Section 1 Introduction
In the research, I have discussed the depiction of masculinity in fashion and popular culture, highlighting softness and hardness as essential themes. Through visual analysis and practice-based research, I enquire how images from the 1980s, including those of a photoshoot styled by Stephen Linard while using Eamonn McCabe towards The Face magazine, communicate concepts about masculinity and gender. I also consider essential thoughts and theories like “soft masculinity”, “hegemonic manhood”, “normativity “, and Anti- normativityâ to know how these pictures defy conventional gender standards and support a more dynamic as well as flexible notion of masculinity. My research process has been driven by the desire to know how fashion and style can help challenge dominant cultural norms and values as well as promote a more inclusive untying of gender from sexuality.
Section 2 Reflection on Practice
As a new artist and designer, the understanding of masculinities and gender within the framework of men’s fashion has dramatically impacted my practice. The exploration of the themes and ideas discussed in this project has thus created an insightful framework for re-envisioning traditional masculinities, which shaped my creative method. The examples used in this essay embody a complex, multifaceted form of masculinity and gender because they take up both softness and hardness, with either one being dominant. This appeals to my work, as I have tried to create designs above ordinary gender ideologies and capture a more sensitive interpretation of masculinity.
Particularly, the visual and haptic metaphor used by the author based on tactile and iridescent cloths in menswear has been particularly significant for my work. My hope in incorporating such materials is to design clothing that affords room for more delicate, sensual, and flowing versions of malehood and manliness. This approach supports the concept of questioning traditional gender in clothing as evidenced by those androgynous pop stars and subcultures of the eighties. 1980s menswear and popular culture explored in the essay strongly reinforce that fashion representation can be a powerful tool to create new, varied expressions of masculinity, and gender influences my own creative activities.
In addition, the concept of reverse discourse in fashion, when designers deliberately offer innovative thoughts about new masculinity by subverting menswear and using softer fabrications, has greatly inspired my design ideology. This idea has made me strive beyond the conventional boundaries of menswear itself by exploring softer fabrics and designs that go against conceptions traced back to hegemonic or orthodox forms of masculinity.
Moreover, the study of powerful images like those depicting Prince has stressed how historical fashion can be repurposed and reimagined to breathe new meaning into it. This has motivated me to pull from various cultural and historical models in my designs, aiming at creating clothes that go beyond the boundaries of conventional genders while reflecting a vast range of masculinities. The royal aura of Prince’s manner, given its striking and sometimes ambiguous sensibility to gender identity, has strengthened my strong conviction in the potential for fashion not only to change but also to subvert these normative constructions, resonating with what so much guides me creatively.
The relationship between my BA work and the concepts developed in this unit is deep-seated. The essay’s focus on visual analysis in connection with practice-based research is consistent with my personal design methodology, where the role of critical reflection and contextualization serves as a vital component of my creative process. 1980ssubcultural looks, modern artworks and a historical cultural reference are explored strongly in this collection, as is my interdisciplinary approach to design, where I look towards many sources of inspiration that produce garments beyond gender stereotypes. Furthermore, the themes and ideas discussed in this project have so far informed my practice as an aspiring artist-designer. The complicated approach to masculinities and gender, the beauty of softness and fluidity in menswear has informed my creative approach as well.
The study of the cross-section between fashion and identity, especially in relation to rebellious Black masculinities, has very much struck a chord with my own creative career. The discussion about how various generations of men from the African diaspora have employed style, fashion and dress to resist cultural hegemony by rejecting racist ideas, thus emphasizing the potential power of its transformational impact on individuals’ self-representation for purposes beyond mere aesthetics, has shown. This has motivated me to incorporate cultural identity and resistance within my designs as I strive to develop clothes that can not only challenge what it means to be a man but also celebrate various narratives of culture and history.
Furthermore, the focus on how diasporic identity is negotiated through fashion mirrors my own examination of the cultural and historical value attached to attire. As an up-and-coming artist-designer, I became interested in the concept of fashion as a medium to negotiate complex identities right at its interface with diasporic experiences. The wisdom from the essay has strengthened my determination to design clothes that echo the vastness and multiplicity of identity, influenced by different cultures to come up with outfits that inspire people who have been living life quite differently.
