Worst Mens Fashion Ideas that Took Off
By William Barnes
Fashion is a progressive industry that changes with the wind and the tolerance of the people. Though women continually stretch the boundaries in the name of style, men’s fashion trends commonly remain in the safe zone – most of the time. Occasionally, however, men become courageous en masse, and the end results were typically disastrous. Below are notable trends that came and went (some stayed longer than others), and we’re all wiser for having learned from them.
Hammer Pants
At some point it was decided that enormous genie-like pants were all the rage. Coined by pop artist MC Hammer, the unflattering fabrics were bold metallics or loudly busy patterns that burned the eyes. The pants grew but the popularity eventually deflated, proving that some things are far from legit and need to be quit.
Mesh Shirts
Rockers, Ravers and Billy Idol are to thank for this translucent fashion faux pas. At a time when most clothing was increasing in the amount of fabric used, the mesh shirt was running in another direction. Reminiscent of an article from a Village People concert, this revealing dud was not for those lacking in confidence or fingerless gloves.
Oversized High-Tops & Tongues
Boot cut jeans weren’t always the preferred fashion amongst men – there was a time when jeans tapered and the shoe remained uncovered in all its wondrous glory. Manufacturers didn’t shy away; they simply made their shoes bigger with disproportionately large tongues. With Zach Morris as a spokesman for the movement, high-tops no doubt had their big white heyday.
The Mullet
This infamous hairstyle remains loved and hated all in one breath. Widely popular in the 80s, the unflattering trend fell from grace and only surfaces these days in behind-the-times Middle America or in ultra edgy hipster circles. There are many modifications to this classic but the sentiment remains the same; business in the front – party in the rear.
Shaving Lines
In the wake of Vanilla Ice and Mike Tyson, young folks everywhere began etching lines in their hair as a form of self-expression. Athletes and musicians, blacks and whites; everyone jumped on the bandwagon. Though widely supported at the time, swirling designs and geometric lines came and went the way of the stars that created them.
Rolled-Up Blazer Sleeves
The t-shirt somehow replaced the collared shirt under a blazer and business casual would never be the same. Don Johnson took it a step further, rolled up the sleeves of his jacket and sparked a generational trend copied by millions. It may have been too cool for its own good however because the dapper 90s unrolled the craze and returned to the basics soon after.
The Speedo
Though a popular fashion on the more liberal European continent, the “Speedo” (alternately referred to as a “Banana Hammock” or a “Grape Smuggler”) has yet to find widespread acceptance Stateside. Rarely placed on a hard body, and severely lacking in overall surface area, the spandex underwear is a hard sell. It may prove its appeal in another time and place but for now, the Speedo is fighting an uphill battle.
The Comb-Over
A common look that originated from function and denial, the comb-over is a well-known style that has existed forever but is seldom accepted. Rather than embracing their signs of age, men risk becoming a public spectacle. Belonging to no generation, men have long denied their baldness and masked it with a thin vale of cover (with little success).
Short Shorts
Be it denim, corduroy or a cotton blend, it’s not the material but the size that matters. As the decades pass, shorts have gained in length for the better. Borrowing from the argument against the Speedo, a man’s thighs are rarely something that needs to see the light of day.
Socks with Sandals
When the sun peaks its head, it’s only natural for the skin to make an appearance. The crime is committed when one chooses to leave on their winter socks when slipping into flip-flops. It may seem tempting to combine your seasonal wear but the masses have spoken unanimously; if you wear socks with sandals, you are that guy. Note: capri-length pants do not help the cause.
The Ruffled Tuxedo
It seems no style has ventured further from the original, than the tuxedo. It started and ended as a sleek black-tie affair but lost its way between the ’60s and ’80s with the introduction of the brightly colored ruffled tuxedo blouse. Immortalized in a classic Dumb and Dumber moment, this bold style came crashing in, and for a brief moment, changed the face of formal wear.
