Does Music still maketh the Style? · Real Men Real Style Community

Does Music still maketh the Style?

While preparing the lamb shanks in the slow cooker for our dinner tonight, I opened up Spotify to have some background music and just picked a random Country Rock playlist to listen to. While listening, I got to thinking about how music will often shape fashion and the overall style of a person's wardrobe. For example, I was a 90's teen, and therefore a true grunge kid, wearing sloppy band tees and light-wash jeans whose hems dragged on the floor, and ultimately achieved the desired effect of shredding at the back, while my hair was close to shoulder length with a centre parting and floppy. In the 2000s post-grunge era, I was much more into heavy metal, hard rock, and punk, so it was a lot of black denim, black tees, Doc Martens, and studded belts and wristbands (How very monochrome). In both examples, I was very much of the era and blended in with all of my mates at the time in how we all looked and dressed. In our youthful years, I completely understand the desire to conform to a certain way of dressing that is concurrent with our pastimes and other stylistic directions, especially when it comes to music. We are trying to figure out who we are, find our tribes, and ultimately fit in, in a way that says, "See, I'm just like you". In fact, we are hardwired to do so, in most cases, because it feels safe.

Over my life however, I have generally developed an incredibly eclectic taste in music and still to this day change up my weekly listening between the aforementioned genres, but also Rap and hip hop (both US and UK styles), soulful blues and smooth jazz, country, occasionally classical, and even dip into old Rat Pack stuff, plus many others, to the point now where I don't really align with any one style; I just go with what I enjoy in the moment depending on the mood I'm in and the activity/situation.

This all got me thinking and led me to the crux of this post. I am curious: to what degree does music influence the way you all currently dress, if at all? Does it even matter anymore past the age of 30-40+? And if so, does the clothing change in a way that still fits and can be recognised to conform with that particular genre/style, but develops in accordance with a higher level of sophistication? Are there any other cultural influences that lead you to dress a certain way or wear certain outfits? I have my own thoughts on the subject, but I'd love to know what you all think.

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Does Music still maketh the Style?