This might be surprising to some of you (or not, in the case of my detractors), but I’ve always been at least a little sensitive about being called Pretentious. That being said, I definitely make myself an easy target and I’m hardly surprised at such accusations. After all, I am a relatively young person (am I really approaching 30???) who enjoys wearing suits for no reason.
I am fully aware of what I look like and how I dress. Granted, it doesn’t happen all the time (at least in terms of being told directly), as I think my attitude and personality can help to break down those connotations in spite of my stuffy, trad-inspired appearance. And if it does happen, I try to shrug it off; after all, I can’t control how people will perceive me despite my best efforts. But even so, I can’t deny that I am still sensitive to this topic and have avoided addressing it on the blog for fear of making it worse. But what is the root of this insecurity?
Perhaps it’s because I’ve made it my mission to making a case for menswear as a viable source of fun and expression for nearly 10 years. It doesn’t help my case to have accusations of Pretentiousness cloud this style/subculture, let alone my personal approach to dressing. And based on conversations with non-menswear friends as well as with budding menswear enthusiasts who tend to be the ones who aren’t obligated to wear a suit in the slightest (aka the people I like to think I write for), these accusations/perceptions are one of the reasons why they avoid getting into it.
But what’s interesting is despite tha a few of my compatriots who are existing menswear guys seem to embrace it, reclaiming it as a positive moniker. I’ve discussed it at length with many of my fellow fashion mfers and to my surprise, this wasn’t about elitism or trying to enforce arbitrary standards upon the world. Instead, Pretentiousness seemed to be a natural extension of authenticity, expression, and taste– all things I’ve discussed at length before. The term only gets thrown out when other people have a problem with it; it’s never truly about the garments or the style themselves.
That’s when I realized I already had a lot of problems with what “Pretentiousness” is. So much of it is based on external sentiment rather than who we are as people. Perhaps like my friends, it was time for me to make a case for reframing the topic and show that it isn’t something we should avoid like the plague. Perhaps it can be a positive thing for us menswear folk, in a way that aims to celebrate expression in a way that doesn’t look down on other people and expand our understanding of who it is that can wear menswear.
Thankfully I don’t actually have to do much because a lot of my thoughts on this were already penned by Dan Fox in his essay: Pretentiousness: Why It Matters. This book was recommended to me by many friends/compatriots and I enjoyed it for the simple narcissistic reason that I already had a lot of the same thoughts as Fox– he wrote about it in a much better way than me.
In his book, Fox essentially says that to call someone Pretentious means to accuse them of not being authentic. But this is more than simply outing a liar. This is because Pretentiousness is not just related to concepts of authenticity but to class and status. To be called Pretentious means that you are attempting to move “beyond your station”, that you are “behaving in ways they’re not qualified for through experience or economic status”.
In that way, accusations of Pretentiousness are really about calling things we don’t understand, things that are radical and challenge our expectations. It is true that Pretentiousness is often associated with elements of “high culture” that are constantly changing: art, philosophy, music, aesthetics, fashion, and so on. Changemakers within those disciplines are often labeled as Pretentious, as their moves are seen as being for show rather than a genuinely held interest. But they aren’t the only ones who get it. Enthusiasts can be labeled Pretentious as well, even if their participation is rooted in enjoyment rather than a critical or scholarly interest. What is interesting is that disciplines are seldom called Pretentious, but rather the person (or group) doing them.
At its core, accusations of Pretentiousness always come from an outside source, which makes this whole thing a matter of optics and perception. Fox then uses this to clap-back at accusers, as it reveals a sense of “sad insecurity”. In that way, Fox also calls out reverse-pretentiousness, where people go out of their way to downplay and in many cases, talk down such interests in favor of “normal” things, only reinforcing expected class standards. It would be easy to stop there, to simply make a topic about confidence and insecurity in our expressive goals, but that’s not what interests me.
You see, according to Fox, Accusations of Pretentiousness pervert our ideas of authenticity. Fox sees accusations as “insidious”, being a way to uphold class prejudice, leaving no room for people to expand their world views, both in interests and other people. This essentially creates a false rubric of standards that is often unanswered or clarified. If an accusation of Pretentiousness is an attack on authenticity, what exactly are the “right” interests to have or ways to behave?
This is immensely interesting and almost unsettling when we realize that we simply lack a definition of what “normal” is, at least one that is egalitarian and positive. This only gets wilder when you consider the current world, where people are now more culturally omnivorous than ever. Thanks to the internet, we are exposed to a plethora of things from pop music in Korea to a Russian-Armenian art film, all without the proper context to enjoy it “authentically”. In fact, having diversified interests across high and low brow things might just be a sign of being “real” after all– to be pretentious.
