the rise of the ballet flat, driven by names like Harry Styles and Jacob Elordi.
But across the board, several brands are trying to break away from the stuffier side of men’s footwear. At Bottega Veneta, the brand’s signature intrecciato weave has been deployed to update loafers. Or look to the soft leather mules made by Our Legacy and Stoffa’s suede slippers. These styles are less concerned with function and more concerned with feeling.
If the old rules of menswear haven’t been entirely swept away, they are due an overhaul. Your clothes don’t have to be tough or boring. And why should they be designed to meet the needs of a fighter pilot? (Unless you are a fighter pilot.) They can instead be playful and gentle – fun, even – with more space for comfort. Which is actually more practical for the way we live today.