How to wear anything (and get away with it)
Welcome back to Rubbish Report. We live in a society determines what one can wear in any given situation. Here's a rambling that looks at how you can wear whatever you want.
Preface: I want to start with a personal anecdote, which may come off as self-aggrandising, but I think kinda ties into the article as a whole. Enjoy!
Although strange to me, people often remark about my uncanny ability to “pull off anything”. Some introspection and reflection (both tools of any good jawnz enthusiast) lead me to wonder why. It’s not like I’m a model or have a particularly “standard” body shape (in fact quite the opposite, I am built weird. That is not body dysmorphia, it is a scientific fact). These comments are afforded to me even when I feel uncomfortable in something I am wearing. The real question is why? Why do people; both friends and strangers, oft label me as “being able to pull off anything?”
It’s all about confidence baby.
Confidence in one’s ability to dress, and eventually confidence in oneself as a whole proves key to this. Cliched and incredibly unhelpful reductionist advice it may seem, but unfortunately that is the truth! Confidence does not mean smug or cock. Confidence does not mean being happy in yourself and the way your body is. Confidence does not mean that you have no self-doubt and are conversely filled only with self-love. Poetic how, in a way, confidence in this regard means the opposite of the above. Confidence is self-belief and belief in your taste. Less so rooted in physical appearance or ability, it’s a mindset. Letting this belief flourish naturally turns into a bit of an “I don’t give a shit what u think” attitude which is always helpful. Conversely, something to take into account when growing your confidence flowers is that constructive criticism will always be your best friend. Dissect your haters and maybe come out with something that will help you win. Stoicism is as applicable to an ashwagandha-fuelled, apathetic, masculine mindset as it is to become the ideal fit god. Let not the vicissitudes of fashion weigh you down.
“Waste no more time arguing about what a good jawnz enthusiast should be. Be one.” -Marcus Aurelius, probably
Enough waxing lyrical. I’m sure that you want to know some concrete tips. Here are some less so rules and more so nuggets of information that can help carry you on your journey of dressing.
Knowing your body type
A common feature of every TikTok fashion guru is their fixation on “knowing your body type” and “silhouette”. The hyper-fixation in the new era on these two points has proved to be the crux of many satirical posts by more in-the-know figures like Mark Boutillier and Tanner Dean, both of whom I respect a great deal (click the links to two of my favourite TikToks from each respective creator). That is not to say that this is an inherently bad thing. Knowing your body shape and what looks good on you is an invaluable tool, and proves to be one of the first steps towards looking good in anything you wear. Mister Mort (Mordechai Rubinstein) is an icon and has this aspect dialled in. He often talks about his own body in an objective way when it comes to dressing (as per this old Throwing Fits episode), such as his narrow and sloped shoulders (much like mine) that lend themselves more to a soft shoulder in a blazer or sport coat. Knowing thyself to such a high level is the ultimate hack for looking good in whatever you wear. This journey of self-discovery never truly ends, and instead just opens the doors for new opportunities.
A fixation on “silhouette” and “proportions”
Tackling the proportions claims is a little harder. It is all too common that you can find some copy-and-paste bozo providing a sermon on “The Rule of Thirds” spouted verbatim from Photography for Dummies. It’s hard not to follow along and view things at such an objective angle, but it does tend to narrow perceptions of dress. Again, focusing on silhouette is not an inherently bad thing, and is a key to looking good in anything, so long as you’re cognisant to not fall into a single perception of the concept. It’s hard to avoid this vintage-inspired cropped jacket and baggy pant combo that is so prevalent right now (more on this below) and there isn’t denying that it looks good. However, there is so much more to dressing than a single narrow-minded perception and false labelling of “the ideal silhouette”. It’s important to question the content you consume - is the outfit cool, or is the person wearing it just attractive?
Considering how pieces work together to form a cohesive outfit naturally lends itself to the wearer developing a stronger sense of personal style and becoming a wearer of all jawnz. To circumvent being stuck in one perception of the ideal silhouette, one must take a step back and look at trends as a whole.
The Cursed Trend Cycle
The current zeitgeist’s obsession with “silhouette” seems to focus on uniformity rather than utility. Silhouette almost exclusively seems to follow one style of dress. Bigger pants with smaller/cropped tops have your FYP and IG feed by the ballz right now. “Come with me as I crop this jacket” or “… as I insert panels to make these pants baggier” (the latter of which is hideous by the way) monopolises social media. It’s important to remember where this moment sits in time. It is but another trend in the Sisphyean and cyclical trend machine.
All of this is to say that trends are not inherently negative. Maturing is realising they are neither good nor bad, and are instead a natural consequence of human behaviour. To follow a trend is natural - the desire to fit in and find kindred spirits is etched into human ethos. On the other hand, to reject trends outright is another side of the same coin, a part of being human is to reject change and look at a group to which you do not belong with distaste. As a part of introspection (and a healthy reflective practice that is the linchpin of mindfulness), the jawnz enthusiast must ask themselves if they like or hate something purely because it is part of a trend. Now, I am not perfect by any degree of imagination, but I’m learning every day. My immediate distaste towards the Y2K prevalence was one from a place of “hating change” but has evolved into an appreciation of an aesthetic that whilst looks great on others, is not for me.
We are doomed to follow the ebbs and flows of trends, however cyclical they may be. The key is to utilise this fact for yourself and unlock ways to wear anything you want.
Time and place
Now you’ve built your confidence, and know your body and proportions, it’s time to push some boundaries. The first step is pushing your boundaries. You’ve analysed yourself and those around you (in the form of trends) to identify what works for you and what you like. Develop some apathy for the opinions of lesser jawnzmen, and wear whatever you think looks good, and what you enjoy wearing. As I said above, always welcome criticism, but look upon unsubstantiated opinions with the largest of grains of salt.
An area that seems to garner attention for me is how to access some personal flourish within the workplace. It’s difficult to provide blanket statements of advice - I don’t know where each one of y’all works, and thus everyone’s situation is unique. I’ve navigated injecting my style into my work wardrobe with utmost caution. It’s about knowing what you can and cannot get away with. I’m not about to say turn up to your finance office job in a tee and jeans but that’s unfortunately not appropriate, maybe finding a solid coloured shirt with an interesting material/colour such as Tencel like this one from Wythe to hide beneath your suit, or perhaps opting for a shoe choice that strays from the R.M Williams Craftsman boots (like these Camions by Our Legacy). Regardless of how small your flourish is - wear it with confidence, that’s how you’ll get away with it.
Personally, my line of work does not have the strictest dress codes. Over time I learned where the boundaries are, that’s allowed me to wear some interesting Japanese denim (Kate if you’re reading this - please stop bullying me at work for my jeans) and polo shirts (albeit a knitted variant, as opposed to a sportswear focused pique kind) that feel a bit more me than a pressed poplin shirt and wool trousers, or a set of hideous teal scrubs. A (kinda) senior (ex)-colleague of mine Harry pulls this off super well. Big fuck off Adieu loafers with crepe soles, matched with wide pleated slacks and a white tee not within the realms of typical doctor dress, but if worn with confidence, as Harry did, they work well and nobody seems to bat an eyelid.
It’s not that serious. Have some fun
At the end of the day, it’s the end of the day. And also, clothing ain’t that serious. Ultimately, it boils down to wearing whatever you want, and fuck other people’s opinions.
"It is not bad fits that man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to throw fits at all." - also Marcus Aurelius, probably
Okay, I think that’s enough old man shakes fist at the sky energy for now.
Are there any areas of your dressing that you feel restricted and confined within? Let me know on IG or in the comments below.
Talk soon,
Mitch