Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Fierce+Foreign: Finally, men inside the harem

Fierce+Foreign draws on the fashion experiences of SU's students in our favorite abroad capitals.

London: Elton Wong 

Being in Europe, I realized that men’s fashion is a lot more prominent than in the States. There are more clothing options for men in London than New York City or Los Angeles. Not only are there more options, but these options costs less and can be afforded by fashionistas like moi. 

 
A trend that's slowly been in the works...Dior Homme fall 2007

There's been a slow trend of harem pants for men for the past year or so. These are basically “baggy in the crotch but skinny on the leg” kind of pants, ala MC Hammer but with a chic twist. Now, baggy pants throw off people who are purely in to skinny jeans or pants. However, with the recent trend in parachute pants in women, it was only a matter of time before men start reverting back to baggier pants.

The question that runs through my mind is, “Why haven’t harem pants caught the American male fashion attention as quick as the European?” I believe that it lies within the construction of what the harem pant means today. In the ways that the harem pants are styled on the runway shows and on the streets on Europe, they are styled in a rebellious, almost punk way. Punk culture thrived in London, and Punk fashion was what set the city’s designers apart from of Europe. Vivienne Westwood, anyone?

 
Guys, take a note from Vivienne Westwood spring 2010

For now, while I’m still in Europe, I’ll get myself a pair of harem pants from Zara or Topman and strut the streets of London town. By this summer, I’ll hope to strut with them in New York City. Join me?

- by Elton Wong

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