Why Fashion Should Matter to You

This post was submitted by Jeremy, a Washington DC native who returned eight years ago for college, and apparently hasn't left again.

We’re serious people, here in the District. We’re about politics, finance, technology, education, public service – doing important work and justifying our positions in the greatest society in the world. We don’t have the minds for something as frivolous and superficial as the colored bits of fabrics that we’re legally required to adorn ourselves with. That’s the realm of self-absorbed man-children – the “old gays” who mistake manhood for peacockhood and engage in gaudy ornamentation for the purpose of screaming “Me! Me! Look at ME!”

That’s what we tell ourselves to get away with ignoring fashion in this town.

But fashion isn’t about selfishness. Quite the opposite, in fact. It’s easy to gain satisfaction from ignoring fashion - you save money, mental energy, and apprehension from the fear of being judged for a bad choice. You also get that smug feeling of being “above” something so material. But making an effort to put yourself into a thoughtful outfit at least once a day shows true consideration. It’s the exact same principal behind keeping your lawn kempt, refraining from littering, and combing your hair. It’s an exercise of your responsibility to the aesthetics of the local environment. And shucking that responsibility is an offense to everyone around you.

Your duty includes more than the bare minimum. Yes, your ensemble of a heather gray t-shirt with dark khaki cargo shorts and flip-flops won’t appall anyone (except for those who have a hang-up about flip-flops), but doesn’t say much about your level of commitment either. It’s the “This is just how much I give a shit” foil to the “I’m fully vested in being a part of the community” an inspired outfit conveys. A well-dressed man essentially says to everyone who sees him, “I care about what you think of me, and by extension I care about you”. Imagine the strength of a society where everyone is sharing that message with each other.

On the other hand, a cardinal rule of American etiquette is to not draw attention to oneself in public. Therein lies the exhilarating task of fabricating a look that fits snugly in between blandness and gaudiness (sloppiness and flamboyance exist outside of the fringes of public acceptability). But I’m not here to hold your hand through that task. In fact I decry the condescending instructional nature that defines American men’s fashion writing. Fashion is personal, and subjective. It’s not a science. You can figure out what looks inspire you, what flatters you, and what you can get away with by making your own observations. If you’re able to make it in a big city, you should be smart enough to handle putting together a nice outfit without Details giving you their Summer Essentials checklist or building your perfect wardrobe with GQ.

Considering this audience, however, I will offer a caveat against trying too hard to advertise one’s sexuality. I’m not talking about the fact that you are gay, I’m talking about the fact that you have an ass and dick. You cannot be taken seriously if people can see your nipples through your polo shirt. An outfit is supposed to present its own aesthetic cast. It’s not a proxy through which you can convey your naked body while technically staying within the confines of the law. And for a man, the harder he tries to convey his sexiness, the less sexy he becomes. Yes, we want to put together outfits that will get us laid, but we should still pretend that we don’t. It’s just another one of those dishonesties that we demand from each other in a polite society, so deal with it.