Articles tagged with "Fashion Trends"

There are two aspects to this question, first a bio-mechanical one and secondly a more sociological one.

Let's get the bio-mechanics out of the way first. I'll use the biological sex male and female here for clarity. A human male foot (on average) is wider than a female foot, which also means that some male feet are the same width as female feet. The length of a male foot (on average) is longer than that of a female, though again there are a number of males who have feet which are the same length as female feet. The consequence of some male feet being as wide and as long as a female foot is that they can comfortably wear shoes which were intended for wear by females. The consequence of male feet being generally larger than females feet is that they can, comfortably accommodate heels which are higher than would normally be worn by females, especially as the length of the foot increases.

So from a bio-mechanical point of view, it's largely a question of how big your foot is and the condition/flexibility of your muscles & tendons as to what shoe and heel height is right for you. In the end you'll find that a process of trial and error will get you to the point where you find out what the maximum height is that you can comfortably wear. Everything in-between that and flat heels are what are right for you (from a bio-mechanical point of view anyway). We're ignoring, for the sake of positivity and fashion all of the medical reasons why high heels are bad for you (sorry doc)!

If you want to get scientific about it you can use the Perfect Heel Height (PHH) Calculator which offers a mathematical way to figure out what your maximum comfortable heel height should be.

From a sociological perspective, it's a whole other ball-game. It's a simple fact... you can't please everyone with what you wear, or don't wear. It's always either too much, or not enough for someone. The same applies to what heels you wear. For some they are too high, too much (fetishy/stripper) for others, not high enough, the wrong style, or the heels are not slim enough.

For many men who wear heels they do it out of rebellion against outdated social norms which want us to conform to given stereotypes. If we try and accommodate the too much/not enough judgement, we're simply swapping one type of conformity for another. That just doesn't make sense. You can keep your judgement, thank you.

As the proverb says... "Judge not, lest ye be judged". Give yourself a self-check here. Do you openly judge other people for what they wear? Would you want that same judgement cast back in your direction? I'd guess not. It's time to stop judging other people for what they wear.

It is true that in the movement to degender fashion we throw around the mantra of "Clothes and shoes have no gender", but it can also be argued that clothes are imbued with gendered, raced and classed cultural meaning (Lipton et al), though we can see from historical records that this meaning is flexible and has changed frequently over time. Women were judged and ridiculed for wearing pants towards the start of the 20th century, but they are now socially normalised. It's not beyond our imagination to see a world in which all clothing is more normalised between the sexes, it just needs open minds.

What is right for you from a sociological perspective? It largely comes down to what you personally feel comfortable and confident with wearing on any given day. Some of that might be influenced by your current mood, what you have planned for your day, what the weather is doing and who you'll meet. Your comfort zone may be tested here, but that's ok. You might find that being in a comfort zone is not the best thing for you anyway. Are you too much or not enough? Women in particular (yes, and "some men") unjustly live with this dichotomy constantly and can guide us as a good measure of what can be considered too much or not enough when it comes to what we wear in any given situation. As always, those boundaries can be tested and expanded, but we can also use women's fashion and style as a guide for men for avoiding any potential judgement or criticism whether it's warranted or not. There's plenty of style inspiration on Instagram and Pinterest

So, in summary, what is right for you is what you're comfortable and confident in, regardless of what anyone else thinks.

As you're no doubt aware, whenever you step out in public in a pair of heels there can be an annoying voice inside your head reminding you of all the potential judgement that you may encounter while you are out. It can sometimes feel like a constant stream of "what if?" questions. Not everyone gets this new trend quite like you do, so what can you do?

In reality, during the daytime, most people are so wrapped in doing what they’re out to get done, but during the evening people often have a little more time on their hands and are often more observant about the people around them.

It can help to be prepared for interactions with other people and a possible conversation about your heels. Most of the time, these conversations will be positive but if you are unfortunate enough to encounter someone who is less open-minded it can help to be prepared to have a conversation about your heels. We’ve prepared a simple 5 point strategy to help…

• Firstly, do your History homework. History has clearly documented the many times that men have worn heels, from 10th Century Persian Cavalrymen to King Louis XIV to David Bowie, Prince and now you, me, Harry Styles, Lenny Kravitz and Billy Porter and the other thousands of men around the world.

