Do you ever ponder why men wear what they wear? And why is it that everyone around them is too afraid to speak up and tell one of them their shirt’s sticking out of their zip?? Men are such peculiar creatures. Sri Lankan men, even more so when it comes to the way they dress. Since we live in an age where the way men clothe themselves and present themselves to society dictates their level of success and social standing, I’d like to take one for the team and address some of my pet peeves with the way Sri Lankan men dress today so we can all move forward as a society. 

The ‘Purse’ by another name
Let’s take a moment to address the large wallet that seems to be trending with Sri Lankan men right now. While everywhere else in the world the physical wallet seems to be shrinking in width and volume thanks to digital solutions, Middle Sri Lanka seems to have promoted the idea that things that don’t even fit in our back pockets should be a thing. Was it because there was an international brand suddenly making its bulkier female counterpart quite popular? I say enough!  A slim bi-fold wallet or card carrier with RFID protection should be enough to hold your essential cards and change. Pick one and free the weight from your bulging pocket.  Anything but that. 

Unintentionally oversized clothing
As men get on with age, there tends to be a choice one makes whether the shirt fits your collar or your waist. Any other proportion the shirt needs to adhere to happens to get ignored; especially on those short sleeves that go past your elbow. Or pants that are about a foot of fabric crumpled up at your ankles. As much as I appreciate how there is a trend for oversized clothing right now, everyone can notice how you might not be because of the trend. Consider taking the time to have your recently purchased pants and shirts (even t-shirts) taken to some tailor and altered for a better fit. Six out of ten times it would help reduce your perceived age by a decade or two and make you five times more attractive.

The tucking conundrum and other innerwear sins
I get it. Your shirt tends to move out or stuff out as you move about your day. I even understand the hassle of maintaining that perfect balance of tucked-in and pulled-out that gives you the tapered look you want, but I cannot condone tucking your shirt into your boxers/briefs. Or seeing a vest poke out from your button line, or white socks with black shoes on a grown man in an office. Or full socks with a pair of loafers (slip-on shoes). These are all taboo. Not even the 80s want to forgive you. 

In the case of long-sleeved shirts, consider the sleeved vest an option to stop you from sweating through your shirt. The sleeveless vest (a.k.a Baniyan) should be the best fit for solving the same problem with short-sleeved shirts or tees. And no man out of school should need to wear white socks with his corporate or formal outfits. I feel like some men have also taken the horror one step further by wearing white ankle socks now with athletic stripes on them. If it’s titled office socks, probably best to wear them to the office, isn’t it?

Matchy Matchy 
I don’t know truly how it started, but Sri Lanka has pioneered the monochromatic look, especially in couples. It’s great when it’s once in a while; not when it’s a lifestyle. If colours are too hard to understand, maybe one item in your outfit (i.e. your shoes and your shirt) can be similar or close but contrasts also work. Never go for a full outfit in one colour as a man unless you have the ‘confidence’ to deal with any comments regarding it. Generally keeping them in the same tonal (cool/warm/neutral/pastel/jewel) values should allow them to mix well, but if you’re not sure just ask someone. Even if it is your mother. 

Get with the times, and get rid of the fraying edges
Don’t you just hate that most men’s fashion is still somewhat stuck in the 90s or 80s, or at least some men’s sensibilities are? With retailers and advertising trying really hard to change that, it doesn’t help that mainstream media promotes these fashion caricatures from yesteryear with their characterisation of everyday Sri Lankans dressed in black pants and ‘bush’ shirts. 

I think it’s great to have a sense of style inspired by an iconic period of our fashion history, especially if you are a mature gentleman still making strides socially. What I do not condone is having no thought behind it, and seeing men in actual bell-bottom pants. Also if you have any items fraying at the edges, or too faded to make out – they are not vintage, they are garbage and need to be replaced. Unless you’re talking about classic rock t-shirts or clothes like denim items that were made to stand the test of time.