To me, Fox sees Pretension as the promise for the future, with its accusations serving as an indication that we are expectations and creating room for nuance. It’s proof that what an artist or musician is doing is doing something to change what we consider to be normal. And in its own small and absurd way, I think that classic menswear does the same thing.
I don’t think that classic menswear, or specifically, wearing classic menswear is pretentious. But of course, I can see why it happens to be that way.
Obviously I am aware that classic menswear has a storied past in class and elitism; I have talked about this before. Modes of dress were a way to differentiate white collar jobs (of all kinds) from blue collar ones or even what restaurants or venues you were allowed in. It’s also true that despite society widening to accept more casual modes of dress for everyday life, this may have contributed to switching from hard dress codes to subtle signaling that may reinforce the historically rigid class structure. The fact that suits have become a rare sight outside of specific occasions (which can also be considered pretentious already) don’t help.
All of this contributes to why elements of classic menswear, be they a full suit or even something casual- ivy, can be seen as pretentious to non-menswear folk. But what’s funny is that items can’t be pretentious on their own. A tie is a tie– there is no life to it until someone puts it on. And that’s when Pretentiousness comes into play: it is about the person wearing it.
This is all about optics and perceptions. To accusers, wearing classic menswear outside of its “expected” context is “just not how it’s done”. What’s more is that the “wrong” context or activities are wrong because they are seen as“lower brow” and simply not inline with the culturally expected activities of suit-wearers. Such accusations then imply that the clothes themselves are (and should be treated) better than the person wearing them. Suits aren’t pretentious if they are worn by high class people in high class environments like the office, a classical concert, or a wedding. Wearing it to get boba or for beers with friends or even just on errands is Pretentious. It’s pretentious because it is “false” and therefore, offensive. But as Fox implies in his text, this is quite insidious and absurd.
There is no reason why we need to uphold these rigid social norms, especially when it comes to who gets to wear menswear. Accusers (and overall society) seldom define what exactly a proper “suit wearer” should be. Accusations of Pretentiousness are even less relevant in the age of the internet and social media, where anyone can interact with and become interested in anything, from vintage reggae to abstract art. The pathway from beginner to learned-amateur can be found across all things, and this especially rings true for classic menswear.
Even if we try and define an “authentic” menswear-wearer based on typical accusers, I’m certainly not the “right” person to wear classic menswear based on not only my job, but my “extra-curricular interests”, my location (Los Angeles), or even my ethnic/cultural background; my friends here in the SGV would also be considered “pretentious” as well.
There’s also the storied history of current artists, musicians, and punks who have found something special in the trappings of tailoring and neckwear. Whether you look at the fellas working in the industry or the well-dressed enthusiasts who enjoy clothes, you’ll find that they all all come from a variety of backgrounds that aren’t typically conducive for menswear-ing. This ever expanding group of Pretentious people is certainly helping change the idea of “who” we think wears suits. Perhaps this is why fashion mfers don’t mind being Pretentious!
But as we embrace Pretentiousness and challenge “normal” in our own way (thanks Fox), I do think its important to state that we should take care not to become snobs.
Yes, there is indeed a difference between being Pretentious and being a Snob. At least according to Fox. He calls snobbery a “form of refined arrogance, a social ambitiousness deeply invested in the opinion of others…The snob thinks that they are better than those beneath them.” A Pretentious person may or may not be aware of what others think of him, but a Snob wants to elicit a response that elevates his social standing.
In that way, Snobbery is not about enjoying Pretentious interests, but about weaponizing them against other people. It challenges normalcy not by positively expanding it, but by striving to rise above it…and let others know as much. We also can’t forget a hyper embrace of “normal”, which happens with inverted-Snobbery, where you consider yourself more virtuous due to just how unpretentious (or congruous) you are. And to me, it seems that menswear tends to commit both sins.
Anachronistic stylings, paying careful attention to the subtleties of design, and a steadfast dedication to wearing it in incongruous situations are what make classic menswear well, classic menswear. And for a long time, the way for menswear to stay relevant and effectively proselytize was to imply that it was “better” than other modes of dress. Snobs were both despised and looked up to, with their holier-than-thou attitude often inviting others to challenge them and meet the Snobs where they are. While this may have worked in the past in order to get others into menswear, this top-down method doesn’t fly in a more egalitarian and class conscious society. Of course there’s also the myriad of menswear folk (usually the new generation) who overcorrect and play up their “ordinariness” in a way that somehow still feels like punching down or at the very least, reaffirms class stereotypes.