The Canadian Tuxedo
It only made sense when the first person combined their daily denim jeans with their favorite denim shirt and completed the ensemble with their versatile jean jacket – the best of all worlds. On that day, the Canadian Tuxedo was born. An innocent mistake indeed, this concoction proves that too much of any one thing can be bad for the soul.
Turtlenecks
Women can still get away with the classic turtleneck style but it’s safe to say it has run its course amongst men. It was so adaptable at one point as a stand-alone, under a jacket, under a t-shirt, under a sweater, etc – the turtleneck simply couldn’t fail. Eventually, it did, and it now requires an extreme amount of confidence to rock this fading fashion.
Sweater Vests
The quickest way to lose your street-cred is through the illusive magic of the sweater vest. Like the turtleneck, it seems too versatile to resist but with every fiber, you must. Vastly popular in the ’90s and still spotted today on conservative older men, the sweater vest has been commonly pigeonholed and the outcome is unfavorable.
The Rat-Tail
As popular trends shift with the years, hair has always been a personal avenue for expressing oneself. For some time, individuals chose to get a respectable haircut while leaving the back three-percent of their neck hair in tact – the result, a rat-tail. Though this indie style can still be found on choice individuals of the sticks, there is certainly a trashy stigma attached to this once-accepted trend.
White Socks with Dress Shoes
You can tell a lot about a man by the shoes on his feet – the socks within the shoes, can be equally revealing. Why go through the efforts of pressing your slacks and polishing your shoes only to sabotage the ensemble with white athletic socks? Yes, Michael Jackson made white socks and loafers look good but the average man commonly underachieves when compared to MJ.
The Neon Overload
Each season the design pallet changes – entire organizations devote their livelihood to the research and release of hot new color trends. There was a time when entire wardrobes were glowing neon. Though we still embrace a little neon here and there, we breathe a sigh of relief knowing that fully neon ensembles have completely faded into memory.
Leather Pants
A result of the motorcycle boom, leather pants were developed based on a protective function. Eventually, rockers and Goths adopted the hardcore trend and pushed it to terminal velocity. These days, only those of extreme celebrity can wear a pair of leather pants though, even then, peer respect for the style is nonexistent.
Tracksuits
Athletes have long worn tracksuits for training purposes and sport but somewhere in the haze the suits made their way into daily wardrobes. Also known as Shell Suits and commonly accessories with gold, these matching tops and bottoms tend to be bold colors and reminiscent of something fresh off the set of the Sopranos. Not everyone was born with pure athletic ability but the tracksuit allowed everyone to feel like an athlete in the off-season.
Platform Shoes
A night at the disco was always centered around style and swagger – big hair, bell bottoms and platform shoes. Since heels were originally designed to make a woman’s legs appear to be longer, it made logical sense but these elevated kicks lacked in justification for men. Unisex fashions are rarely embraced by the masses and thus the fashion folly.
Anything Strapless
Fashion is an extremely progressive industry and there will always be styles that challenge and stretch our comfort zone. Every once in a while, there are ideas that rise and fall – some never succeed and some thrive into the ranks of timeless. In the arena of men’s fashion, it’s safe to say, anything strapless will never catch.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 1:53AM
True. Too true. Sad not to see backwards baseball caps and droopy drawers on this list.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 2:27AM
Strapless for men?!? Never seen it – LOL!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 4:50AM
I think the shaved lines is a picture of my brother-in-law!!!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 4:52AM
Ok the rat tail is actually useful. When my son was 2 I took him in for his first haircut. His hair was very curly and he looked so cute that I hated to lose all the curls. So the beautician suggested leaving one curl in the back so we did. My son was a pistol and taking him to the store was sometimes an adventure. With the rat tail, all I had to do was reach out, grab it, and BAM stop him in his tracks! LOL It really did help me out!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 5:01AM
Rat Tail is fabulous.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 5:07AM
Brian Bosworth should get some credit for the shaving lines on the side of head. He was pulling that years before Vanilla Ice.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 5:24AM
I wanna see mesh shirts on the girls.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 5:27AM
my dad called MC Hammer Pants: 12 day shitters.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 5:54AM
boot cut jeans are all kinds of out you nerd. boot cut jeans make you look like a hick from the sticks. its all about slightly tapered jeans and rocking hightops now. You know the ones you said werent cool. Oh and neon is back in. lol way to prove you are a geek.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 12:59AM
Ohio State football coach Jim Tressell is the only man who can make the sweater vest work anymore.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 6:02AM
a pallet is a big square thing made of boards and used to ship stuff. Perhaps the word you wanted was palate?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palate
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 6:32AM
Neon has faded away? You must not have been to a pop/punk rock show recently. I regret to tell you that neon clothing is coming back in a big way.
