Fashion trends that secretly turn men off
Brittany Brolley @brittanybrolley
Fashion is a moving target, with different trends popping up constantly. When you buy a new outfit, and choose between these trends, who is it you have in mind? Women's Wear Daily polled attendees during New York Fashion Week back in 2008, asking a potentially vexing question: "For whom do women dress?" The responses they received varied.
Actress Anne Hathaway said she felt the majority of women dress for their "most fashionable friend." Fashion designer Isabel Toledo felt differently. She explained, "Women dress for men." Others had similar takes — from dressing for cohorts to significant others — but fashion photographer Nigel Barker went one further, saying, "Most women dress for themselves. Most men don't realize what's going on half the time."
Whether you dress for yourself, your friends, the man in your life, or a combination of a bunch of different people, it's interesting — and let's be honest, a little funny — to hear what men think of popular trends. As Barker insinuated, many men can be particularly perplexed when it comes to women's fashion. Here are some trends guys either don't understand or flat out think should land you on a worst-dressed list.
Mom jeans, especially "blotchy" ones
Were you surprised when mom jeans started making a fashion comeback? By the spring of 2017, the '90s style high-waisted jeans secured a spot in the top 10 trendiest styles, Woman's Day reported. "Mom jeans are what I wear when I want no one to bother me, my alone-time pants," writer and actress Liz Carey told The Hollywood Reporter. "You don't get a lot of guys hooting and hollering when you roll up with jeans up around your neck," she joked.
Men seem to concur with Carey's sentiment. Several Huffington Post writers asked the men in their lives for their opinions on popular trends. One man named "high-waisted mom jeans, especially the blotchy light and dark ones" as the one he hates. By blotchy, one can only assume he's referring to acid wash.
Another man by the name of Phil, 33, polled by Who What Wear, gave his thoughts on the matter of mom jeans, saying, "A woman has the right to dress for comfort; sadly, with these kind of jeans it's usually at the expense of her lovely shape in return for a competitive bulge." Hmph.
Maxi skirts mean "you may as well stop shaving"?
Maxi skirts can be all kinds of comfortable in the hot summer months. Their versatility is really unrivaled as they can easily be dressed up or made casual. Who What Wear dubbed maxi skirts as a fashion trend that continues to stick around, and it's not hard to see why.
Although many of these long skirts are made with floral fabric, denim maxi skirts — a trend from the '80s — made their return in 2017. Slightly shorter (ankle-length) maxis hit the market as well. Despite not being a new trend, men haven't exactly come around to the maxi skirt. At least, not all men.
Refinery29 asked Sachin Bhola, the fashion editor over at AskMen, to name some of the styles women love but men hate — and he delivered. "Remember the last time we complimented you on your amazing legs? Neither do we," he began, "With maxi dresses, long skirts, and '70s wide-legged trousers, you may as well stop shaving."
Much to Bhola's chagrin, leg-shaving — unlike maxi skirts — is a declining trend. According to market research conducted by Mintel (via The Telegraph), 85 percent of women shaved their legs in 2016, compared to 92 percent three years prior. Whether you shave your legs (or not) or wear maxi skirts (or not), it's your choice. You do you, ladies. You do you!
"Butt cheek"-revealing shorts
Bhola may want ladies to show more (shaven) leg, but not all men feel similarly. One man commented to Huffington Post that high-waisted shorts that "basically reveal butt cheek" are "too much." Other guys don't necessarily take issue with the revealing nature of the shorts, but rather the length. "Shorts so short that the pockets are visible. Why?" one man asked, perhaps rhetorically.
Another man was slighted more off-put by the high-waisted nature of the shorts, calling them "the most unattractive recycled trend going on nowadays." He could've stopped there, but he didn't. "It makes the fittest girl look frumpy and the less fit girls look even more unfortunate," he added.
While the bluntness of these guys' comments may be a little hard to digest, there is a level of truth buried in there. Shorts, especially high-waisted ones, can indeed be tricky to pull off. That said, you don't have to abandon the trend — unless, of course, you want to.
Another man was slighted more off-put by the high-waisted nature of the shorts, calling them "the most unattractive recycled trend going on nowadays." He could've stopped there, but he didn't. "It makes the fittest girl look frumpy and the less fit girls look even more unfortunate," he added.
While the bluntness of these guys' comments may be a little hard to digest, there is a level of truth buried in there. Shorts, especially high-waisted ones, can indeed be tricky to pull off. That said, you don't have to abandon the trend — unless, of course, you want to.