I feel like I am guilty of both of them. My style is defined by incredibly stringent personal taste and I myself have a tendency to view anything I don’t like as “bad”. That’s because I do think its important to set standards and stick to it. After all, one of my beliefs is that consistency (within reason) of taste and developing a POV is what makes up personal style, especially when it results in Cultural Patina or the ability to see how taste as evolved with you. . And while I may not explicitly say that these beliefs make me better than other people, I am aware of how a steadfast dedication to my taste (even if I emphasize it as personal and not law) and how I share it with others can certainly be read as Snobbish.
It does help that I know that I am not alone in this sentiment. Spencer is quite a Snob, be it in fashion and especially film. We have plenty of friends who also share this mindset and end up embracing the Snob title, even with its negative connotations and all. But I can’t personally can’t bring myself to fully adopt it. That’s because even though I really like what I like (and know why), I think of myself as ridiculous and absurd above all else. My personal taste shouldn’t be considered law or even something to hold over other people, despite the fact that I share and write about it with impunity. There’s also the fact that I abhor the concept of “if you know, you know” and other hipster-esque qualities centered on “coolness” and trends that describe many subcultures, like music and especially menswear (or at least the current version of it). While I may be Snobbish, I’m more than happy to tell people exactly how to dress like us, only if they want to!
This openness then calls the latter sin to mind. I am aware that my constant pushes for creating your own Occasions and the importance of Hanging Out with friends will be read as reverse-snobbery. I can try to defend it with my desire to show that anyone can be into menswear (especially if they have a similar background to mine) or by simply being a socially anxious person who always struggled with fitting into a true subculture that wasn’t made up of pre-existing friends. But I’m probably just in my head in this and writing this piece only plays up my insecurities, especially as I am someone who strives to demystify this whole world and get others into it. [Let the virtue signaling accusations pour in!]
It’s clear that this is ultimately about being “normal” or achieving what W. David Marx calls “normal status”. Most people aim to be considered normal (and therefore ordinary), whether they be accusers, wearers, or especially the interested-but-unitiatied. It is the latter group that I am the most concerned with and certainly identified with long ago.
I realized that I must have developed my own version of hyper-awareness to what is “normal” simply due to my experiences of social anxiety and not having a true subculture to be a part of (at least for a long time). I knew all too well what the “right” type of person was for certain activities or subgroups, making me well aware of how I didn’t easily fit into them. However, I also knew how important it was for me to stay true to my interests and what I enjoyed.
This dissonance between interests and social-awareness not only created a Pretentious vibe but also oddly made me unable to fully lean into it. This is something that I still mull over with today, where I still feel like I don’t fully fit into what it means to be a proper menswear person, even with how it’s expanded over the years.
And to give my detractors some credit, I do sometimes agree that they have more skin in the game, as they have more of a tie to the classic menswear or ivy world than I do, an Asian-American from the San Gabriel Valley. Hell, I find it hard to consider myself a true outsider compared to the multitude of true punks, vintage pickers, and artists who I feel have “earned” the right to be considered Pretentious or a Snob as they do more to expand the idea of a “menswear” guy than a fandom dude who likes to wear suits and bend the rules (slightly). Through their work making/selling/writing about clothes, they shape the industry and culture of menswear more so than a random, chronically online enthusiast.
A similar sentiment happened recently when I was recently treating myself to a solo coffee. A well dressed couple sat next to me (one was in Issye Miyake and the other had some sort of baggy black jean, grey socks, and Aurora sandals) and immediately started discussing musicians and their music to a very specific and certainly bias driven degree. As I continued eavesdropping (its hard not to, especially when people have such conviction), I gathered that they too were artists, with one specifically being a pianist and producer and the other being an actor. I could see how their conversation could be considered be snobby or at least pretentious but to me this isn’t a bad thing. They had earned the ability to have hot takes because this is indeed their world.
Of course this is all insecurity on my end and I think its important for everyone to develop not only an interest in expressive pursuits but also a strong sense of personal taste. Call it narcissim, but I try to comfort myself with the thought that at the very least, I’ve attempted to expand the idea of a menswear guy to include people who grew up in the tumblr-fandom— while keeping that silly fandom part alive and not hidden.