http://www.glamourkills.com/design/939/GuysRockRu…
http://www.glamourkills.com/design/1164/GuysSplit…
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 1:55AM
Rat tails are still cool and mullets are badass!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 7:14AM
The canadian tuxedo is actually a plaid concoction, not denim. Like lumber jackets, because of all the trees there. I know, I'm canadian.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 7:33AM
Haha, Canadian Tuxedo? Here in Canada we call it the Texas Tuxedo. Makes more sense and sounds nicer to boot!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 7:43AM
I would have had the "fly glasses". God I hate them.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 10:06AM
trend are trends it dsnt define a person ,to bad not to see what ur old retarded ass is wearing…
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 10:39AM
bit out of touch there, tapired jeans and hightops are back in a big way and a little bit of neon is all the rage. You need to go out more.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 12:17PM
Oh man, men have the most beautiful thighs, and shorts are wonderful on them. Tidy thighs and butts. Long shorts make men look stumpy – chicken drum stick legs. Not good. I agree on everything else, though. Specially leather pants. Hate the leather pants.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 9:17AM
i demand that capri pants, man-pri pants, skinny pants and spandex with skirts over them all get added to this list immediately or else this list is garbage. there are far too many people walking around today looking like total dog crap.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 3:23PM
dude…both the backwards cap and the droopy drawers are still alive and thriving in some social circles. thus, they don't fit the criteria implied in this article of faded fads. not one of the above trends is still kicking, except at sweet themed parties (80's parties are always entertaining…we have at least one per year).
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 3:48PM
Wow… I hate to judge your parenting skillzz by an internet comment but nothing like pulling your 2 year-old's hair to force my hand.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 10:44PM
Funny…High Heels were not invented for women. They were invented for men to keep their feet in the stirrups. Then King Henry IIX made them popular among royalty, then the masses. Women adopted them and both sexes wore them for a couple hundred years. During the French revolution they fell out of favor as a symbol of aristocracy and didn't reappear until the early 1900s as a woman's fashion. Men brought them back in the 70s for a short time.
Recently, many designers have been putting men in heels on the runway. Only time will tell if it will catch on in any significant way.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 11:12PM
I'm seeing the Hammer/genie pants popping up again around the fashion victim area I work in here in Sydney – Surry Hills. AND the big puffy hightop sneakers AND the blazers with rolled up sleeves. It all comes back around. When I'm waiting for my coffee in the morning I feel like the guy who didn't read the party invitation properly – the bit where it said "80's Trash Theme". I do love it though – the world has got so frickin serious about everything. Once I see puppets back on prime time TV I'll be comfortable… gee – even the term "prime time TV" is a little 80s… But I'll stop feeling warm and fuzzy when I see those nasty mesh tops return. Then it's war.
Thursday, August 13, 2009 2:09AM
No, it's denim. I'm also Canadian.
Thursday, August 13, 2009 2:46AM
Sweater vests! eeeeeeeeeeeeeek!
