The Strange Reason Men Used To Dress Like This

Men, what's stopping you from dressing like this? As it turns out, there's an actual historical answer to that question. In earlier eras of human history, cutting-edge accoutrements were an expected part of any high society gathering, and it was a real boys' club. Yes, as difficult as it may be to accept, men were actually at the forefront of fashion trends for many centuries. Today, that role is more or less reserved for women. So what changed? Well, believe it or not, the blame can be placed almost entirely on a single man who managed to permanently change his entire gender's relationship with clothing. Today, we'll be dressing down that man and answering the question, when did men stop dressing like this? In this modern age, the menfolk of the world have been reduced to simple, standardized silhouettes when it comes to their choice in clothing. And while there are a few exceptions from time to time, the majority of what we see is depressingly drab. Shopping on the masculine side of modern clothing stores means dull colors and boring cuts in only a handful of styles. Don't like polo shirts and khaki shorts? Too bad! If you don't want to look like you're ready to tee off on the golf course at any given moment, modern men's fashion has little, if anything, for you. Unless it happens to be Halloween, or perhaps you're heading to a renaissance fair, you can forget about wearing that sweet cape you got stuffed in the back of your closet. Women's fashion, on the other hand, has a much deeper diversity of choices. They can choose to wear a basic outfit in a similar style to men's fashion, but they also have the freedom to explore a wide range of colors, patterns, and silhouettes. They're also encouraged to accessorize with various types of shoes, makeup, and elaborate hairstyles. When it comes to women's fashion, the only limit seems to be the wearer's imagination and maybe their budget. Nowhere is this better exemplified than during red carpet events, when celebrities gather together en masse, dressed to the nines, to outstyle each other. For the most part, it's the women at these events who dare to be bold with what they're wearing, whether that's a lavish gown, a sleek pantsuit, or a disturbingly detailed worm costume. But while women have fun pushing boundaries, men most often arrive in a classic coat and tie. Look out into the crowd of famous faces during an awards show and you'll see a sea of black and white tuxedos. Maybe the occasional muted color, but still, a simple suit. While it's seen as perfectly normal now, this level of uniformity was not the norm for a very long time. If you've ever seen a painting of a king of old, you know that many of the fashion choices we associate with women used to be worn by men. During the reign of King Louis XIV, between the years of 1638 to 1715, the Palace of Versailles became a sort of oasis for high fashion, with the king himself leading the charge. The king prided himself on flaunting his wealth and status by wearing lavish clothing and did his best to keep the poor folk of Paris from getting any ideas about copying his style. He imposed strict rules on the guests at Versailles, which forbade them from wearing anything too garish outside palace walls. And he even restricted those not within the royal family from wearing certain garments. But otherwise, if you were in King Louis' sightline, you better dress the part. Skirts, wigs, ribbons, stockings, elaborate costumes, an unreasonable amount of lace, even high heels and makeup were for the boys, so to speak. And the more impractical and daring an outfit was, the better. But all that changed because of one man, Beau Brummel, who ushered in the dandyism movement and brought forth a period in history now known as the Great Male Renunciation. In Europe during the late 17th century, the love for the aristocracy was beginning to wane, and the Age of Enlightenment had begun. Known for its mathematical, scientific, and sociological revolutions, the Enlightenment period meant that knowledge and reason was prized over decadent parties. Flaunting your status was suddenly very gauche. After all, time spent putting on an overly accessorized outfit meant less time to do things like refine the scientific method, philosophize about individual rights and liberties, or argue for the separation of church and state. As such, everyday clothing became more utilitarian in nature, prioritizing function over flourish. Though, make no mistake, the men of this era still clung to certain stylistic choices purely for aesthetics. Wigs, stockings, heels, and long embellished coats in an array of bright colors were favorites of the thinkers of the time. But by the 18th and especially early 19th centuries, even those leftovers of a bygone fashionable era were at risk of erasure. Another cultural movement was beginning to take shape, and a new sort of man found himself at the forefront of fashion. That sort of man was called the dandy. Any man participating in dandyism was especially preoccupied with how he was perceived by those around him. He adopted a witty, refined way of speaking, and engaged in hobbies others might not have the time for. He wanted to be the most interesting and entertaining person in the room, but he was especially fixated on his physical appearance and personal grooming. Nostalgic for the elegance and luxury of the days of King Louis XIV, the dandy aimed to emulate the aristocracy as a way to elevate himself from his otherwise unremarkable middle-class background. So, while a dandy could not afford the fine garments worn by royals of the past, he could still dress with intention and keep himself clean. That sense of style, along with an abundance of wit and confidence, meant that dandies often found themselves rubbing elbows with high society folks, despite having very little to their names. Effectively, a dandy was the embodiment of the fake-it-till-you-make-it mentality, or at least, that was the perception in England. French dandies had to go and make things more political, because of course they did. Dandyism was on the rise during the French Revolution, and was used as a way to spite the bourgeoisie, demonstrating that those of so-called lower social classes could speak, act, and dress just as well as the wealthy, but without all the gold trappings and powdered wigs. This state of dress became quite popular across Europe, and pretty soon, it