Ah, here in the States .. too much space in most department stores are stuffed with casual wear, with the classic stuff shunted over to the corner. If these retailers would put the good classic stuff more front and center, that will help. I do notice a trend to stocking more classic wear ...
I think in the USA our clothing choices are a combination of not knowing how to dress well and just being lazy. And there is an attitude that if you dress really well you are trying too hard. That was very much me for most of my life. Now that I am middle age, I decided it was time to stop dressing like a teenager and dress for my age and for success by wearing the timeless men's clothing you mention on your channel. I must say that nicer clothing is actually much more comfortable to wear, especially linen pants and linen shirts, compared to jeans and a T-shirt. What has really shocked me, though, is the compliments I get from women. As ZZ Top sings, "Every woman loves a sharp-dressed man." Now that I dress nicer, women treat me completely differently. When I dressed like a teen in jeans and t-shirts, women ignored me. I was invisible. Now, when I dress with button-down oxfords, chinos, and nice shoes, women seem to go out of their way to be nice to me. Knowing this, I should have started dressing this way 30 years ago.
As someone with a rough interest in body building, I completely agree with your opening point. Personally, I lift for fitness and I find a slimmer physique more aesthetic - more like the bronze era or early silver era
I’m glad that comparison resonated with you! Personally I’m no bodybuilder but I do also lift for aesthetics and aim to get down to about 180 lean. I previously was up at 215 after a very hard bulk and it was not very aesthetic 😂
I find your videos so fascinating. Me and you dress completely opposite I tend to wear lots of jewelry and I tend to mix street and formal clothing together. I do respect the fact that you know your stuff and don’t come off judgmental. You even mentioned the female gaze and not always having to be masculine.
Thank you! That’s actually really cool to me that someone who has completely different style can still enjoy my videos. Let me know if there’s anything in particular you think it would be good for me to make a video about in the future
It's interesting to hear your take on things as an Englishman in the US regarding American mens atttitude to style. As a fellow Brit I have observed many comments on YT style videos from American men who exhibit the' 'Masculine' Insecurity' you mention & see being well dressed as effeminate and can also be very defensive i.e. '...I don't dress for anyone else, I'll wear my crocs where I g*d*mn like...'etc. Obviously social media is not real life & I'm not dissing my American cousins, but it seems they have a very different attitude to Europeans. Again, no disrespect to any US chaps, just an observation.
You’re absolutely right, Barry. I have received a lot of defensive comments in the past from American men who see the idea of being well dressed as an affront to the masculinity and freedom. But that refers to the mainstream of American men, not the stylish ones. Just as with the UK and Europe as well, the majority don’t care about style, but it’s a more ingrained belief in the US, from my observations. For some examples of stylish Americans though, do check out the video I have on the best dressed areas. The US has some very stylish micro cultures which I greatly admire
@@Gent.Z I would say the workwear and classic fashion trends micro culture is gaining traction here. BlueOwlWorkshop and what they sell is exactly what I’m referring to, which is a cross between Western and Japanese workwear and classic fashion. Timeless pieces > trends (seems to be slightly coming back)😁
As a Brit I still consider some of the most stylish, coolest guys (mostly actors) are from 50's to the 80's America like Steve McQueen, Don Johnson, James Dean (These 3 in particular as a teen and 20's I took massive style influence from. I had Jim Stark's hairstyle, Frank Bullitt's wardrobe and Sonny Crockett's swagger as a youngster. IMO, Steve McQueen is still King with maybe only Sean Connery & Cary Grant, with possibly Young Elvis in there too. I don't think Americans have lost it as such, as to this day, Americans are the biggest style influencers especially to British youth but sadly, it isn't about dressing classically well.
Excellent commentary! As an American who's traveled a fair amount, I also see these same differences in attitude. Americans could learn a lot from European style!
Impressive video..u r making good points...when my family and i went to see ALVIN AILEY the theater was packed with a stampede of hoodies and sneakers...when u leave Argentina go with God's speed on your trip back home 2 California..peace
i think part of the comfort and functionality is that the function pieces feel more American. Think jeans or carhartt. They are both created in the US and define americas working class style. But I definitely do think people prioritize comfort too much. I always see people walking around in sweatpants.