• Next is Education. You know that you and MANY other men are wearing heels, but the person you are talking to make be either completely ignorant of current fashion trends or might need reminding of times when it was more common than now. It’s up to you to educate them on it. Show them the hundreds of posts on the Articles page from Men’s Heels Revolution. Tell them where you got your heels from, show them the website and any marketing of men in heels that you can.

• Next is Empathise. Really, deep down they’d probably love to accept men wearing heels, and love themselves more in the process, but while they are complying with social norms, they will feel compelled to maintain the status quo. It can help to let them know you originally felt the same way as them, but then your mind was opened when you saw so many other men in heels and the acceptance that was given by the majority of people.

• Next is Leadership. You’re bringing it back and you’re at the front that also means you’re in the firing line. You need to keep your head, keep calm, be positive and firm about your courage and convictions. What you do out there shapes the future for all men in heels (and other gender non-conformity) so the image you present to the world is important. Leadership is also knowing which battles to fight and to know when you’re not going to win. It’s ok to agree to disagree and walk away.

• Finally, Style. Do whatever you do with style. With men’s heels easily available in many different styles from established retailers like Alessandro Vasini, Asos, Christian Louboutin, Cross Sword Fashion, Daniela Uribe, Feraggio, Harry Halim, Jimmy Choo, Lidia Talavera, Onlymaker Heels For Men, Patricia Henriques, Steve Madden, Syro, Utilitarian Gender Neutral, Yves Saint Laurent and many more there’s something to suit everyone’s taste and budget (See our Retailer Directory for even more options). Become a style student, draw influences from what others are doing and experiment with your outfits, not everything will work, but that’s ok! Style starts from the shoes upwards and when you love shoes, that’s a great start.

So there you have it, our simple strategy to keep you fashion forward and standing tall. Can’t remember the 5 points? Maybe this will help…

H - History
E - Education
E - Empathise
L - Leadership
S - Style

The Vou takes stock of where we are at in the heels for men arena and highlights 38 selections from what's on offer with options to suit all tastes, styles and budgets. There has clearly been a great deal of research put into this piece by Aiden Russell, and if they are anything like me, probably one or two personal purchases along the way!

From the article:

"the number of men reclaiming their space in the high heel fashion world by making profound statements of confidence and style is on the rise."

"Inspired by top fashion brands such as Balenciaga, Christian Louboutin, Tom Ford, Prada, Marc Jacobs, Maison Margiela, Celine, Amina Muaddi, YSL, Manolo Blahnik, Versace, and Bottega Veneta, these heels for men will make anyone look stunning, regardless of gender, style, or taste."

Original URL: https://thevou.com/fashion/mens-high-heels/

Mens Style Fashion magazine asks whether we will see more feminine fashion in 2021. Women have forever been adopting men’s fashion in attempt to add some elements of masculinity, and we’re now seeing fashion move in the other direction with more feminine items introduced to men’s fashion options. Many men are now reinterpreting themselves, letting more of their vulnerabilities become visible through self-expressive dressing.

In answer to the question, and drawing close to the end of 2021, here at Men’s Heels Revolution we feel that the answer has been an emphatic YES!

Original URL: https://www.menstylefashion.com/will-we-see-more-feminine-fashion-trends-for-men-in-2021/

This article from German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung (@sz) explores why men have shied away from wearing long leather boots as a clothing item and concludes that they really should reconsider them as part of their wardrobe.

We owe a thank you to the folks at @wearboots.de for putting us onto this great article. Go check them out!

Original URL: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=de&tl=en&u=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/stil/anziehsache-zu-stiefeln-maenner-scheuen-schaefte-1.2713267

Interview Magazine (@interviewmag) talk to Mark Bryan (@MarkBryan911), 61 grandfather of four about his love of high heels and how his style of dressing helps people to see things in a different way.

Original URL: https://www.interviewmagazine.com/fashion/can-you-walk-a-mile-in-mark-bryans-louboutins

This article from The Irish Times explores gender neutral fashion, highlight how London based icon Selfridges introduced Agender, a new brand of gender-neutral clothing and how it desexualises fashion. The article concludes "When all traces of lust are wiped from the equation, when fashion is stripped down to the bare bones, genderless clothing isn't even about the man or the woman wearing it: it's about the person inside. Which is all that should really matter."

Original URL: https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/fashion/gender-neutral-fashion-for-everyone-1.2177032?mode=amp

This brief article from Genderjelly introduces UK Footwear brand Roker and how they are satisfying demand for gender-neutral footwear styles.