was the dandies themselves that were dictating fashion trends, instead of emulating them. But while this concept of dandyism might sound somewhat freeing from the shackles of class-based attire, those that adopted the style were really just flying into another, equally restrictive prison. It was a true cultural pivot, and we're still feeling its effects today, but it didn't just come out of nowhere, and in fact, its origins can largely be traced back to one man, Beau Brummel. George Brian Brummel was born on June 7, 1778, in Downing Street, London, England. His family was firmly in the middle class, though Brummel's father William had grander aspirations for his son. Brummel was sent off to Eton College, and later to Oxford University, to be educated in the ways of the world. And though he was not an exceptionally gifted student, he made his mark at school in other ways. Coming to be affectionately known as Beau, meaning handsome, Brummel reportedly adorned his standard Eton cravat with a gold buckle, and while at Oxford, his attention to cleanliness and fine material influenced many students to ditch their unkempt cotton stockings. In 1794, at 16 years old, Brummel joined the British Army as a commissioned officer, the lowest possible rank, but found himself in the personal regiment of the Prince of Wales, the future King George IV. While serving, Brummel and the rest of his regiment attended banquets and lavish parties alongside their prince, and despite being a young and lowly officer, Brummel dazzled the prince through sheer force of personality. Brummel quickly acquired special privileges as dictated by the prince, being allowed to sidestep official duties and earning promotions at an accelerated rate, but when the regiment was moved from their privileged London location to the more modest Manchester, Brummel resigned immediately, reportedly having a distaste for the city's poor reputation, undistinguished ambience and want of culture and civility. Despite this, his relationship with the Prince of Wales continued and strengthened. Brummel was frequently invited to gatherings that were well above his station, and as a man of meager means, he could not afford the attire expected for such occasions. Rather than showing up sheepishly with his hat in hand, Brummel made it known that, actually, he didn't even want to be adorned in gold, jewels, and brightly coloured coats or capes. Like the enlightened men, Brummel was a thinker, and as a thinker, he prioritized function. Sheer buddy, whatever you have to tell yourself. In some cases, his lack of funds actually helped him appear to be ahead of the curve when it came to trends of his day. When the Prime Minister put forth a tax on hair powder to fund the country's war efforts, many men stopped wearing their white wigs. But Brummel could never afford a wig in the first place, and had been wearing his hair in the Roman style for ages, making him seem like a trendsetter. Likewise, instead of wearing short breeches and stockings like many of his contemporaries, Brummel typically sported a more economical long pantaloon, the style of which would eventually lead to the modern trouser. He bathed and shaved daily, perfumed his body, and favoured a plain dark blue coat, white linen shirt, and complexly knotted cravat. While his clothes were not made of particularly fine material, he kept them immaculately clean, and he took them to his tailor, who also worked for Brummel's close personal friend, the Prince of Wales. Together with his tailor, Brummel devised a style of dress that was exceedingly well-crafted to follow the contours of his body. The result was a seemingly casual look that still put off an air of effortless sophistication. The combination of Brummel's bespoke style and natural charisma meant he quickly climbed the social ladder to become a prominent figure in men's fashion. As we've already outlined, dandyism rose mostly due to his influence, and dandyism would eventually lead to the dramatically named Great Male Renunciation. Brummel's high-society life and seemingly simple grooming habits were an inspiration for countless men of his age and beyond. However, the lifestyle Brummel touted was more than just understated nice clothes, good hygiene, and fancy parties. While his sense of style rejected the most egregious extravagances of the aristocracy, the custom-tailored suits were a considerable expense. And so was his regimented grooming routine. Such a style requires you to be hyper-vigilant about the comeliness and cleanliness of your appearance at all times of day. Not to mention that the clothes were apparently so tightly fitted and rigidly structured that they couldn't be put on without the help of a valet. So as it turns out, it cost a lot of time and money to make it look like you don't care. And you don't even get to wear that cape you've been saving for Comic-Con for your trouble. This phenomenon was later studied by British psychologist John Flugel, who coined this point in history, the Great Male Renunciation, in his 1930 work The Psychology of Clothes. And according to Flugel, Brummel's power truly cannot be understated. This middle-class ex-soldier wormed his way into the good graces of British royalty and built a name for himself off the back of his innate likability and wallet-wise fashion sense. He started a movement which put the focus on dark or muted colors, simple but fitted silhouettes, and a lack of accessories. And that's still pretty much where men's fashion is today. It is the reason why all those A-list actors are still showing up to the Oscars in boring black suits. And Brummel? Well, he spent the later years of his life in terrible debt due to his lavish lifestyle and penchant for gambling. He fled his beloved London for France in 1816 and spent his final years in an asylum, a crushing end for someone so concerned with appearing put together for those around him. In the end, you might say his desire to be perceived as effortlessly fashionable is what proved to be his downfall. So maybe pull that cape out of your closet. Or at least considering adding a little color to your wardrobe. So what do you think? Are you happy with Brummel's lasting influence on men's fashion? Or would you rather have a wider variety of options when you walk into a store? Let us know in the comments below. While you're at it, don't forget to like and subscribe. And then check out some of these other videos from Weird History.