Menswear…Is It A Thing?

By Zac Chambers

I’m not one to dawdle. I’d rather be straightforward. So let’s cut to the chase…menswear IS a thing. And it’s powerful.

I truly felt the weight of this in the fall of 2012 when I moved to New York City and was on the job hunt. New Yorkers need only a moment to decide whether or not they’re going to take you seriously. I quickly learned that if you walk into an interview and don’t dress the part, even with all the qualifications in the world, you are immediately fighting an uphill battle. However, if you walk in and are put together, looking like you already have the job, you’ve won over the interviewers before you’ve even sat down. They just need to confirm you have the qualifications.

Whether you like it or not, people judge you and formulate opinions on you based on your appearance. It’s called first impression and is a fact of life. Beyond being important for the professional world, how you dress is a representation of who you are as an individual. When figuring out your personal style, there are a few factors to consider: Where do I live? What is my profession? What are my hobbies? What cultures have impacted my life? What is my personality? A summation of influences like these should determine what your personal style will be. It’s important to be intentional in how you present yourself so you may be perceived accurately.

Men are finally realizing this again. I say “again” because society’s value in menswear tends to come and go in waves. We’re once more at a time when men are becoming more aware of how important their clothes are in presenting themselves to society. In the past 10 years, there has been a major spike in men’s interest in apparel. They’re no longer begrudgingly being dragged into stores by their significant other. Miraculously, they’re walking in of their own accord. All jokes aside, men are making decisions and purchases for pieces and looks that make sense for them and not just blindly following tradition or trends.

How you dress and how you’re perceived is important. Whether you’re confident in your style, trying to find your style, or searching for insights for the man in your life, we’re speaking to you. We hope to be a menswear resource of information, tips, encouragement and creativity. This is only the first of many columns on menswear, so if you have a question, concern, or you’d like us to address a specific topic, let us know by filling out this form: http://nonahood.to/menswear