Fashion’s engagement with the concept of “reverse discourse”, where new ideas on masculinity are proposed to challenge dominant understandings, has particularly influenced my approach to design. This idea has inspired me to adopt an attitude of innovation and subversion in my design practice, aiming at undermining established notions of masculinity by means of designs. Using fashion as a form of social and cultural critique, within which to articulate the complexities of different masculinities in contemporary society that constantly changes shape, is an endeavour I would like to contribute towards.
Section 3 Conceptual Framework
In Ainslie’s article “Korean Soft Masculinity vs. Malay Hegemony: As “Symbols of Masculinity and Hallyu Fan,” the author investigates how masculine representation in Korean popular culture works, with specific emphasis on Hallyu or The Korean Wave as well as Malaysian male identity. Ainslie also introduces the notion of “soft masculinity” to discuss representations of Korean idols and suggests that such depictions allow Malaysian men to question and reassess hegemonic masculinity in their cultural terms. The article emphasizes the impact of Hallyu in changing perceptions about masculinity and how it contributes to undermining traditional state-constructed constructions of hegemonic masculinity that prevailed before. Ainslie reveals the potential of popular culture in creating alternative forms and constructions regarding masculine identity by destabilizing conventional gender norms.
Buschmeyer Lengersdorf, The differentiation of masculinity as a challenge for the concept of hegemonic masculinity. They focus on the notion of hegemonic masculinity as a social fact presented by sociologist Raewyn Connell, which represents different versions of men in hierarchical relations. This article is a critical analysis of challenges created by the differentiation of masculinity to the concept of hegemonic masculinity and provides an understanding of hardship within men that it reflects inequality in gendered relationships. Buschmeyer and Lengersdorf provide a complex interpretation of masculinity as an unfixed, context-dependent concept which challenges the belief in one unique shape of hegemonic masculinity.
In Christensen and Jensen’s article “Combining Hegemonic Masculinity and Intersectionality,” published in NORMA, The authors investigate the convergence of hegemonic masculinity and intersectionality in the Nordic Journal for Masculinity Studies. They describe how men from marginalized or subordinated groups, such as immigrant communities in Europe, may have contested or restricted access to male privilege because of their gender performances that are not considered normal. The article underlines the importance of including intersectionality in terms of hegemonic masculinity, highlighting how race, ethnicity and other social factors intersect with gender to create experiences associated with masculinity. Christensen and Jensen take this idea further by highlighting the value of moving beyond an overly generalized conception of masculinity to a more nuanced exploration of ways that men’s experiences intersect with one another.
Based on my own research and practice, these arguments make sense as they provide a more holistic insight into masculinity, gender, and men’s style. Ainslie’s study of This nuanced treatment of the differentiation of masculinity posed by Buschmeyer and Lengersdorf on essentialist views about hegemonic masculinity fits nicely with my own perception towards the flexible naturalness in gender identities. Other aspects that I note in my research that align with Christensen and Jenson’s on intersectionality related to hegemonic masculinity include the significance of considering intersecting factors influencing men as they navigate their experiences with gender. Nevertheless, additional research into the lives of people in these different masculinities will help to understand more deeply how gender identity and expression are shaped.
In Ervin’s article “The Might of the Metrosexual: In “How a Mere Marketing Tool Challenges Hegemonic Masculinity,” the author traces the origin of metrosexuality and how it decomposes traditional masculine notions. Ervin suggests that the metrosexual is a move away from such traditional masculine ideals of ruggedness and toughness in favour of more mobile and adaptable forms which embrace fashion, grooming techniques and consumerism. This article thus emphasizes the subversive power of metrosexuality as a challenge to established gender norms and in promoting an alternative, more inclusive vision of manliness.
In McCauley Bowstead’s book “Menswear Revolution: Coming in “The Transformation of Contemporary Men’s Fashion,” the author discusses how men’s fashion is changing. McCauley Bowstead suggests that men’s fashion has come a long way in recent years as designers challenge established gender norms and encourage a more diverse, inclusive variety of masculine styles. The book discusses the impact that fashion can have on shaping cultural attitudes toward masculinity and shows how it has the potential to break down harmful gender stereotypes and bring about social reform.
