These days I often see men in dresses. I’m not talking about drag performers or people wanting to stand out during a Pride event. It’s just a wardrobe choice and not even a default one because laundry day announced itself a little late.
Why wear a dress? I don’t know. Someone could have stopped me yesterday and asked why I was wearing shorts—an orange and brown plaid, no less—on a morning with a chill in the air. Someone could have asked me why I chose a t-shirt with a busy pattern that clashed with the shorts. And why didn’t I have a light jacket? Had I not been raised by a mother who warned me about catching a cold or pneumonia if I didn’t dress “properly” for the weather?
No one confronted me. No explanation sought. No dressing down about underdressing. I was allowed to go on my way, going my own way. That’s how it should be for guys in dresses, too.
Perhaps I’m wrongly attributing gender when I refer to “guys.” People can wear dresses. Let lines blur. Let them explore fashion and, if it’s more than that, say, an expression of being nonbinary, let that be, too.
I’ve always thought fashion for women offered more choices in color, style and mood. I can’t count the times I’ve walked into a clothing store and gravitated toward a garment that was intended for women. A blouse, not a shirt. A “helpful” sales associate usually redirects me: “The men’s section is over there, sir.” Oh, yes. Shirts in a maximum of four colors, distinguished in terms of style by whether they’re short-sleeved or long-sleeved, buttons down the front or not, collared or no collar. Yawn.
This is not a post to announce that I bought a dress, or three, along with glittery high heels. It’s an option now, but I’m one of those older guys firmly entrenched in a certain look, however limiting. ’Tis the season when I stick with Flirts-with-Pneumonia fall fashions, known to others as summer wear. Whatever.
Lauv
About three weeks ago when I went to YouTube to play some music while doing an ab workout before hitting the gym, the channel suggested a new song by Lauv, aka Ari Staprans Leff. Six years ago, the artist had an insanely catchy song called “I Like Me Better” that I listened to every time I was on the treadmill. It was my aural Red Bull, causing me to increase the speed and run harder. Lauv’s discography shows that many other singles have since been released but Lauv remains a one-hit wonder thus far.
The new single, “Love U Like That,” is as hooky as “I Like Me Better.” It sounds like a hit. Unfortunately, it hasn’t caught on yet, garnering two million views. (By comparison, the official audio and official videos for “I Like Me Better” have collectively accrued more than half a billion views.) I encourage you to give the new song a listen. (WARNING: Earworm potential.) It’s the video I wish to elaborate on, one in which, yes, Lauv presents as a guy who decides to wear a dress.
On first viewing, I stopped my ab crunches—Wait, did he just put on a dress?—but then I continued my workout. The low neckline of the dress shows off Lauv’s hairy chest which is part of this new phase of dressing in dresses. Whereas in decades prior a man in a dress while having a hairy chest or hairy legs was part of a comical image, it’s now a conscious choice to embrace both masculinity and femininity. (It also rankles conservatives even more, but they don’t have standing as “drag” critics.) The robin’s egg dress with an extra long train flows beautifully as Lauv dons a sparkly silver helmet and rides a motorcycle. If I have any criticism of the video, it’s the rain sequence where Lauv wears an unflattering white tank top and the visual effects folks pelt him with an insane amount of water. That’s the part that comes across as overdone. (Side note: I also wish Lauv would manscape his hairy shoulders but, after viewing his social media, it’s clear Lauv loves his hair, wherever it grows.)
David Bowie
It's possible this is a stunt to attract new attention beyond what seems like an established fan base. But this has been done before with artists like Sam Smith. Harry Styles, who seems to opportunistically court gay men, grabbed headlines three years ago when he appeared on the cover of Vogue in a dress. Musicians have always embraced out-there fashion. Elton John and David Bowie were among the singers of the ’70s who were known for making glam-fem fashion statements. If Lauv in a dress comes off as a copycat tactic in this new era, so be it. There are trendsetters and trend followers. Isn’t that the essence of fashion?
Still, there may be something more to Lauv donning a dress. For several months, Lauv has been public about exploring his sexuality. He labeled a June TikTok post, “when ur dating a girl but ur also a lil bit into men.” He elaborated:
I havent done much aside from kiss so tbh don’t
wanna jump the gun but tbh I feel things and
dont wanna pretend i dont.
Go for it, Lauv! Maybe add capitals, apostrophes and full words as well on your journey. My Word document (and I) would appreciate a reduction in red squiggly lines as I quote you.
In July, Lauv titled another post, “I’m gay but I’m not gay but I’m gay but I’m not gay.” He also posted a video on Instagram in which he referred to wondering about his sexuality and said:
I’m in the midst of figuring it out…I’m going
to be making more videos like this and just
being open. This is the first song in this
new chapter.
Seeing and hearing him speak was engrossing. It feels like he’s choosing to share the entire coming out process with his fans. There’s all the awkwardness and forward-then-retreat talk people exhibit when they are first coming out or when the stakes are higher. Lauv is an entertainer with a new album that will soon be released. This must indeed feel like risky business. Literally.
There’s more to come apparently in Lauv’s journey. I don’t think he’s going to lose fans. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look as though he’s gaining fans either despite continuing to put out catchy music. The life of a pop star is brief for most. I’m hoping this “chapter” of Lauv’s life will help Ari Staprans Leff be more comfortable with his own identity in terms of gender, sexuality and in other areas as well. May his closet be filled with a vast array of clothing choices and may he step out of it with a better understanding of himself.
No comments:
Post a Comment