The clean-cut suit and tie version of masculinity is still alive and well, although it’s not alone anymore. You can express your masculinity in a myriad of ways, all of which just as valid as the next.
You don’t need to be confined to what the traditional ideas of fashion are anymore, and we’re here to provide you with some ideas that could help you branch out.
We’ll look at some alternative expressions of masculine style, giving you a few angles to work with that might just perfect your wardrobe.
Let’s get started.
1. Wear Jewelry
It’s time to shake the idea that men can’t wear jewelry. Explore your options for rings, earings, necklaces, bracelets, and more.
If you’re not super comfortable with wearing jewelry just yet, you can break yourself in by wearing a watch! Slip a ring on after that and see how it feels.
Jewelry allows us to accentuate different parts of our outfit, physique, or personality. It’s entirely possible to express masculinity through the addition of jewelry.
2. Expand Your Wardrobe’s Color Scheme
Many men peer into the closet and see a sea of gray, black, brown, and muted greens. These colors have long been associated with men’s fashion, but it might be time to start throwing a few vibrant hues into the mix.
Picture yourself in a muted purple suit, or with pants and shirts that are vibrant blues, yellows, oranges, and pinks. Displaying yourself with vibrant colors is an indication that you’re comfortable with your masculinity.
Those who don’t feel secure are unlikely to branch out in colorful ways, so owning a bright pink shirt might just be the best way to show how confident you are.
3. Embroidery
Embroidery is an excellent way to add flare to literally any piece of clothing. That doesn’t mean that you have to bejewell anything, either.
Embroidery is a complex artform that offers a lot of creativity and opportunity to make your clothes speak to your personality. You can embroider your clothes yourself, or find things like embroidered pants already made and ready to wear.
4. Unconventional Accessories
Do you really want to be walking around with a briefcase in 2021? We have cars that can park themselves, and what are you carrying around in that thing anyway?
Your tiny cell phone can hold millions of times the information that the briefcase can. Additionally, you have a number of accessory options to flare up your style.
Satchels, male purses, and more are all available to you. Accessories might also be glasses, hats, gloves, or anything else that you can use to contribute to your outfit.
5. Show More Skin
We said it. If you’re comfortable doing it, it’s totally acceptable for a man to wear a crop top, shorter shorts, or different pieces of clothing that display more body than traditional men’s clothes do.
What better way is there to display your masculine style than through your actual body? Allowing yourself to show more skin opens you up to a whole host of new outfit ideas.
6. Get Inspired from Whoever You Want
Another place to look for inspiration is the wardrobes of your female friends. Outfit inspirations don’t have to come from catalogues, other men, commercials, or outlet stores.
Traditionally speaking, women have more diversity in their wardrobes than men do. This isn’t always the case, of course, but it’s generally true.
Ask them what sorts of things you can do to spice up your wardrobe and start expressing yourself!
7. Look to The Past
There was one time in history when men had free range to dress how they liked, and that was the late 60s and 70s.
Not all men were freeing their minds at that time, but the ones who were start to wear some pretty far out stuff. Look to the hippie movement for ideas into potential wardrobe changes.
They were masters of things like headbands, leather, twill, embroidery, and a whole lot more. You’ll probably find that a lot of the trends that were used back in those days are coming back into popularity now.
That said, take a look back into photographs of Woodstock or Grateful Dead concerts and see what sorts of things pop out to you. It seems like a funny task to sort through Grateful Dead photos for fashion ideas, but you’re bound to find some ideas that you wouldn’t otherwise.
8. Rethink What Fashion Means to You
The main thing to keep in mind as you try to expand your masculine style is that what you want matters more than anything else. It doesn’t matter how people might see you based on what you’re wearing.
If you’re into what you’ve put onto your body, there are going to be people out in the world who respect you simply for that fact. Anyone who’s overly critical of wardrobes might be valuing the wrong things in life, and we shouldn’t let those people influence how we express ourselves.
Stepping out into the world with a new wardrobe might feel excellent, or it could feel a little off. The only way that you’re going to know is if you start branching out.
You can incorporate different men’s fashion ideas slowly as well, working ideas into your wardrobe as time goes on. Five years down the line, you might find that your wardrobe has changed entirely and you feel like a new person.
If fashion is going to be a mode of expression for you, then recognize that for what it is. Realize that your relationship to clothes might be different than the people who simply wear what is accepted in society.
It’s easy to let others criticize and affect how you feel about yourself. Try to stay true to your new wardrobe choices and only change them if you feel like they’re not working.
Need More Ways to Express Your Masculine Style?
Expressing ourselves through men’s fashion can be difficult. Getting in touch with your masculine style, though, is an important means of self-expression and confidence. We’re here to help you out with more ideas.
Explore our site for more insight into fashion, masculinity, style, and much more.