That's a really good point. I personally like a lot of styles that originally came from a functional need. That's why I made my video on the safari jacket. But yes, it has gone a bit too far and the 'style' element has been forgotten by a lot of functional clothing manufacturers
“Whoever said you had to be 100% masculine In order to be in? I’d rather be more subtle and smooth And soothe… Girl, you won’t disapprove.” -Big Daddy Kane, “I Get the Job Done”
I used to be a devoted gym rat, and while I can't say that at all anymore, I enjoy it well enough when I *am* there. And while I don't think my arms are big enough people look at them and think, "He plainly works out" I also don't suppose people would look at my arms and think, "What a twig." So that's a start, at least, and I have no desire to be huge. As you say, the end goal is to be reasonably muscular and fit. There are women who like really huge guys, you can find a handful of women who like most anything, but to please most women, statistically and anecdotally, you really do need to find a good, healthy middle ground. I don't need to tell you I agree about logos, especially large or obvious ones, and that clothes that fit can be comfortable and of course look better and make you feel better. Cheers to your style. EDIT: As for masculinity, my thoughts are, it's just an idea in people's heads, it's not something that exists objectively, like a tree exists. If someone thinks masculinity is a thing and it makes them more comfortable then cool. But I find it hilarious that there's endless podcasts about it when it really isn't that complicated or interesting and it's just a societal concept that people made up. And certainly, it doesn't make you less of a good human if you're not a stereotypically masculine man or stereotypically feminine woman, (this last sentence I know you agree with!) That's just my hot take, maybe you have a different one! All the best.
Hi Jeremiah! Thanks for your comment as always. My personal view on the concept of 'masculinity', especially about style, is that there is a broad spectrum of things that can be defined as masculine, but historically, some common themes among societies indicate some biological reasons for certain preferences. I suppose my channel exists on the periphery of other channels that discuss the idea of 'masculinity' more head-on. There is something inherently masculine about the idea of being a gentleman, hence the Gent Z name, but many of the desirable character traits for a man are also desirable in a woman. I think internet culture often ignores the fact that a lot of productive behaviors and admirable traits actually apply to just 'humans' more generally.
“If you want to show off, show off your taste, not your money.”
Wise words my friend.
Thank you, Suzi!
It's a shame, America used to be one of the most stylish countries in the world. Hopefully the pendulum swings in the other direction
I think we could say most countries used to be more stylish than they are currently.
It starts with each of us.
Ah, here in the States .. too much space in most department stores are stuffed with casual wear, with the classic stuff shunted over to the corner. If these retailers would put the good classic stuff more front and center, that will help. I do notice a trend to stocking more classic wear ...
I think in the USA our clothing choices are a combination of not knowing how to dress well and just being lazy. And there is an attitude that if you dress really well you are trying too hard. That was very much me for most of my life. Now that I am middle age, I decided it was time to stop dressing like a teenager and dress for my age and for success by wearing the timeless men's clothing you mention on your channel. I must say that nicer clothing is actually much more comfortable to wear, especially linen pants and linen shirts, compared to jeans and a T-shirt. What has really shocked me, though, is the compliments I get from women. As ZZ Top sings, "Every woman loves a sharp-dressed man." Now that I dress nicer, women treat me completely differently. When I dressed like a teen in jeans and t-shirts, women ignored me. I was invisible. Now, when I dress with button-down oxfords, chinos, and nice shoes, women seem to go out of their way to be nice to me. Knowing this, I should have started dressing this way 30 years ago.
Yup you should - what WHERE you thinking of dude ?!!
As someone with a rough interest in body building, I completely agree with your opening point. Personally, I lift for fitness and I find a slimmer physique more aesthetic - more like the bronze era or early silver era
I’m glad that comparison resonated with you! Personally I’m no bodybuilder but I do also lift for aesthetics and aim to get down to about 180 lean. I previously was up at 215 after a very hard bulk and it was not very aesthetic 😂
True, in terms of bodybuilding we are far removed from the days of Frank Zane.
I find your videos so fascinating.
Me and you dress completely opposite I tend to wear lots of jewelry and I tend to mix street and formal clothing together. I do respect the fact that you know your stuff and don’t come off judgmental. You even mentioned the female gaze and not always having to be masculine.
Thank you! That’s actually really cool to me that someone who has completely different style can still enjoy my videos. Let me know if there’s anything in particular you think it would be good for me to make a video about in the future
It's interesting to hear your take on things as an Englishman in the US regarding American mens atttitude to style. As a fellow Brit I have observed many comments on YT style videos from American men who exhibit the' 'Masculine' Insecurity' you mention & see being well dressed as effeminate and can also be very defensive i.e. '...I don't dress for anyone else, I'll wear my crocs where I g*d*mn like...'etc. Obviously social media is not real life & I'm not dissing my American cousins, but it seems they have a very different attitude to Europeans. Again, no disrespect to any US chaps, just an observation.
