Why has the male population begun to embrace feminine fashion trends such as nail polish, makeup, and jewelry, when it was previously looked down upon throughout history?
There is no denying that TikTok is a leading influencer when it comes to fashion trends. Over the past year, we’ve seen the male population begin to embrace more feminine fashion staples, such as painted nails, makeup, and jewelry due to TikTok. Obviously, fashion trends are notorious for appearing out of nowhere and disappearing as if they had never existed. However, how did this trend for males arise in such a short amount of time when there has been a negative stigma surrounding it for all of history?
As my brother was entering high school about two years ago, I asked him if he would ever paint his nails, and he scoffed it off as if it wasn’t even a possibility for him to do so. Painting nails, wearing jewelry, and especially wearing makeup just wasn’t something that men did, and if he were to do so, he feared that he would be made fun of by his friends and our family. Before TikTok’s influence over current fashion trends, which blossomed during the pandemic, a plurality of the male population seemed to dislike or feel indifferent towards wearing jewelry and painting their nails. It was seen as “effeminate,” and society has taught men to reject anything that might give them the appearance of femininity. Some men wore the occasional gold chain necklace or diamond earring, but it didn’t really go beyond that. Obviously, there are always the few that disregard gender stereotypes and embrace effeminate fashion. David Bowie, for example, painted his nails throughout his Ziggy Stardust phase without a problem. He was also notorious for wearing bright eye makeup and of course, a lighting bolt across his face. More modern celebrities like Harry Styles and Darren Criss, who played the character Blaine from Glee, also like to rock a manicure once in a while. These men are viewed as flamboyant, however, and as stated earlier, men typically liked to stray away from anything that makes them appear in this way.
Unlike two years ago, it is now more common to walk through the halls of high school or college and see guys sporting earrings, rings, and (usually chipped) nail polish, including my brother. Still the question arises: how did this trend come about? Although he is not the first pioneer for this fashion trend, I like to point my finger towards Vinnie Hacker, who has received a lot of attention for wearing eyeliner and a wide variety of jewelry. It is obvious that Vinnie Hacker is an attractive male, but what set him apart from other males was his fashion sense. He exists as an early example that conventionally masculine men are able to wear “feminine” accessories and be viewed as attractive by many people.
Of course, this leads to questions towards the motives behind a lot of males wearing these accessories. Are they embracing it so that they can seem appealing towards a growing population that finds this trend attractive? This could very well be true, as I heard my brother make a comment about how a lot of girls have been complimenting him on his nail polish. On the other hand, are they embracing this trend so that they can finally express themselves without being ridiculed by the people around them? Seeing as the early option is a possibility, it is still important to hold men and all people accountable for being misogynistic and transphobic, regardless if they are embracing effeminate fashion.
Regardless of their motives, this trend is a step towards blurring the lines of gender within fashion. Hopefully, the use of nail polish, makeup, and jewelry doesn’t just stay a trend, but rather blossoms into a staple for all genders. There is still a long way to go before people develop a fashion sense that appeals to themselves rather than a person they are trying to attract or a gender stereotype.