Original URL: https://www.genderjelly.com/innovationdatabase/2019/07/08/uk-based-footwear-brand-roker-designs-non-binary-shoes-for-all

Meet @henrybae and @shaobohan, the creators of @shopsyro, the gender-nonconforming shoe brand here to cater for the new demographic of men and gender-nonconforming people who want to wear high heels. @evanrosskatz interviews Henry and Shaobo who give us the low-down on the brand that's there for those in search of "something to give them a more cunty experience on the street."

Original URL: https://www.allure.com/story/syro-shoes-high-heels-for-men-gender-nonconforming-people

In their own words... “In today's video, I will be sharing my love for wearing heeled shoes. I will be featuring some fashion labels that brought heeled shoes in the market and the good thing is that they have sizes for men! No need to stretch those women's shoes! Plus these labels aren't as expensive as designer brands like Margiela or Rick Owens so I hope this is helpful if you are a guy who wants to consider adding man-heels into your wardrobe.

Also, I will be featuring the guys I follow on Youtube and Instagram because they wear man heels with attitude. What I wanted to know from them is HOW they do it?”

Original URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euz-NdA4LKo

This article from @FootwearNews honours what would have been David Bowie's 74th birthday by taking a look back at some of his wildest onstage show looks. Bowie was known for his gender bending style and his footwear was no exception.

Original URL: https://footwearnews.com/2021/fashion/celebrity-style/david-bowie-birthday-crazy-onstage-shoes-1202727815/

This article from Fashion North explores how social media is influencing behavior by men towards other men who break current social stereotypes by wearing items not normally associated to them. It highlights how Hollywood stars, such as @TheeBillyPorter are starting to challenge societies' model of male appearance, sexuality & behavior through fashion through their high profile social media presence. Others such as @TryGuys are presenting different ideas about what men can do and building a substantial following along with it!

Original URL: https://www.fashion-north.com/2019/03/12/the-role-of-male-fashion-and-social-media-in-ending-toxic-masculinity/

This article from Fashion Journal in 2020 asks a pointed question “Why is fashion still gendered in 2020?” and suggests that segreated clothing in stores may soon be a thing of the past. It highlights Androngenous dressing as one factor driving the change and how we are re-thinking the purpose of clothing.

Original URL: https://fashionjournal.com.au/fashion/fashion-gendered-2020/

This article from respected magazine, National Geographic, spotlights an exhibition that celebrates the ways couture blurs the line between men’s and women’s clothing. It hints that social media is helping create communities of people that can influence the way we dress. It asks “who wears the pants?” and charts the rise of women wearing pants, something that can inspire us as we march forward in our heels. The article concludes with a positive message from a member of the LGBTQ community which suggests that our voices may finally be heard and our gender bending fashion seen.

Original URL: https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/2019/03/gender-bending-fashion-rewrites-rules-who-wears-what

This article from the New York Times reflects upon how people have redefined themselves during lockdown and experimented with the wearing of dresses and other clothing normally considered feminine. Inspired by the appearances on TV of stars such as Kid Cudi and Lil Nas X wearing dresses and skirts people are eschewing gender stereotypes and bringing in a new era where clothing can no longer be considered a “tell” for anything.

Original URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/09/style/gender-the-boys-in-their-summer-dresses.html

This article from Medium highlights a feature on Harry Styles wearing a Gucci gown which appeared on the cover of Vogue magazine. The article covers how gender norms around clothing are changing and highlights some of the resistance against it, but ultimately "we just want to see sexy people in beautiful clothes" and a dress is just a dress.

Original URL: https://gen.medium.com/why-women-like-men-who-wear-dresses-509e66846a66

This article from Ethos News (@humanologyproject) highlights the way that gendered clothing creates barriers for non-binary people. Fashion is evolving to redefine masculinity and femininity, spurred on by Gen-Z and Millennials who are less likely than previous generations to view people as defined by their gender. They highlight how experimentation in fashion can help in appeasing your gender dysphoria and help you realise your gender identity. The article concludes with opinion from American singer Pharell Williams on how genderless clothing can help people feel comfortable and free in with what they wear.

Original URL: http://ethosnews.com/2020/01/11/clothing-has-no-gender/

A short article looking at the rising trend in men wearing high heels and asks the question... are we seeing a new style trend taking shape in ‘high heels for men’?

Original URL: https://wtvox.com/fashion/high-heels-for-men/