In McMillan’s article “Saga Bwoys, Rude Boys, and Saggers: In “Rebellious Black Masculinities,” the author investigates how black men have utilized fashion and style as means to defy prevailing cultural standards, thereby defining their own identifies. McMillan addresses the rise of defiant black masculinities, including those known as “saga boys” and“rude woods”. The latter try to define their identities by employing fashionable aspects while going against traditional views on what it means to be an adequately behaving man. The article illustrates how fashion can be a tool for social change and challenge dominant cultural norms.
Based on my personal research and practice, these arguments are valid and help for a more holistic understanding of masculinities, gender and men’s style-fashion dress. Ervin’s investigation of the metrosexual as a new type of masculinity is consistent with my observations on how fashion and consumerism could act to upend traditional gender norms in favour of an understanding that embraces broader notions around what it means to be a man. McCauley Bowstead’s treatment of the history of men’s fashion connects with my views on how style can influence perceptions regarding masculinity and help to bring about societal reform. McMillan also emphasizes the transformative power of fashion in promoting resistance and redefining codes within a dominant cultural realm by speaking about rebellious black masculinities. Nonetheless, it is also necessary to delve deeper into the intersectional aspects of these varied masculinities as a way to gain an even more insightful comprehension of just how complicated and multifaceted gender identity and its expression are.
Section 4 Visual Analysis and/or Object Analysis
The pictures in question date back to a 1986 photoshoot styled by Stephen Linard and taken with the help of Eamonn McCabe for an issue of The Face magazine. The first image is of a male model who has dressed himself all in shiny, reflective gold. He sports leatherette pants, cowboy boots and a fringed western jacket. The legs of the model are diagonal to the page going right, his torso is at a diagonal left, and he seems like he is stabbing himself in the heart. The model is also wearing a pair of gold toy wings attached to his head, and the whole outfit has cheap jewellery dangling from his waistline and wrists. It also portrays the same model sporting a gold laurel wreath and leopard print motorcycle jacket with a belt of bullets around his hips, barely having some small pelts featuring different African animals hanging from it. 3 Terry Smith, a photojournalist, snapped this during a club night at Blitz in Covent Garden – which was to become one of the major hangouts for what became known as “the new romantic movement”.
They are camp, exaggerated and playful images. In the first picture, shiny, reflective gold and cheap jewellery provide an image of excess and opulence. The pose of the model is dramatic, with his legs and torso forming diagonal angles. The playful element comes from the toy wings tied to his head. In the second image, they use a gold laurel wreath with a leopard print motorcycle jacket and a belt of bullets around the hips to signify power and masculinity. It is the petite pelts of African animals suspended from the belt, adding a hint of exoticism and foreignness. The third image by Terry Smith captures the energy and vibrancy of the club scene at Blitz, with its colourful and flamboyant fashion.
5 These images inform us about the culture and the society of that time, namely the 1980s when a new romantic movement emerged. Excess”,” opulence and theatricality in other images mirror sensationaboutcultural and social tastes of those ages who were rebellious against traditional gender roles but demanded for expression for themselves. The images also reveal the impact of popular culture, in particular music and fashion from this period, which was very flamboyant and lavish.
If I had created such images, my goal would have been to question established gender patterns and encourage people to see masculinity as something much more non-binary. I would like to have made images that were fun, frivolous and absurd in order to challenge the thought that masculinity was supposed not to be flexible or changeable. I would prefer to have used fashion and style as a tool for self-expression and creation so that it can promote an understanding of masculinity that includes diversity. If someone else created these images or designed them, their intentions might have been the same as mine but could be completely different. They may have been interested in making pictures that were simply beautiful, or they might have wanted to advertise for a specific company or item. They could have wanted a challenge to conventional gender, or they may have worshipped it. It is hard to say exactly what these people were trying to achieve, but it does seem that their images have had a profound effect on the culture of men’s wear and our perceptions of masculinity.
These images show us that there is a certain type of masculinity. This is the type of masculinity that questions traditional gender norms and advocates for a more fluid, flexible definition of what it means to be male. It is a playful, whimsical and exaggerated masculinity that engages fashion as an expression of self-creation. These images give us insights into the culture of menswear, in particular, how popular culture influences this, and they show a new movement or subculture evolving.
