I just read a captivating case study on how 90s grunge fashion shaped a generation of men. It makes you really think about the power of clothing and it’s connection to broader cultural shifts. The study argued that the deliberate anti-fashion statement – ripped jeans, oversized flannels, and worn boots – wasn’t just about comfort or affordability; it was a rejection of the polished, status-driven styles of the 80s and a visual depiction of the anxieties and disaffection many young men felt at the time.
What’s captivating is how that “authenticity” then got commercialized. You see brands like Levi’s and Doc Martens, which might have been the *brands* guys were already wearing out of necessity, suddenly becoming aspirational items marketed along the same lines as “rebellion.” It raises the question of how long any truly anti-establishment fashion can last before the market co-opts it.
Did anyone else read this study, or have thoughts on how fashion trends reflect and influence male identity in specific time periods? I’d be curious to hear your perspectives and maybe other examples.