The image used in the article, models Sascha Kooeinga (left) and Artem Emelianov (right).
Should we be ranting and raving about the state of male models in the way in which has recently taken place for Womenswear or is this the scrawny kid getting their own back on all those guys who used to kick sand in their face on the beach? Personally I feel that trends go round and around, this has just been the time where the thin guy takes the limelight as androgyne prevails. As tastes and fashions evolve,masculinity should not be measured by the size of a man's bicep but by a myriad of complimentary and contradictory facets. If people believe that the scrawny ideal is an unhealthy ideal as they champion the more butch body, then they forget how unhealthy the road can be to reach this ideals. A fact that has stayed with me ever since those uni lectures is that if the Wolverine (a member of the X Men) action figure was lifesize his biceps would measure 48 inches. Is a waist of twenty eight inches more or less unhealthy than a body (Wolverine's) of such celebrated (allbeit caricature like) of masculinity? In conclusion, as long as the man is 'healthy' there is no need for debate. Let the clothes speak for themselves.
I think this is a very complex issue that I find difficult to discuss briefly here. I will, however, say that while I agree that as long as the man is healthy, then it shouldn't be a big deal, when people are shown only one body type (whether pumped up or super-skinny) it can lead to feelings of inadequacy that can have very negative and strong impacts on men's lives. Whether this is fashion's responsibility or not is very much up for debate.
7 comments:
i believe there's totally nothing wrong with it. fashion is an abyss where something has to revolve and change all the time so it's pretty natural that we all got bored with the image of a steroid-chicken-guys a la abercombie&fitch. it just feels wrong now. as for me... i've just lost approximately 8 kilos and i was really slim before), the muscles are gone and i am enjoying my new body. it's just a new side of beauty and sexuality, it's not the better or the worse one.
in the end, not the muscles nor the weight are the things which define the masculinity.
I can see your point here.
but Yes, this will blur the line.
Androgyny will really be the part of our life sooner than we thought.
Fashion, even the realm of menswear is ultimately fickle.
Aesthetic preferences change as often as a model backstage and it's high-time there came a change regarding the male ideal, I can't think how some expected the statuesque demigod appearance to reign forever. The cyclic nature of fashion dictates change - constant change, and personally, as long as the skinny models hired are 'healthy' as you've mentioned, I can't pinpoint a problem.
/DCB.
When I see men who have thighs thinner than their knees, I have to wonder just how healthy they are. I understand that these men are ectomorphs and not your average beer drinking, pizza eating weekend hockey player (i.e. me). That said, doods is thin. THIN.
I'm not sure I'm that influenced by male fashion models. I'm pretty athletic and have always lifted weights and done aerobics just because I want to be in athletic shape. I really don't try for a look. I'm just glad slim clothes are becoming popular because I'm really tired of finding nothing but "relaxed fit" in the stores around here which never fit me.
This is disgusting. Now male models are being faced with the same issues as women. Becoming too thin is not the way to go. What happened to the fit man and fit woman? What happened to curviness of a woman's frame? What happened to the rigid manly structure of a man. I am so tired of "thin is in". We need to remember that it is regular people who buy designer clothing. And if the clothes don't fit the buyer then the designer has not sale. I want to go into a store see what I like, find it in my size and buy it. And with that. . . I'm finished!
I LOVE THE GUY ON THE RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!
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