In many ways I am evious of women.  but one thing in paticular is the clothing they get to chose from.  I find, being a man, that expressing my self through my wardrobe to be difficult. I will admit that its getting better.  As many companies move to a work casual dress code, there are more opportunitys to wear some really fashionable clothes.  I've been fortuate enought to work in a company that operates along those lines. My first major complait deals with the varity of the clothing that is available.  When I go shopping most of what i find follows the same shapes and colors that have been available for the better part of a century.  I believe that the lack of insperation in shapes is directly related to the fact that mens bodys are boring.   But that could be over come with a little creative color.   For white men in paticual the colors are mostly netural greys, blacks, browns or very dark cool colors, Forest green, navey blue ect.  I think its a little tabboo among men to wear brighter and more virbrent colors.  I think softer or more vibrent warmer colors represents a femininizing _expression_ for many men.  Except for red.  I have noticed that Bright red and blood red are very popular colors for men.   My second major complaint is with the types of clothing men are allowed to wear.  I know this is a subject brought up here a lot so I'll be brief.  For some reason when the womens fashion industry addopts a clothing concept it soon becomes feminine .  when a clothing concept becomes feminine then the male fashion industry shuns it.  Ususally permently.  Historicly this has been true.  the best example is High Heals.  Heals were originally designed for men.  Its common for men to feel short.  it makes them feel inadquite, so in the 19th century shoe makers came up with the high heal design.  some time later it was addopded for women, and soon after men stopped wearing them.   High heals have remaind part of womens fashion ever since.(sorry)  I've noticed that a few decades after women started to wear suits to the office the offices went to business casual.  that might be just chance though. I think I'd be comfortable in a skirt or high heals.  if they looked good and it wasn't a major social fopa.  Well maybe not high heals.  I'm allready pretty tall.   We have reached a point in this socity where the materials ( fabric, dying, and production technology) for clothing offers the opportunity for real creativity and self _expression_.  Its unfortuate that the men who buy clothing don't understand that.  If the buyers understood this type of self _expression_ then the designers would follow suit, and mens fashion would be a more interesting place.. Well I need to go now.   David (Lurker no More!!) Ps.  I really wish I could have posted this over on alt.fashion.men but my usenet provider doesn't have access to that.  If someone could please forward it onward.

my wardrobe to be difficult. Dress like a woman then!  (sorry, not much help, am I?) Jennifer M. CyberGrrlz

Ps.  I really wish I could have posted this over on alt.fashion.men but my usenet provider doesn't have access to that.  If someone could please forward it onward. It's done.

In many ways I am evious of women.  but one thing in paticular is the clothing they get to chose from.  I find, being a man, that expressing my self through my wardrobe to be difficult. I will admit that its getting better.  As many companies move to a work casual dress code, there are more opportunitys to wear some really fashionable clothes.  I've been fortuate enought to work in a company that operates along those lines. Well, at work most people don't get to wear what they want anyway.  Even with office casual, lots of signature outfits still probably shouldn't be worn: For women, this includes microshort skirts, distractingly low-cut dresses,stiletto heels.  For men, it would include really suggestive outfits as well.  Fetish and bondage stuff are right out for everyone at most jobs. This leaves you with your spare time, when you should be able to wear anything.  While men's clothes tends to be somewhat more restricted than women's clothes, here's where you need to get creative and find something you *really* like.  GQ be damned! Options: Look into historical outfits:  Poet shirts, boots, tunics (You're right.  Babes take stuff over from men.  Take it BACK!) Check out other cultures: Brighter patterns, unusual fabrics like fleur de lis, silk, raw cotton, velvet, fur, leather. Period pieces from the past century:  Banded shirts were big last year and about 90 years ago (look ma, no tie!), pinstripes, 60's retro, powder blue from the '50s. The most important thing here is to be comfortable in your clothes.  If you look like you belong in this outfit, you can wear pretty much anywhere and look good.  Confidence is your most important accessory!  

I quite agree with sparrow that men's clothing is essentially boring and that women's clothing is far more interesting. Historically it hasn't always been that way and if you really analyze trends in men's fashions you'll discover that they are quite often influenced by trends in women's fashions. It's the womenswear designers who take the lead and the menswear people usually follow a couple of years later (particularly with things like collar, sleeve and pants cuts. The noticable exception has been the reintroduction of flairs and bellbottoms where menswear didn't produce flairs for men. Certainly in the '60s and early '70s the line was blurred with Unisex dressing and high heels for men. I've posted before on the limited choices offered at most stores for women. It's even more limited for men. But then again even most women are extremely self-limiting when it comes to wardrobe. Demand more choice by refusing to buy the mundane. You'll get it. joel

My second major complaint is with the types of clothing men are allowed to wear.  I know this is a subject brought up here a lot so I'll be brief.  For some reason when the womens fashion industry addopts a clothing concept it soon becomes feminine .  when a clothing concept becomes feminine then the male fashion industry shuns it.  Ususally permently.  Historicly this has been true.  the best example is High Heals.  Heals were originally designed for men.  Its common for men to feel short.  it makes them feel inadquite, so in the 19th century shoe makers came up with the high heal design.  some time later it was addopded for women, and soon after men stopped wearing them.   High heals have remaind part of womens fashion ever since.(sorry)   I don't want to wear high heels. They are basically biomechanical horrors.