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In Style 4 min read

Deconstructing Men’s Dress Codes

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Editors Desk Source: N.Y Times

Updated 862 day ago

Pharrell Williams received a lot of attention in Paris for his first collection as Louis Vuitton’s men’s creative director. But he also deserved recognition for pairing clogs with this kimono-inspired jacket-and-shorts set.

Outside the men’s wear shows in Milan and Paris, almost everything seemed possible when it came to getting dressed.

It’s not a stretch to say that men’s wear has long been seen by many as simpler and less creative than women’s wear. But as more men have found ways to personalize even the most traditional staples, they have shown that there are far wider possibilities than once thought.

This style evolution was on full display outside the recent men’s wear shows in Milan and Paris, where neck scarves were a potent accessory and the few who had traditional neckties wore them atypically, including with collarless shirts.

Others on the street revived a fad popularized in the early 1990s by the hip-hop duo Kriss Kross: wearing blazers and shirts in reverse, so the buttons and lapels were on the back. What I found most exciting, though, were the various tops with graphics referring to popular culture, including a fisherman’s sweater with the face of Kurt Cobain and a sleeveless tunic featuring the album cover of “Substance” by New Order.

Three men walking in a city street. The first, left, has short black hair and is wearing sunglasses, a necklace, a mesh top with green, yellow, red and black stripes, a black cross-body bag and black pants. The second, center, is wearing a chain necklace, a black tank top, a black cross-body bag and jeans. The third, right, has short dark hair and is wearing sunglasses, a necklace, a black knit collared shirt with a plunging V-neck, a cross-body bag and dark pants.

A coordinated trio made more in sync by their necklaces and cross-body bags.

A small dog licking the leg of a woman, center, who is standing among group of people in a courtyard, some of whom are holding paper cups and spoons.

A small dog licking the leg of a woman, center, who is standing among group of people in a courtyard, some of whom are holding paper cups and spoons.

You’d be surprised at the lengths some go to get a taste of fashion week.

A person with short black hair, seen from the hips up and from behind, standing outside and wearing a beaded cross necklace and black pinstripe suit jacket backwards.

A person with short black hair, seen from the hips up and from behind, standing outside and wearing a beaded cross necklace and black pinstripe suit jacket backwards.

When worn backward, even the oldest garment in your closet will seem new.

A man looking at a smartphone while sitting outside in a wooden folding chair with green-and-beige plaid cushions. He has short, tousled brown hair and is wearing a black tie, a black mesh shirt over a white tank top, a brown belt, and black jeans embellished with metal rings.

A man looking at a smartphone while sitting outside in a wooden folding chair with green-and-beige plaid cushions. He has short, tousled brown hair and is wearing a black tie, a black mesh shirt over a white tank top, a brown belt, and black jeans embellished with metal rings.

Among the many mesh tops at the shows, his tank, styled with the black necktie, was the best.

A man standing near a door in a tiled hallway. He has short dark hair and a long beard combed into a sharp point, and is wearing a boxy dark blue top, wide-leg dark blue pants and shimmery shoes.

A man standing near a door in a tiled hallway. He has short dark hair and a long beard combed into a sharp point, and is wearing a boxy dark blue top, wide-leg dark blue pants and shimmery shoes.

The wide trousers, boxy shirt jacket and angular beard suggested a strong command for shapes.

A woman standing on a stairway. She has long dark hair and is wearing a brown jacket, a black top, a white ankle-length skirt, black stockings and white shoes.

A woman standing on a stairway. She has long dark hair and is wearing a brown jacket, a black top, a white ankle-length skirt, black stockings and white shoes.

Her textural look combined a leather jacket, a wool top and a lace skirt.

A woman standing in a courtyard. She has short dark hair and is wearing black shoes and socks, a chunky necklace over a black tank top and a piece of black fabric with colorful edges wrapped around her waist as a skirt.

A woman standing in a courtyard. She has short dark hair and is wearing black shoes and socks, a chunky necklace over a black tank top and a piece of black fabric with colorful edges wrapped around her waist as a skirt.

The right fabric, wrapped the right way, can make a very convincing skirt.

Two men standing in a courtyard. One, left, is wearing a tan blazer over a white top, tan shorts and tan shoes. The other is wearing a pale orange jacket over a white top, taupe striped pants and black shoes.

Two men standing in a courtyard. One, left, is wearing a tan blazer over a white top, tan shorts and tan shoes. The other is wearing a pale orange jacket over a white top, taupe striped pants and black shoes.

If you’re looking for a summer capsule wardrobe, relaxed cotton and linen layers in desert tones would be a great place to start.

Two men, seen from the waist up, walking on a city street. One, left, has short dark curly hair and is wearing a short-sleeve green collared shirt unbuttoned over a white top, a black belt and black pants. The other has short dark curly hair and is wearing a necklace, a white T-shirt with sunglasses hanging from the neck, a dark belt and dark pants.

Two men, seen from the waist up, walking on a city street. One, left, has short dark curly hair and is wearing a short-sleeve green collared shirt unbuttoned over a white top, a black belt and black pants. The other has short dark curly hair and is wearing a necklace, a white T-shirt with sunglasses hanging from the neck, a dark belt and dark pants.

Two looks that could be described as James Dean on holiday.

A woman with long dark hair, seen from the neck down, standing outside on pavement. She is clutching her chest and wearing a canvas tote bag over one shoulder, a black strapless outfit, a black belt and red cowboy boots.