These images also inform us of gender and how fashion and style can be employed to modify traditional gender roles, embracing an inclusive and diverse framework for understanding gender. Instead of reinforcing the idea that masculinity has to be rigid and unchanging, they promote the opposite – gender as a fluid, flexible construct which can be shaped and complete different looks through fashion and style. These images also inform us of the identity concerning class, ethnicity, and race, such as how fashion style could be used to assert or declare these identities.
Also, these images inform us that the concept of masculinity is performative. The over-the-top poses and costumes in the images imply that there is nothing natural or fixed about masculinity, as it must be performed using fashion, style, etc. This puts into question the notion that masculinity is an inherent or biological characteristic and implies instead that it’s a social construct mutable by fashion and style. These images also inform of the impact queer culture had on fashion and style. The presence of camp, excess and theatricality in these images shows that queer aesthetics has been an influential force on fashion and style; questioning traditional notions of gender through its culture before introducing more fluid ideas around identity can help modern society become less confined. The images also show just how much queer culture has influenced popular fashion and shaped our views on style and masculinity.
As concluded, the images of Linard and McCabe 1986, Terry Smith outside Blitz – early 1980s are crucial as they represent a certain type of masculinity that breaks through conventional gender standards, setting in favour of a more easygoing perceptual model regarding what it means to be a man. They are frivolous, capricious and overblown; they utilize fashion and style as tools of self-expression and self-fashioning. These images tell us that we learn about the culture of men’s clothing, the impact of pop culture and new movements and subcultures. They also reveal to us about gender, class-based, ethnic and racialized identity along with the notion of how fashion and style may be utilized in showing out as well as reinforcing these identities.
Section 5 Conclusion
Through reading and research, I have determined that the cases chosen indicate a more complex notion of masculinities and gender. The idea of ” soft masculinity “appeared to be especially convincing since it questions the notion of hegemonic masculinity and presents a more open-minded model for gender identity that is much less narrow. Moreover, the notion of reimagining fashion and style as a tool for contesting against while building around prevailing cultural standards has been insightful from an academic standpoint because it reveals how visual signs can literally reshape our view on incarnations of masculinity. I have learned from my object and image analysis, as well as the broader research, that fashion can be a tool for articulating fluid/flexible masculinities and being more open to alternative expressions of gender. By undertaking this project, I have significantly transformed the way in which I conduct my practice as a designer because it has motivated me to incorporate elements of softness and fluidity into my body of work with the aim towards creating clothing that breaks away from conventional gender norms while celebrating various forms or expressions masculinity at large.
Moreover, this research has broadened my perspective on the performative quality of masculinity and how queer culture impacts fashion and style. It has instructed me to respect the idea that fashion is a form of self-expression and self-creation, something which can be used as an instrument against society’s norms. This project has pushed me as an up-and-coming artist and designer to embrace a more inclusive and diverse approach to my practice, seeing the possibility that fashion can serve as a driving force behind social transformation; it tells how one does not have been locked into conventional smartness of dressing code in men only.
References
Ainslie, M.J. (2017) “Korean Soft Masculinity vs. Malay hegemony: Malaysian masculinity and Hallyu fandom,” Korea Observer, 48(Autumn), pp. 609–638.
Buschmeyer, A. and Lengersdorf, D. (2016) “The differentiation of masculinity as a challenge for the concept of hegemonic masculinity,” NORMA, 11(3), pp. 190–207.
Christensen, A.-D. and Jensen, S.Q. (2014) “Combining Hegemonic Masculinity and Intersectionality,” NORMA: Nordic Journal For Masculinity Studies, 9(1), pp. 60–75.
Ervin, M. (2011). The Might of the Metrosexual: How a Mere Marketing Tool Challenges Hegemonic Masculinity. In: E. Watson and M. Shaw, eds., Performing American Masculinities, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
McCauley Bowstead, J. (2018) Menswear Revolution: The Transformation of Contemporary Men’s Fashion. London: Bloomsbury.
McMillan, M. (2017) “Saga Bwoys, Rude Bwoys, and Saggers: Rebellious Black Masculinities,” Critical Arts, 31(3), pp. 72–89