Thursday, August 13, 2009 5:14AM
Fantastic! Finally I see a list of faux-pas that I agree with! Most fashion websites would put them as there Top Ten fashion wonders. I particularly like the Rolled-Up Blazer Sleeves – It’s something that revolting man Gok Wan keeps going on about; it’s the typical gay fashionista thing to do. Shirt sleeves, yes! Blazer sleeves, NO!
Saturday, August 15, 2009 11:52AM
I agree with all but two. The turtleneck still works depending on the outfit and the man as does the sweatervest. A Fair Isle sweater layered under a nice tweed jacket looks good and is perfect for cool autum days.
Sunday, August 16, 2009 2:35AM
i think rolled up blazer sleeves is just about the sexiest thing a guy can wear. just sayin.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 2:54PM
just so everyone knows, “fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable it must be changed every 6 months.”
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 4:24PM
im right with ya on that. just bought a couple myself from a little store up here called West 49
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 4:28PM
OH wow.
I had a pair of those CONS with the huge tongue.
Those things RULED.
They need to bring that back.
Thursday, August 20, 2009 10:12AM
I object! "Short shorts" are far more manly than the girlie-boy loose and long "nearly coulottes that infect the NBA and the gangsta' wannabees` community. Indeed, they are an STD: Stupidly Transmitted Disease. (Full disclosure: as a life-long athlete, I happen to have good-looking thighs!)
Thursday, August 20, 2009 4:38PM
Have to agree to an extent…….Skinny/slightly tapered jeans are back in, as goes with rockin the Zac Morris Cons from the 80's, but I would say that boot cut jeans are still in and only work when rocking boots or some sort of dress shoe.
But I think this is more of a conscious awaking of people when it comes to fashion. I think that people are finally starting to realize that certain body types work with certain jeans, i.e. my legs are too muscular to wear skinny jeans, so I choose to go with something else….this sort of mentality.
Friday, August 21, 2009 5:56PM
Great feature: how about a 'Worst Womens Fashion Ideas Ever' piece to complement it? Puffball skirts, anyone….or lycra leggings unless your legs are as good as Elle McPherson's?
Monday, August 24, 2009 4:55AM
The only thing I don't agree with on this entire list is the rolled-up blazer sleeves. i think it's hot. to be honest XD
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 9:53AM
Speedo ROCKS!!!!!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 3:47AM
King Henry IIX??? Huh?
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 3:49AM
What about Axel Rose's skirt/kilt?
Friday, August 28, 2009 3:31AM
My sister bought my 6 month old son a Speedo. And even he looked ridiculous in it. Speedos are disgusting & girlish-looking on any age male. MOST women laugh & make fun of a REAL MAN in a Speedo.
Friday, September 4, 2009 1:31PM
Ha ha ha, yes, this reminds me of when I take out my old photos and begin to ask myself "did I ever really wear this?", lol.
Saturday, September 5, 2009 6:27AM
i think gold teeth should be on this list!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009 8:51AM
Men in strapless!?! Never heard of it, never seen it until now… Never want to see it again.. Yuk!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009 4:39PM
actually, the word there is "palette".
Thursday, September 10, 2009 3:08AM
That's exactly what I was going to say.
Friday, September 11, 2009 3:46PM
Lighten up.
Friday, September 11, 2009 11:51PM
Fuck you, sweater vests are AWESOME.
Sunday, September 13, 2009 11:02AM
Ok so I understand most of your submissions, however indie boys with rolled up blazer sleeves are hot! Oversized high tops can look really cool, and I'm pretty sure that strapless wear for men never "took off".
That's all.
Sunday, September 13, 2009 4:37PM
a few of these styles are in right now… and the giant tongue hightops, they've been in so long they're on their way out again. fashion mullets and buzz lines are crazy in europe. and neons? come on, man… do you ever go outside? hey, i'm not about to say i promote these styles… but do some research before you write a column on expired fashion.
