Tough Guy Casual

[pitseleh]

Would Steve McQueen wear a nautical striped hoody? I saw one I really liked at J Crew the other day, even liked the way it looked and fit. But I passed. I kept thinking, Yeah, but... And recalling no image of McQueen in anything like it or Daniel Craig, etc.

I like having style icons to emulate but I sometimes also wonder if it limits me, in a bad way.

Wait, I can't tell if part of this is a joke! Did you legitimately see something, like it, try it on, still like it, and not purchase it solely on the basis that you couldn't recall Steve McQueen ever having worn it? I think a lot of the point of style is about developing one's own personal sense of it -- as in dressing in clothing that suits/complements one's personality. At least, I think this is what people say when they talk about why Steve McQueen's is so timeless and still, decades later, referenced frequently. I feel like actively avoiding anything that isn't strict emulation, and requiring "icons" to have worn anything for you to even consider it, essentially prevents any of this development from occurring.

The essence of it is that you aren't Steve McQueen - nor is anyone else, at this point. I'm not sure it's wise to want to dress like Steve McQueen. Steve McQueen dressed like Steve McQueen because he was Steve McQueen; I'm cool with taking inspiration from others, but emulating them seems sort of misguided. Maybe you should just want to dress like... yourself, but the best version of yourself? I don't think you need to wonder -- having style icons like that sounds like it would unavoidably lead to limiting you in bad ways.

[Cannon]

I do agree that you should be inspired, but the rules should be your own, not an imitation of rules you perceive from your influences.

[Duvel]

Wait, I can't tell if part of this is a joke! Did you legitimately see something, like it, try it on, still like it, and not purchase it solely on the basis that you couldn't recall Steve McQueen ever having worn it? I think a lot of the point of style is about developing one's own personal sense of it -- as in dressing in clothing that suits/complements one's personality. At least, I think this is what people say when they talk about why Steve McQueen's is so timeless and still, decades later, referenced frequently. I feel like actively avoiding anything that isn't strict emulation, and requiring "icons" to have worn anything for you to even consider it, essentially prevents any of this development from occurring.

The essence of it is that you aren't Steve McQueen - nor is anyone else, at this point. I'm not sure it's wise to want to dress like Steve McQueen. Steve McQueen dressed like Steve McQueen because he was Steve McQueen; I'm cool with taking inspiration from others, but emulating them seems sort of misguided. Maybe you should just want to dress like... yourself, but the best version of yourself? I don't think you need to wonder -- having style icons like that sounds like it would unavoidably lead to limiting you in bad ways.

I was half-joking--as a self-deprecating way to point out how foolish I am about this stuff sometimes. Yes, sometimes I really do find myself thinking this way, if something I like is a little outside of my comfort zone or something I wouldn't normally buy, etc.

For the record, I did go back and get the hoodie. And I love it. McQueen or no McQueen.

[pitseleh]

attaboy! anyway, I can understand having reservations about stuff outside your comfort zone and thinking about the people who kind of serve as models and being like, "well, I don't remember them having ever worn this, and if they had at least then I'd be sure it would work with the look I'm going for." I don't particularly have any actual style icons or influences, but I have had some difficulty reconciling things that I like a lot with aesthetics I find myself gravitating towards. it took me a long time to figure out how to work a leather jacket in with all my sweaters and ties!

it can be especially difficult because I think men are much more expected than women to have coherence in their wardrobes (i.e. women seem to be able to switch between "looks" on an outfit-by-outfit basis, but men doing this seems far less common and accepted), but after a while, if it wasn't wildly out of place or a weird fit for my personality, I just started saying the hell with it and buying stuff I liked a lot. I like the idea of this because the transition into a more eclectic wardrobe seems like a successful effort at making my clothes more... me? currently jonesing for a baseball jacket/wondering how it'd look with sweaters

[bruschetta]

...thinking about the people who kind of serve as models...

You're welcome, pitseleh.

[Duvel]

attaboy! anyway, I can understand having reservations about stuff outside your comfort zone and thinking about the people who kind of serve as models and being like, "well, I don't remember them having ever worn this, and if they had at least then I'd be sure it would work with the look I'm going for." I don't particularly have any actual style icons or influences, but I have had some difficulty reconciling things that I like a lot with aesthetics I find myself gravitating towards. it took me a long time to figure out how to work a leather jacket in with all my sweaters and ties!

it can be especially difficult because I think men are much more expected than women to have coherence in their wardrobes (i.e. women seem to be able to switch between "looks" on an outfit-by-outfit basis, but men doing this seems far less common and accepted), but after a while, if it wasn't wildly out of place or a weird fit for my personality, I just started saying the hell with it and buying stuff I liked a lot. I like the idea of this because the transition into a more eclectic wardrobe seems like a successful effort at making my clothes more... me? currently jonesing for a baseball jacket/wondering how it'd look with sweaters

Good points. And yeah, I could see doing a baseball jacket. I had a jacket of that kind way back when and loved it, wore the hell out of it. Go for it.

I'm trying to re-learn just to have fun with all this. Style icons are good but I also want to wear what I want to wear because I like it. Without looking like a dork, of course!

[frost]

Swap in some dark denim..