And I think that’s important even if it may not be as interesting or cool as the honestly, really great guys who are the face of the scene today. Perhaps I wouldn’t have these thoughts (or dwelled on them to this degree) if I lived in NYC or London where everyone, including those who don’t directly in the industry, seem to congregate more often (though my hot take is that most non-industry people eventually do become part of it at some point).
This blog ultimately serves as a diary of my journey to reconciling my taste with my social interactions and anxieties. It’s not so much about demystifying menswear as it is an attempt to make such an obsession for a person like me to be considered “normal”. I end up feeling Pretentious in a bad way. But maybe that’s exactly the point of all this and exactly why it has to be reframed! If there’s anyone like me or my friends out there who end up feeling like they can wear big pants, a jacket, and a tucked in tie, then I’m happy!
I know that this will always be the eternal struggle, both for myself and menswear as a whole. As the style/subculture continues to find its place in a world where it’s no longer an obligation and becomes more of a subculture, participants will always have a risk of being read as a Snob or Pretentious. But after reading Fox’s book, it’s clear that only one of them is truly bad and should be avoided (at least in using it to lord over other people), even if my insecurity doesn’t really like to be called either of them.
The fact remains that wearing menswear doesn’t make us better than anyone else. It can be admirable to have standards and stick to them, but these are things that describe personal style and taste. And despite most conversations on taste being about status, to me it is simply developing curation that we can recognize and use to define what we like. I find it quite similar to how Fox describes looking at art: “there is no ‘wrong’ way…only schools of thought”. And like art, there’s certainly room for all of various approaches to menswear, so if we do aim to convert or guide, there is indeed a positive way to do it.
Thanks to Fox’s book (and a few discussions with my friends), I have come to understand Pretension is a positive thing. And it especially applies to menswear. While no one likes to offend or be fake, it is clear that receiving these accusations is a sign that shows at the very least, we are expanding the “type” of person who can wear it. There’s just no way to defend the implication that someone can’t wear a suit/ivy/etc if they don’t match arbitrary “standards”, even if the style is indeed rooted in history and tradition. And as someone who likes to reference that very past, let me be clear that referencing doesn’t mean we have to uphold it!
Thankfully when it comes to menswear and its industry and enthusiasts, we’re already seen a lot of moves to make Pretension a good thing. At the very least, we (and beginner/budding hobbyists) shouldn’t be put off by it! And who knows, maybe the rest of the world will catch up some day, making it easier for others to consider menswear.
And in the end, as we get older and experience things, the fear of being Pretentious matters and even happens less. That’s because its hard to not to more Pretentious with age! This isn’t just about having money (though it helps the more you get into your career) but about freedom and agency to make your own schedule, choose your own context, and spend time with people who share your interests. And so we experience more. We learn more. We like more. We go to museums more. We go to concerts and symphonies. We also make an effort to see our friends, to get boba, to play video games. We recognize our agency and we want to prioritize our interests and loved ones. Things start to just “make sense” for the person you are. It’s unfortunate that it takes a bit of age to get to that level, but its my hope that anyone can get started whenever they so choose.
If we retain our natural inclination to be omnivorous, we can indeed contain multitudes. We are tampered with a mix of incongruous interests or as Fox would argue, becoming “sophisticated”. In other words, the more we do, the more being Pretentious makes sense. But in that way, it also doesn’t, as it is no longer fake, but authentic. It becomes normal. That’s the goal, isn’t it?
To be pretentious is to embrace incongruity and omnivorousness to create a “new normal” in the very absurd and not at all serious realm of people who like to wear suits and ties. Because in the end, the only requirement to wearing a big suit and tie is whether or not you like it. That’s good enough for me!
– end of blog post –
Podcast Outline
- 14:26 – Topic Start/Defining Pretentiousness
- 20:45 – Pretentiousness and Us
- 33:25 – Book Talk
- 48:41 – What Makes a Pretentious Outfit?
- 54:48 – Snobbiness
- 1:26:09 – Wrap-up
Pretentiousness and Snobbishness is also the subject of the newest episode of Style & Direction. Spencer and MJ read the book as well and share their own takes, detailing their experiences with being called Pretentious. Spencer in particular dives into his critical interest in Film and how he doesn’t mind being a Snob about his taste. What’s interesting is that he also is open about watching dumb movies, which makes him think that he can’t even be considered a true Snob, similar to my struggle with it and menswear. It’s a good listen that actually covers more than this blog post.
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Buh-bye!
Ethan M. Wong (follow me on IG)| StyleandDirection
The Podcast is produced by MJ.