A woman with long dark hair, seen from the neck down, standing outside on pavement. She is clutching her chest and wearing a canvas tote bag over one shoulder, a black strapless outfit, a black belt and red cowboy boots.

A scarf can go a long way toward elevating a standard polo shirt.

Two women in helmets sitting on a scooter parked on a city street. One, left, has blond hair and tattoos on her arms and is wearing sunglasses, a cropped white tank top, rings and dark pants. The other has long reddish-brown hair and is wearing a blue long-sleeve shirt and rings.

Two women in helmets sitting on a scooter parked on a city street. One, left, has blond hair and tattoos on her arms and is wearing sunglasses, a cropped white tank top, rings and dark pants. The other has long reddish-brown hair and is wearing a blue long-sleeve shirt and rings.

Catching the photographers Christina Fragkou, left, and Eseniya Araslanova in between shows offered a chance to capture the style of two people who are typically behind a camera.

A woman, left, walking past a man on a street. Her hair is in braids and she is carrying a white top-handle purse and is wearing a blue long-sleeve collared shirt tied in a knot at the waist, white socks and chunky black shoes. He is wearing a dark suit.

A woman, left, walking past a man on a street. Her hair is in braids and she is carrying a white top-handle purse and is wearing a blue long-sleeve collared shirt tied in a knot at the waist, white socks and chunky black shoes. He is wearing a dark suit.

A study in sartorial contrasts: specifically, between schoolgirl and businessman

The graphic T-shirt has long been a way to showcase personal interests and style. Graphic sweaters and tunics are just as expressive, and a bit more surprising.

A group of people standing near trees on a grassy lawn, some of whom are hidden by the trees’ leafy branches.

People at fashion week usually want to stand out, but every so often you see some trying to blend in.

A man, center, wearing a white baseball hat backward, a white tank top, gold rings and black pants. He is sitting outside on a bench next to a woman, left, and another man, far left.

The stacked gold rings were a nice touch. So was the ribbing on his white tank.

Two men, seen from the waist up, standing outside. One man, left, has short black hair and is wearing sunglasses, a necklace, a blue-and-white collared shirt and a striped marigold blazer. The other man, who has short black hair, is holding a smartphone in a case that has his face on the back and is wearing sunglasses and a cropped denim jacket that exposes his bare torso.

Two men, seen from the waist up, standing outside. One man, left, has short black hair and is wearing sunglasses, a necklace, a blue-and-white collared shirt and a striped marigold blazer. The other man, who has short black hair, is holding a smartphone in a case that has his face on the back and is wearing sunglasses and a cropped denim jacket that exposes his bare torso.

Be the phone case you want to see in the world.

A man, seen from the waist up, standing in a crowded courtyard. He has his dark hair twisted into knots, is holding a camera to his face and is wearing a chain necklace, a sleeveless reddish-brown knit top, a bejeweled watch on one wrist and stacked bracelets on the other wrist.

A man, seen from the waist up, standing in a crowded courtyard. He has his dark hair twisted into knots, is holding a camera to his face and is wearing a chain necklace, a sleeveless reddish-brown knit top, a bejeweled watch on one wrist and stacked bracelets on the other wrist.

Against his knit top, all the chunky jewelry popped even more.

A man with short brown hair standing against a building on a city sidewalk. He is wearing a shimmery metallic three piece suit, a scarf tied loosely around his neck and black shoes.

A man with short brown hair standing against a building on a city sidewalk. He is wearing a shimmery metallic three piece suit, a scarf tied loosely around his neck and black shoes.

The shimmering three-piece suit felt straight out of Hollywood.

A woman, left, and a man walking on a city street. She is carrying a pink clutch with a dog's face on it and is wearing sunglasses, a striped mini dress and black knee-high boots. He has his long hair in locs and is wearing a taupe hat, a furry vest, a graphic crop top featuring a cat, tan pants with drawings on the hips and legs and black boots.

A woman, left, and a man walking on a city street. She is carrying a pink clutch with a dog's face on it and is wearing sunglasses, a striped mini dress and black knee-high boots. He has his long hair in locs and is wearing a taupe hat, a furry vest, a graphic crop top featuring a cat, tan pants with drawings on the hips and legs and black boots.

There was a certain joy to capturing her dog purse next to his cat shirt.

Two women sitting outside. One, left, has a green purse and is wearing a light denim hat and a long-sleeve striped denim outfit. The other is wearing sunglasses, a striped denim bucket hat and a matching striped denim top.

Two women sitting outside. One, left, has a green purse and is wearing a light denim hat and a long-sleeve striped denim outfit. The other is wearing sunglasses, a striped denim bucket hat and a matching striped denim top.

Their denim looks were hard to miss because of the eye-catching stripes...

A man sitting outside on a window ledge. His long dark hair is in braids and he is wearing sunglasses, a denim vest, baggy denim pants and pink sneakers.

A man sitting outside on a window ledge. His long dark hair is in braids and he is wearing sunglasses, a denim vest, baggy denim pants and pink sneakers.

...and his denim pants stood out for their epic proportions.

A group of men standing outside on a street that is partly closed off by a barrier covered in signs and graffiti.

A group of men standing outside on a street that is partly closed off by a barrier covered in signs and graffiti.

Models at work or off-duty?

A woman and man, dressed mostly in black, sitting outside on a ledge and kissing in front of a window through which a group of people are looking.

At some shows, the most delightful moments happen off the runway.

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