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- Volume 1, Issue 3, 2014
Critical Studies in Men's Fashion - Volume 1, Issue 3, 2014
Volume 1, Issue 3, 2014
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Extending the theory of shifting erogenous zones to men’s tattoos
More LessAbstractThe theory of shifting erogenous zones was originally intended to provide a rationale for fashion changes by suggesting that men were attracted to women based on eroticized body parts. This theory lost favour as an explanation of fashion change partly due to the second wave of feminism and partly due to the (over-) exposure of the body in today’s revealing fashions. However, I argue that tattoos now serve to eroticize the body. In addition, I analyse men’s tattoos in the context of the erogenous zones theory. No known study has examined the theory of shifting erogenous zones with regard to tattoos or men. Thus, this article serves to challenge current assumptions of the usefulness of the theory, examine the theory relative to the male gender and extend the theory to skin markings. Ethnographic data were collected via interviews and blogs and were analysed for themes relating to fashion and eroticism. I conclude that three types of tattoos have been used to call attention to and eroticize three different locations on men’s bodies: the bicep, the lower back and the upper arm.
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Negotiations in masculine identities in the Utilikilts brand community
Authors: Kelly L. Reddy-Best and Alexandra HowellAbstractSteven Villegas developed the Utilikilts clothing brand in the United States in 2000. The company’s main product is an un-bifurcated ‘manly’ kilt that is marketed and sold to men, not women. This article analyses individuals who adopt the Utilikilts brand kilt and how they navigate their multiple and shifting identities in a cultural setting where skirts for men are not readily acceptable. This study analyses online forums created by the Utilikilts Company where consumers share their personal experiences wearing the kilt, photographs of individuals wearing the kilt and the content and language used on Utilikilts.com. The authors conclude that the brand community formed in online spaces allows the Utilikilt wearers to experiment with gender-pushing dress.
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Making up is masculine: The increasing cultural connections between masculinity and make-up
More LessAbstractThis article explores the ways in which make-up is increasingly presented as a masculine product and a means to refine appearance with the aim of accessing and expressing conventional forms of masculine power. It is concerned with how the conflation of all the different practices of grooming, cosmetics and make-up in all kinds of writing on men makes it difficult to fully understand how they are really engaging with such possibilities. It therefore argues that those studying fashion and appearance need to improve the language on offer to unpick practices of grooming and cosmetic use in order for the implications of such practices to be fully appreciated. In doing so, it discusses the images and texts that market make-up to men, which contain complex messages about how men should feel about their bodies, how make-up has potential to assert their masculinity and what this masculinity should look like.
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Men’s fit preferences in outdoor performance clothing: A qualitative investigation
Authors: Eloise Faber Stewart, Veena Chattaraman and Karla P. TeelAbstractThis article inductively examines men’s fit preferences and practical fit issues in outdoor performance clothing to reveal how they are influenced by men’s Body Mass Index (BMI) and height. Four focus group interviews (FGIs) were conducted with 21 men and the qualitative data was analysed using the grounded theory approach. Men’s BMI influenced the following themes/sub-themes: fit (pant crotch, seat, hip fit; shirt proportion and fit; pant waist fit and pant leg fit) and sizing (inconsistency across brands; and within a brand). Pant crotch, seat, hip fit were frequently discussed by both normal and overweight men; whereas, shirt fit and sizing inconsistency were more of an issue for the overweight men. Men’s height influenced issues in length (sleeve length; body length; and leg length) and sizing (‘Big & Tall’ sizing). Tall men discussed length issues the most; whereas both regular and tall men discussed that they did not need the ‘Big and Tall’ sizing, but rather they just needed extra length in the sleeves and body.
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Expanding the male ideal: The need for diversity in men’s fashion advertisements
By Ben BarryAbstractWhile an emerging stream of scholarship has focused on women’s perceptions of body diversity in fashion advertising, few studies have investigated men’s responses to diverse male models. Interviews with 30 men were conducted to examine how they interpret male models of various sizes, ages and races in fashion advertisements as well as how these models influence their body image and perceptions of the advertisement. Analysis revealed that men identified with models whom they shared physical traits, expressed aversion towards idealized bodies, rejected muscularity as a symbol of masculinity, and wanted to see more diverse models in fashion advertising. Participants expressed body anxiety and negative perceptions of advertisements when they viewed idealized models, whereas they communicated body satisfaction and favourable perceptions of advertising when the models reflected their bodies. Results from this study elucidate how men evaluate and respond to male models in fashion advertising and particularly highlight the influence of viewer – model similarity on men’s responses to models. Menswear brands are advised to cast models that reflect the diversity of their target market in order to foster body confidence and advertising effectiveness.
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Reviews
Authors: José Blanco F., Molly Dodd and Patricia Hunt-HurstAbstractBody Style, Therèsa M. Winge (2012) London: Berg, 192 pp., ISBN: 9781847880239, p/bk, $29.95
Hollywood Costume, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia, 9 November 2013–17 February 2014
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