Hot & Not: Boy Fashion by Ian Grant
Tasked with weighing in on the fashion trends of “Boy Summer,” I first had to answer a question for myself:
fashion trends to whom?
In the past, it was easier to detect what was on trend, what was behind it, and what was coming next. Designers and brands worked hand in glove with celebrities and media gatekeepers to push certain styles to a pliant, passive customer base. These trends evolved gradually and predictably, making the task of dressing well (or at least well enough) a relatively simple one.
Today, the men’s fashion landscape is mediated, subdivided, and atomized. There are seemingly endless styles and subcultures, each with their own unique online avatar.
There is Derek Guy, better known as the Menswear Guy, who typically endorses a supposedly “timeless” approach to men’s fashion centered around mid-20th century staples: sport coats, full-cut trousers, and well-tailored suits.
There is Jonah Weiner, author of Blackbird Spyplane, who applies a methodical, holistic approach to men’s fashion, examining questions of political economy, environmental stewardship, and spirituality as part of his advocacy for the so-called“slow clothes” movement.
There is freelance Substacker Jake Woolf, who can typically be found waxing rhapsodic over vintage Ralph Lauren and OCBDs in between sponsored brand collabs on Instagram.
There is Sam Hine, former GQ contributor and current Senior Men’s Style Editor at New York Magazine, who is seated front row at nearly every major runway show and styles himself as such—sunglasses, faded denim, casual suits.
There is R.F. Kenmore, an anonymous MAGA-coded industry insider who spends his days soying out about J. Crew, Lululemon, and Buck Mason on X.com.
There are the Throwing Fits guys, who wear whatever the hell they want.
There are all these men, and many more besides. What is en vogue to one may be avant-garde to another and utterly passé to a third.This makes a definitive, objective accounting of what is “hot” and what is “not” an impossibility. What it really comes down to is how you, dear reader, feel: whether you are aligned with or opposed to the sensibilities of a given author and their associated subculture.
You’ll need to decide for yourself whether I am “hot” or “not”—peep my IG, I post plenty of pictures of myself. Once you do, you’ll know how seriously to take any of the following verdicts.
🔥 HOT: Work shirts
One of the primary staples of my wardrobe these days.
Work shirts work in virtually every context other than suiting. Dress them up with khakis, or dress them down with sweats. Wear them tucked in under a jacket or open over a beater as a top layer. Denim, chambray, twill—you can’t go wrong.
Check the eBay results for “Five Brothers work shirt,” aim for something USA-made, and pull the trigger.
🧊 NOT: On shoes
The surest sign a man has zero swag. Next time you’re out, just look at the types of guys who wear these shoes. Do you really want to be one of them? I didn’t think so.
🔥 HOT: 5”-6” inseam shorts
There are some who would have you believe that long shorts are back in. Don’t believe their lies.
Whether you’re wearing baggies, chinos, or jorts, the 5” to 6” range is *the* proper inseam length. If you’re sensitive about revealing that much thigh, well, start hitting those deadlifts, brother.
They’re called “shorts” for a reason—simple as!
Editor’s note: due to straight appropriation, below-the-knee shorts are both gay and hot. (shorter shorts are still acceptable and hot though)
🧊 NOT: Fun socks
You’re an adult. Dress like one.
Editor’s note: we’re wearing the X-Men socks our mom purchased for us from the Happy Socks at Westfield Century City and not taking them off any time soon.
The good people at Happy Socks simply know what they’re doing.
🔥 HOT: Brown
I’ve dialed back on the color quotient of my wardrobe over the last several years. Neutrals are flexible and flattering, and they highlight more important qualities of the clothes I wear such as shape and fabric. Still, I would never go completely monochrome. I’m not Yohji Yamamoto.
That’s where brown comes in. Warm, comfy, natural—I have yet to meet a shade I dislike. Pairs well with blacks and whites, pairs even better with the blues and olives that I often gravitate toward. The perfect color, regardless of the season.
🧊 NOT: Synthetics
Just say no.
Natural fibers do not magically solve the economic and environmental problems inherent in the manufacture of clothing. You are not saving the earth by buying cotton and wool exclusively—as if that were even possible today. Your socks and your underwear will almost always include a little elastane, and just try finding natural fiber swim trunks.
But it’s important to understand why brands lean so heavily on polyester today: to save money. Synthetic clothes are designed to be worn, torn, and dumped without a second thought. Such behavior is dishonorable not only to the earth, but also to yourself.
The best clothes are the clothes you live your life in. Natural fibers fade, warp, and wrinkle, the same way human beings do. And if you tear a hole in a pocket, you can sew that sucker right up. Good luck trying that on your ABC Pants.
🔥 HOT: Pants that sit at your natural waist
If there’s a single style “hack” I would recommend above all others, it’s this. Pants should (almost) always be worn at your natural waist—i.e. the thinnest part of your torso. Typically, that’s an inch or two above your belly button, just above your hips.
Wearing pants at your natural waist elongates the leg line, creating a flattering, well-proportioned silhouette. I usually aim for a shirt that occupies about one third of my frame and pants that occupy about two thirds. This is a classic look you’ll see on #menswear icons like Cary Grant:
But it’s just as true of other icons of style—for instance, the Ramones:
Or even Michael Jordan:
Just pull your damn pants up! It really is that simple.
Editor’s note: buttcrack with intention is always acceptable and welcomed.
🧊 NOT: The loafers/white socks/shorts thing
How you know an mf has been scrolling the IG Explore page too much.
This trend seems to be an attempt at subverting codified rules that dictate how a man should and should not dress. While I’m sympathetic to the motivation, the result always looks dumb. And not dumb in a cool way—just dumb in a dumb way. Yes, even on Paul Mescal.
Some rules are meant to be broken—socks with sandals, for instance. Others are rules for a reason: don’t touch a hot stove; don’t drink and drive; don’t let your homie smoke alone. This is one of the latter.
Editor’s note: Paul, if you’re reading this… hi :))
We also have some really cool X-Men socks if you want to come over and wear them sometime.
🔥 HOT: Suits
Nothing to wear? Too much to choose from? Everything look wrong? Just put on a suit—problem solved.
Suits take a lot of the guesswork out of assembling an ensemble. As long as it’s cut right and tailored well, you’re almost guaranteed to look good. Go all in with a shirt and tie, or keep it chill with a long sleeve polo. Hell, even a t-shirt works (usually).
🧊 NOT: Flip-flops
Another supposed trend being pushed as a clever subversion of conventional wisdom by nefarious forces online. If you’re hitting the beach a pair of Havianas or Rainbows is fine, but that’s about as far as it goes. Under no circumstances should you be walking around the city, sitting in cafes, and/or riding the bus in flip-flops.
This is not to say that a man should never wear open-toed shoes. Tevas? Great. Keens? Also great. Huaraches? Fisherman sandals? Birkenstocks? Check check and check. Just leave the ‘flops in the dorm room showers where they belong.
🔥 HOT: Vintage Ralph
A basic take to be sure, but that doesn’t make it wrong.
Unless you’re completely clothesbrained (you know who Evan Kinori is, you follow Alfargo’s on Instagram, you’ve been for a fitting at J. Mueser) you can assemble virtually an entire wardrobe from the supply of vintage Ralph Lauren available on eBay. Many of today’s most popular brands are premised on ripping off Ralph pieces from thirty years ago. Why not just go straight to the source yourself?
Peep the fit above, a triple Ralph ensemble I put together for under a hundred bucks: $22 on the shirt, $25 on the pants, $40 on the jacket. J. Crew or Buck Mason imitations will run you triple the cost and net you half the swag.