"Giraffe" heel - high stiletto heels long legs
Do you love a good heel? There's just something so empowering about donning a pair of stilettos and strutting your stuff. Men don't always see the same appeal, though. Bhola told Refinery29 how he feels about heels. "Not all of us are over 6'0" tall, and that bothers us. You may think looking like a giraffe is sexy, but all that's doing is rubbing it in. And you wonder why we don't approach your freakishly tall a** at the club." Ouch!
Now, now. What Bhola says is not the be-all and end-all of fashion. If you're interested in a guy who's the same height or shorter than you, should you really give up your beloved heels? Again, this is something that's totally up to you. If you want to stick to flats, so be it. Just the same, if you do want to take a stab at flipping gender norms, why not stand taller than your man? Bhola may not be thrilled but he is just one man, after all.
Now, now. What Bhola says is not the be-all and end-all of fashion. If you're interested in a guy who's the same height or shorter than you, should you really give up your beloved heels? Again, this is something that's totally up to you. If you want to stick to flats, so be it. Just the same, if you do want to take a stab at flipping gender norms, why not stand taller than your man? Bhola may not be thrilled but he is just one man, after all.
Uggs, ugh! - Ugg boots fashion trend
Ah, Uggs. If you've ever worn the soft sheepskin boots, you likely understand the guilt-ridden temptation of wanting to wear them everywhere, all winter long. Uggs were all the rage back in the aughties but the fashion trend never truly went away. Whether you love them or hate-love them, Uggs have become — and stayed — a wardrobe staple for many. In 2015, Vogue's Laura Weir and Julia Hobbs even dubbed the warm footwear on trend again.
What does the man in your life think about your Uggs? Well, if he's anything like 30-something Anup, "they've got to go," or so he told Thought Catalog. He's not alone in thinking that, for sure. M.S., a 25-year-old man, takes Anup's position in the argument against Uggs. Additionally, 22-year-old Isaiah explained emphatically, "They've become tacky. Tights and Uggs. EEK!!" Ahem. Men can say what they want about our Uggs but there's no need to drag our defenseless tights into this argument!
Frumpy sweaters are so 1980s - bulky sweater fashion trend
How many frumpy sweaters do you own? Also, is there really any such thing as too many? Maybe, according to men. One man in particular shared his opinion on the sweater trend with Huffington Post, saying, "Overlarge sweaters — seriously, get out of the '80s."
Sweaters — frumpy or not — will probably never go out of style unless winters stop being a thing. Who What Wear named balloon-sleeved sweaters, or sweaters with sleeves "that puff out, whether subtly or dramatically," as the colder weather trend of 2017 and predicted that fashionistas will pair them with leggings, skirts, and skinny jeans.
Cardigans followed, making a similar comeback in the winter of 2018, Harper's Bazaar reported. Not just any type of cardigan, naturally. The oversized variety was named as the key to keep your style from "being twee." If you want to follow the guidance of the fashion gurus but still dress to impress your partner, you can. Harper's Bazaar listed several ways to wear the frumpy sweaters without actually looking frumpy yourself, including wearing them off the shoulder and accentuated with a belt. Everybody wins!
Sweaters — frumpy or not — will probably never go out of style unless winters stop being a thing. Who What Wear named balloon-sleeved sweaters, or sweaters with sleeves "that puff out, whether subtly or dramatically," as the colder weather trend of 2017 and predicted that fashionistas will pair them with leggings, skirts, and skinny jeans.
Cardigans followed, making a similar comeback in the winter of 2018, Harper's Bazaar reported. Not just any type of cardigan, naturally. The oversized variety was named as the key to keep your style from "being twee." If you want to follow the guidance of the fashion gurus but still dress to impress your partner, you can. Harper's Bazaar listed several ways to wear the frumpy sweaters without actually looking frumpy yourself, including wearing them off the shoulder and accentuated with a belt. Everybody wins!
Fur coats, faux real woman wearing fur coat
Wearing fur coats or other fur-adorned clothing can be quite the divisive trend and not just between men and women. A study conducted by Gallup found that 59 percent of American people find buying and wearing fur acceptable in 2016. Obviously, that means a decently high percentage — 41 percent — of people don't find it acceptable. Naturally, many of the men and women who oppose to fur products are concerned about animal rights. It's also true that some people just don't like the look.
Duncan, a 24-year-old man, explained why he hates the fur coat fashion trend to Thought Catalog, saying, "Having a furry, large coat, just tells me you spend too much money and will make me think you're an idiot." Duncan certainly doesn't mince words but there is something to his theory.
"It's provocative to wear fur. There is something ostentatious about it; it's a wealth statement," Katherine Schafler, a psychiatrist in New York City, told Refinery29. Another man by the name of Chris feels that a girl who wears fur is a "stuck-up snob" and he also feels wearing fur is cruel to our furry friends.