Monday, September 14, 2009 10:21PM
Hand stiched leather pants look hot on musicians!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 4:23PM
The leather pants thing is only true if they are baggy or on someone too fat or too skinny. Check out Ben Browder's ass in Farscape and then we'll talk!
Friday, September 18, 2009 5:54PM
LMAO!!! All but the sweater vest I agree with. Men can still rock the sweater vest!
Saturday, September 19, 2009 3:26AM
WHAT THE FUCK high tops? big tongs. you got everything else right but then again this is stupid because who cares what other people like. do what you want.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 8:13AM
anything strapless is disgusting.
thank god it failed.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009 10:16AM
how about white gymshoes with jeans? or perms on men???
Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:22AM
As a note about platforms for men–men were actually the first gender to commonly wear heeled shoes. A heel on a riding boot makes it easier to keep one's foot in the stirrup of a saddle. Then the style spread to shoes, as men are ever eager to appear bigger than they really are. Not long after, the style caught on among women, often as a way to keep skirts from dragging on the ground. Men since abandoned the style, but heeled shoes were not originally a women's style. Ah, fickle fashion…
Thursday, September 24, 2009 3:42AM
Whatt? I love sweaters vests on guys and don't really think white socks with dress shoes matters.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41fGK-289DL…
sweater vests = hot
Sunday, September 27, 2009 1:27AM
my eyes!!!!! wow that was so true. some i can live with like rolled up sleeves and SOME sweater vests(my friend gabe has one and it looks perfect on him) but the neon crap and STRAPLESS anything . . . . that should NOT be exposed to the world.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009 1:41AM
uhhh high tops never really went out dude. Neon's back too. sweater vests are just boring and homely but not terrible. rolled up blazer sleeves arent bad either. someone's a little close minded lol
Saturday, October 10, 2009 4:09PM
what i am concluding is the we should all wear polo shirts with khaki shorts? admit it, you work for budweiser somehow.
F that, sweater vests rule, especially if you got the balls to add a bow tie : )
Saturday, October 10, 2009 4:09PM
what i am concluding is the we should all wear polo shirts with khaki shorts? admit it, you work for budweiser somehow.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009 7:31AM
William Barnes, you must not get out much. Boot cut jeans are 2 years ago – tapered jeans and neon are back. I currently model part time and take classes at 2 different colleges, I generally have a pretty good grip of what's in. Just because you personally don't like an item, doesn't mean it looks bad on all men. For example, I LOVE men's muscular thighs and would stare at and possibly drool at guys in short shorts. So there.
Thursday, October 15, 2009 3:34AM
rolled blazer sleeve, neon, leather pants, denim on denim, high tops and le mullet are all the best things to happen to mens fashion since the loincloth! all great looks and coming back with a vengeance!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 11:59AM
We loved this article! It was light hearted and very funny! We also love high-tops and hammer pants and can't believe they made this list, SHOCKING! haha
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 11:20PM
Interesting understanding of fashion!
Thursday, November 5, 2009 4:48PM
Well I think it is because they are displaying the past trends not the current bad ones.
Monday, December 14, 2009 8:20AM
Um, yr Hammer pants are CHEF pants (and I don't just base that on the era of the shoes pictured–which way don't match chronologically with the late 80s– or the identical pose in each catalog shot…I have to wear them professionally). Otherwise, dis here de most awesome collection of things that were out of fashion 10 years ago, several of which are back with a vengeance. I'm not sayin I favor every returned style here, but I'm at least aware that their inclusion here says more about your own disconnection with contemporary style than about the critiqued styles.
Thursday, December 24, 2009 8:52PM
No, no, I'm pretty sure pulling your kid's rat tail in order to stop him from going anywhere is a dick move. Have you ever had your hair pulled by someone? Whether intentionally hard or not, hair-pulling hurts and can be abusive when used too much.
How about you teach your kid to listen? Or better yet, get him a leash. Man, nothing like american parenting.