The Appearance of Power: How Masculinity is Expressed Through Aesthetics by Tanner Guzy

Author:Tanner Guzy [Guzy, Tanner]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2017-11-15T23:00:00+00:00

8 ARCHETYPE

Now that you know the importance of your body, its strengths and limitations, and how to use clothing within that understanding, dressing well is going to be incredibly easy, right?

Well not quite. Because, even though there are objective, scientific rules about what is and is not pleasing to the eye, those rules make up a minority of what it means to be stylish.

Think of it this way. Deciding you want to dress better is about as nebulous and undefinable as saying you want to get in better shape. And yes, we’ve used the fitness metaphor already in this book, but there are a lot of correlations and it’s worth visiting again.

There may be a few things that are consistent amongst all people who are in good shape - they don’t have excess amounts of body fat, they are in charge of their bodies rather than letting their bodies control them, they have a healthy relationship with food, etc. - but there is a whole range of ideal bodies.

Take a look at the different athletes in the Olympics. Swimmers, gymnasts, marathoners, and boxers all have varying physiques. Their bodies look different, they function differently, and they are used to accomplish different goals.

Can you say a boxer or basketball player is in objectively better shape than a running back? Are long-distance runners healthier than sprinters? What about those who start to blur the lines like sumo wrestlers and power lifters? Their bodies don’t even aesthetically line up with some of the basic tenets of being in shape, but does that mean those men are unhealthy?

If you were to decide today that you wanted to get in better shape, what would you do?

It’s likely you’d start watching what you eat, sleeping better, and decreasing the stress in your life. What about your exercise? Would you start jogging and just focus on that? Would you start playing a sport and have that be your primary form of movement? Would you join a gym and start lifting weights? If so, would you be more inclined to follow the programs you’d find as a powerlifter or a bodybuilder? Maybe even a cross fitter?

There are so many directions you can head, and that’s the point. There may be a few simple standards of being in shape, but there is a huge variety of ways that goal can both be attained and manifested.

The same can be applied for your style and appearance.

There may be a few things that are underlying threads amongst all people who dress well - their clothes fit in a way that flatters their body and face, they deliberately choose what they wear rather than letting aesthetic inertia lead the way, they have a healthy relationship with appearance, etc. - but there is a whole range of ideal styles.

Take a look at the different men’s aesthetics throughout history. Feudal Japan, ancient Sparta, and Renaissance Italy all had men dressing completely differently. Their overall styles looked different, the materials they used were unique, and their clothing was used to manifest distinct, desirable traits.

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