Duncan, a 24-year-old man, explained why he hates the fur coat fashion trend to Thought Catalog, saying, "Having a furry, large coat, just tells me you spend too much money and will make me think you're an idiot." Duncan certainly doesn't mince words but there is something to his theory.
"It's provocative to wear fur. There is something ostentatious about it; it's a wealth statement," Katherine Schafler, a psychiatrist in New York City, told Refinery29. Another man by the name of Chris feels that a girl who wears fur is a "stuck-up snob" and he also feels wearing fur is cruel to our furry friends.
The "girls who look like boys" look
Do you remember how amazing Claire Foy looked when she hit the red carpet in her all black Stella McCartney suit? Despite killing it at the Golden Globes in 2018, not everyone loves the menswear-inspired trend. Bhola mocked the style when talking to Refinery29, saying, "Well, finally, we're getting what we always wanted: girls who look like boys." Bhola's comment about the trend may be a bit of an oversimplification, as many women can rock the style while still maintaining their preferred level of femininity.
Bhola is also not a fan of women borrowing their boyfriends' blazers, which makes sense — sharing clothes with someone is definitely annoying. That said, there's nothing that prohibits women from buying their own "boyfriend blazer." Plus, there are some other compelling reasons to try out the trend. It may go without saying, but none of those reasons include trying to piss off the men in their lives. One writer for Huffington Post UK found that wearing menswear enabled her to be taken more seriously and garner more respect at times.
Bhola is also not a fan of women borrowing their boyfriends' blazers, which makes sense — sharing clothes with someone is definitely annoying. That said, there's nothing that prohibits women from buying their own "boyfriend blazer." Plus, there are some other compelling reasons to try out the trend. It may go without saying, but none of those reasons include trying to piss off the men in their lives. One writer for Huffington Post UK found that wearing menswear enabled her to be taken more seriously and garner more respect at times.
No shortage of opinions on denim
Jeans are a classic wardrobe staple for both men and women alike. However, some guys don't like the different styles of denim women choose. You already know that men have decided mom jeans should basically be banned, but there are other kinds they'd like to see eliminated too.
Glamour asked men to give their opinions on popular styles of women's denim. While they didn't dislike every kind (skinny jeans and jeggings get a pass), most styles weren't without criticism.
Philippe told the site that he's not a fan of frayed or distressed jeans, adding, "Hoping she didn't pay extra for the fray…." Nicolas, on the other hand, doesn't like slouchy jeans because they look "a little too effortless." Oversized and paint-splattered jeans were also a hard pass as far as these men were concerned.
Surprisingly, black jeans didn't get the highest marks with these guys, either. According to Alex, if you were to wear black denim it would mean "there's no taking it lightly" with you or that you think you're too cool. Hmm.
Glamour asked men to give their opinions on popular styles of women's denim. While they didn't dislike every kind (skinny jeans and jeggings get a pass), most styles weren't without criticism.
Philippe told the site that he's not a fan of frayed or distressed jeans, adding, "Hoping she didn't pay extra for the fray…." Nicolas, on the other hand, doesn't like slouchy jeans because they look "a little too effortless." Oversized and paint-splattered jeans were also a hard pass as far as these men were concerned.
Surprisingly, black jeans didn't get the highest marks with these guys, either. According to Alex, if you were to wear black denim it would mean "there's no taking it lightly" with you or that you think you're too cool. Hmm.
Leopard print anything
Leopard print just so happens to be one of those fashion trends with staying power. Beginning in the 1950s with Christian Dior designing a leopard print bag for Mitzah Bricard, women have developed a fondness for the style. Regardless of how you feel about it these days, leopard print eternally lingers, ebbing and flowing between on trend and — let's be real — tacky. In 2018, the print is back in favor with Who What Wear dubbing it the number one print for winter in 2018.
Guys are not exactly on board with the leopard print trend — at least not yet. Hater, a dating app that matches people based on the things they hate (seriously), gathered some fashion trend intel and shared their findings with BuzzFeed. Men, specifically those in their 40s, hate "leopard skin print" the most out of any fashion trend for women. Needless to say, your man may have a different opinion so free to ask him. Or, maybe don't.
Guys are not exactly on board with the leopard print trend — at least not yet. Hater, a dating app that matches people based on the things they hate (seriously), gathered some fashion trend intel and shared their findings with BuzzFeed. Men, specifically those in their 40s, hate "leopard skin print" the most out of any fashion trend for women. Needless to say, your man may have a different opinion so free to ask him. Or, maybe don't.
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