There is an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal about the latest fashion trend for men: ankle baring pant cuffs!I just took excerpts of the article, but you can find the entire article here.
Ankle-baring pant cuffs raise the ante on men's fashion
by Ray A. Smith
July 24, 2008
"After noticing other young men doing it, 30-year-old Victor Holguin recently started baring his ankles. When he wears jeans, he rolls them up, and he gets his pants hemmed short
Changing hemlines have long been a hallmark of women's fashion. But this summer, it's men's hems that are rising. Brooks Brothers has raised pant hems about half an inch in its top-of-the-line Golden Fleece suits and is leaning toward a slightly shorter pant length across its more moderately priced collection.J. Crew has been featuring models in rolled-up, ankle-baring chinos. Traditional haberdasher Paul Stuart is producing suit trousers that touch the top of the shoe, rather than breaking slightly over the shoe...
The last time so-called floods for men were in style in the U.S. was the 1950s (with upturned tight jeans) and 1960s (with preppy pants rolled up on the beach). The '60s also saw skinnier suits, with narrow-leg trousers that were shorter in length. Todd Snyder, J. Crew's head of men's design, says some of its looks were inspired by images of James Dean, Paul Newman and John F. Kennedy from the '50s and '60s."
What is funny about this new trend, is that my husband has lots of pants he wears that are too short on him. (Of course, he picked out those pants himself before trying them on. Since he never exchanged them for the right length, he ended up wearing them.) When I showed him this article, he just smiled and said "I knew that trend was going to happen!"
What do you think of the ankle-baring pant cuff look? If you are a guy, would you rock this style or go with the more traditional look?
I've noticed some teenage boys with their pants rolled up recently. I thought it was to show off their funky 80s style high-top sneakers.
ReplyDeleteHave to say though, I would laugh pretty hard if I saw my husband in ankle-baring pants. :)
Laura1: I agree. I mean in theory I like the idea of vintage 50s and 60s inspired menswear ... but ankle-baring pants are not quite what comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteOH I hate this look. But I will forward this to my boyfriend who will be thrilled because I always tell him he wears his pants too short! He will be thrilled!
ReplyDeleteBut really I think this is a great look if you are on the beach and you are worried that your pants will get sandy. I think it could work on a fashionisto (I've seen my cousin do it and he pulled it off). But in reality I think about 1 out of 100 men could or would pull this off.
However this maybe the beginning of the first FASHION battle I ever lose with my boyfriend.
This look is for vacations on the beach....not for day wear! Silly. I don't know one guy who would wear their pants like this! (but I can think what they would say if they saw a guy walking down the street with his pants like this!
ReplyDeleteLaura1: That is so funny that you saw some young men already sporting the look! I have yet to see any guys really rolling up the pants to show off the ankles- but I would love to though! :)
ReplyDeleteMichelle: I like the look of 50's and 60's menswear too. I love how the guys on the show "Mad Men" (on AMC) dress (they are suppose to be in the 60s) with their suits and ties. Very classic and put together.
Blumre: too funny! My husband wears his pants too short too! Maybe this trend was an accidental one, started by men who bought pants too short but didn't want to return them. ;)
Anonymous at 9:21 AM: I totally agree with you. For the beach this look seems fine. For the office, it might seem out of place.
No-way, different doesn't make it a trend. I agree with Blumre. It just looks sloppy unless you're at the beach. It's a gimmick for certain guys, and way too casual for work. Maybe these guys don't work? And for other guys, it just makes them look nerdy and uninformed.
ReplyDeleteI hate pants that look like you laundered them incorrectly and then left them in the dryer too long...this is such a horrible trend, and PLEASE let it just be a trend! Maybe it will work for a teenager, but not for adults...it just looks like you outgrew your clothes, and never bothered to buy new ones. YUCK!!!
ReplyDeleteWTH!?? Floods for men?? What's next capris for men with boots? YUCK!!
ReplyDeleteIn New York the short pant look would work, for the rest of us it would result in endless ribbing that we bought our pants short by mistake.
ReplyDeleteNo floods for me, I'll go with the usual regular break on my pants.
I am not a fan of this style at all. I don't know any guy who could pull this off (or any that would want to try, for that matter) :).
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere this past spring that capri-length pants for men was a hot fashion trend in Europe; I wonder if we'll see American retailers market this trend for men next spring/summer?
Kevin
I think 80's when I see those cuffs. I won't wear them and I'm almost certain without a doubt, that my man won't!!!!!
