Unattractive Mannequin Men

I went to town to post something, it was a warm spring day, people were out and about. Liking my fashion, I noticed what the young and trendy things were wearing; their new spring clothes they had been waiting to show off. There’s been this trend for very clean-cut hair and casual summer tailoring on men - straight from the catwalk. I don’t remember a time when men’s fashion was so literal, blatant and contrived. I’m not sure where it comes from, who started it? But, I can’t think of anything more unattractive as a vain, self-conscious man. On another chilly cool day a few weeks ago, I saw a guy in full summer clothes, pastel coloured casual suit, turnup hems, no socks, and those deck shoes everyone’s been wearing (since last summer!). This was down Camden town, not fucking Milan.

Seriously, it’s like they looked at some fashion mag and went out and bought the whole outfit, down to the hair product and even measured the length of stubble to finish ‘the look’. And it’s not just a random few; it’s like every other twenty-thirty-something. A few years back and I would have thought he was probably gay, in the fashion business, or a hairdresser (which, if you follow stereotype, would have equalled the same). When I come across one of these fashion victims, my heart sinks and I think to myself, there goes a good looking man, spoiled. Guys, please don’t try so hard, at least don’t make it so fucking obvious that you love yourself, you just look fucking gay (no offence to my gay friends).

I can just see them now, a bunch of them trying to out-do each other, going to the mens toilet and checking themselves out in the mirrors. You guys were so cool and you didn't even know it...Fuck, what happened to London guys?

From askmen.com:

what is a fashion victim?

Below are three definitions of the term "fashion victim."

The first definition comes from Karin Eldor, a fellow fashion correspondent at AskMen.com. She describes a fashion victim as "someone who takes all the trends of a given time and ends up looking like a store mannequin; in a word, absurd."

The second one is courtesy of a friend of mine, who I consider a sleek dresser. To her, a fashion victim is someone who:

a- only purchases brand-name apparel;
b- is a compulsive shopper;
c- will only consider wearing an item that is "the latest trend," regardless of whether he can pull it off or not.

I found a third definition on a fashion website while researching the expression. The definition states that a fashion victim is "someone who buys an outfit that is perfectly in style, but when he wears it, he looks perfectly ridiculous."

my definition

According to yours truly, the term "fashion victim" encompasses all of the above and more. A fashion victim is someone who wants to be trendy so badly that he'll buy whatever the fashion authorities claim is stylish (at the moment) and then combine it awkwardly, giving him an over-the-top style and making him stick out like a sore thumb... not a good thing.

If you spotted a fashion victim on the street this summer, he'd be wearing a pink or yellow T-shirt, white knee-length pants with a pastel colored belt, white and pink flip-flops, and a pair of metallic shields (those sunglasses that look like protective eye gear). The lesson? If you want to look cool, don't overdo it.

A fashion victim is also someone who can't put himself together, whether his threads are worth $50 or $5,000, because he tries so hard to look hip. Don't get me wrong, looking sharp does require a certain amount of effort, but ultimately, your clothes have to fit right, and suit your style, image and personality. Remember, it's not about the clothes you wear -- it's about how you wear them.

In the end, these guys just lack personality and any individual style, making them deeply unattractive and sad.