You’re absolutely right, Barry. I have received a lot of defensive comments in the past from American men who see the idea of being well dressed as an affront to the masculinity and freedom. But that refers to the mainstream of American men, not the stylish ones. Just as with the UK and Europe as well, the majority don’t care about style, but it’s a more ingrained belief in the US, from my observations. For some examples of stylish Americans though, do check out the video I have on the best dressed areas. The US has some very stylish micro cultures which I greatly admire
ua-cam.com/video/_OudTu_JoMA/v-deo.htmlsi=6827IYrwTZQPTnpv
@@Gent.Z I would say the workwear and classic fashion trends micro culture is gaining traction here. BlueOwlWorkshop and what they sell is exactly what I’m referring to, which is a cross between Western and Japanese workwear and classic fashion. Timeless pieces > trends (seems to be slightly coming back)😁
Close. American men bypass reasonable "slim" and err to the excessive "tight".
That also happens! Especially among certain athletic types
As a Brit I still consider some of the most stylish, coolest guys (mostly actors) are from 50's to the 80's America like Steve McQueen, Don Johnson, James Dean (These 3 in particular as a teen and 20's I took massive style influence from. I had Jim Stark's hairstyle, Frank Bullitt's wardrobe and Sonny Crockett's swagger as a youngster. IMO, Steve McQueen is still King with maybe only Sean Connery & Cary Grant, with possibly Young Elvis in there too.
I don't think Americans have lost it as such, as to this day, Americans are the biggest style influencers especially to British youth but sadly, it isn't about dressing classically well.
Excellent commentary! As an American who's traveled a fair amount, I also see these same differences in attitude. Americans could learn a lot from European style!
Thanks Eric! I think both the US and Europe could benefit from learning more from each other!
Yeah dude you could ie dressing like a mature adult not a teenager perpetually!
What are your thoughts on the small logo on RL polo shirts?
The Sopranos has to be a high water mark for depiction of stylish American menswear.
Impressive video..u r making good points...when my family and i went to see ALVIN AILEY the theater was packed with a stampede of hoodies and sneakers...when u leave Argentina go with God's speed on your trip back home 2 California..peace
I can only imagine, unfortunately! Thank you, going to be in Argentina for Christmas and NYE then back to California
i think part of the comfort and functionality is that the function pieces feel more American. Think jeans or carhartt. They are both created in the US and define americas working class style. But I definitely do think people prioritize comfort too much. I always see people walking around in sweatpants.
That's a really good point. I personally like a lot of styles that originally came from a functional need. That's why I made my video on the safari jacket. But yes, it has gone a bit too far and the 'style' element has been forgotten by a lot of functional clothing manufacturers
Americana fashion can be awesome if done right- chambray button-downs, dark wash jeans, chukka boots, field jackets etc
“Whoever said you had to be 100% masculine
In order to be in?
I’d rather be more subtle and smooth
And soothe… Girl, you won’t disapprove.”
-Big Daddy Kane, “I Get the Job Done”
Brilliant video!
Americans want to wear sizes XL and up when what they really need is size M or L.
Big muscles just make you look fat even if you're not fat.
0:49 Ah yes the ol’ “I don’t wanna get to bulky” 😂
I used to be a devoted gym rat, and while I can't say that at all anymore, I enjoy it well enough when I *am* there. And while I don't think my arms are big enough people look at them and think, "He plainly works out" I also don't suppose people would look at my arms and think, "What a twig." So that's a start, at least, and I have no desire to be huge. As you say, the end goal is to be reasonably muscular and fit. There are women who like really huge guys, you can find a handful of women who like most anything, but to please most women, statistically and anecdotally, you really do need to find a good, healthy middle ground.
I don't need to tell you I agree about logos, especially large or obvious ones, and that clothes that fit can be comfortable and of course look better and make you feel better. Cheers to your style.
EDIT: As for masculinity, my thoughts are, it's just an idea in people's heads, it's not something that exists objectively, like a tree exists. If someone thinks masculinity is a thing and it makes them more comfortable then cool. But I find it hilarious that there's endless podcasts about it when it really isn't that complicated or interesting and it's just a societal concept that people made up. And certainly, it doesn't make you less of a good human if you're not a stereotypically masculine man or stereotypically feminine woman, (this last sentence I know you agree with!) That's just my hot take, maybe you have a different one! All the best.
Hi Jeremiah! Thanks for your comment as always. My personal view on the concept of 'masculinity', especially about style, is that there is a broad spectrum of things that can be defined as masculine, but historically, some common themes among societies indicate some biological reasons for certain preferences. I suppose my channel exists on the periphery of other channels that discuss the idea of 'masculinity' more head-on. There is something inherently masculine about the idea of being a gentleman, hence the Gent Z name, but many of the desirable character traits for a man are also desirable in a woman. I think internet culture often ignores the fact that a lot of productive behaviors and admirable traits actually apply to just 'humans' more generally.
@@Gent.Z 👏
Do you live in America or do you live in California? You have to choose.
So true 💯%
Slim fit is not comfortable though - not for my wide hips and quads
You probably need athletic fit.
good week to be in argentina 😅
It’s interesting for sure!