ReplyDeleteyeaaaah as a guy,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't see myself sporting this look. some things return and I can accept them - tighter, more form-fitting jeans for men, OK. high-waters or something? I guess I'm just not ready for them.
then again, I'm not ready for leg-warmers for you ladies yet, either, so maybe I'm just behind the times..?
LOL@capris for men, 'bleccchh' to it all. I guess you can't stop the march of fashion, though... but add me to the 'not a fan' column.
Ok...so I am blumre's boyfriend that she refers to all the time on this blog. I figured it was about time I came to my own defense a bit about the short pants.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think the pants that are purposely cut above the ankle look ridiculous. Any pants that I wear that might be considered too short are simply because I happen to be between sizes and if I go to the larger size it looks like I just have piles of fabric around my ankles.
I know, I know. Tailoring. No excuses there.
Nonetheless, if you have to err on pant sizes I would rather have them be a half-inch short than 1 and a half inches long. This is particularly true of dress pants. If this means my pants are in style (finally!) then this may be that long-awaited first fashion argument I win with my girlfriend!
MMiller: Hi! So great to finally have you post on here...we've heard so much about you! I'm amazed that you like to shop, and that you actually have a sense of style (well, not in the case of the short pants)...it's very refreshing! :) Welcome, and I hope that you will continue to post...btw...PLEASE buy the longer pants and have them hemmed...the pants that are too short just look really funny. ;)
ReplyDeleteFYI Everyone:I've actually seen the Capris on men here in Florida...they are called Manpris (pronounced Man Preez)...my brother in law has a pair that he wears regularly, and the little boys here wear them alot, too.
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ReplyDeleteMMiller and Blumre: You sound like a great couple, and are very fortunate to have found each other...CONGRATS!
ReplyDeleteMMiller: Hope you post again! :)
Kirbydog: I laughed at capris with boots for men! I can't see that look for them quite yet. ;)
ReplyDeleteMMiller: I am thrilled that you have joined the conversation! Blumre does mention you often- so its nice to hear your perspective. :) My husband has the same notion about pant lengths like you do: if you are between sizes in lengths to go with the shorter than the longer. You and my husband are now "in style"! ;)
Anonymous at 11:52 AM: I laughed about the leg warmers for ladies part! I am not ready for them either (although I do wear them in the winter under pants). ;)
JCrew Guy in Canada: I know what you mean that some men in New York can pull the look off. I think that is because there are lots of gorgeous male models, and trendsetters in the city. :) And lets face it, if you are good looking (like the guy in the picture in the post) you can pull of any look and make it look great!
Kevin: When I was in Europe the last couple of years, I saw lots of men wearing capris. It worked for them. :)
FabulousFloridaMommy: Manpris- I love the term! I can't wait to use it conversation. (I recently learned "Bromance", so now I have "manpris" too!) I also think boys wearing "manpris" would be adorable- but that's because they are adorable to begin with. :)
FFM: LOL - manpris - I love it! :-]
ReplyDeleteKevin
Alexis: What on earth is a "bromance?"
ReplyDeleteHAHA He posted. Battle won. I am thrilled that he posted we need more of a men's perspective on this blog!
Thanks FFM: I feel validated now!
LOL manpris!
ReplyDeleteI googled them and they seem to have been the hot thing for a few years now (at least in some parts of the world). Here's a picture of Jeremy Piven wearing them.
http://www.fadedyouthblog.com/33916/the-piv-in-manpris/
Blumre: "Bromance" is "the complicated love and affection shared by two straight males” (which comes from the urbandictionary.com).
ReplyDeleteThere is an interesting article about Bromance called Here's to the 'bromance'--straight men embracing close friendships. I personally think it is great! We need more love in the world today. ;)
Alexis: That article is great! Haha
ReplyDeleteThe new catalog has a female model with her matchstick cords rolled up like the picture of the male model on this post...it's page 49 for those of you with catalogs...it doesn't look good on her, either, and she is really pretty and super thin (I think she's even more thin in this catalog than last)...I guess it just proves that a silly, funny looking trend is silly and funny looking on everyone, even if you are beautiful and superthin! :)
ReplyDeleteManpris? hilarious! thanks everyone! I needed a good laugh today :) :)
ReplyDeleteand welcome mmiller! It's great to hear your perspective.
OMG Jcrew has an ankle baring cuff for women! AHHHHHHHHH :(
ReplyDeleteCity-fit stretch chino Claire pant
EWWWWW