Thom Browne
“Everyone told me my clothes didn’t fit, even my friends.”[1]  So says celebrated designer Thom Browne, whose name is synonymous with the shrunken suit tailoring that has become the standout menswear trend of the past decade. Though he is now... Read Article ››

My Funny Valentine
Have you ever panicked over what to buy your Valentine? Women typically receive chocolates, roses, and teddy bears, but what is the classic Valentine’s Day gift for men? Perhaps this pair of silly novelty boxers, complete with an amorous pun and kitschy... Read Article ››

Fashion Birthday: Issey Miyake
  Happy 76th birthday to Issey Miyake, born on April 22, 1938! In celebration of the designer's birthday, we offer this provocative Issey Miyake orange and white ensemble. Suit Spring/Summer 2001 Issey Miyake Museum Purchase 2003.5.7AB Issey Miyake... Read Article ››

Vest & watch fob, 1855-65
  Vest United States, 1855-65 Gift of the Napa County Historical Society 2009.1001.11 By the mid-nineteenth century, male attire was configured into a standard three-piece suit consisting of a jacket, vest, and trousers. Almost a uniform, the... Read Article ››

Jeans by Gaultier
  Jean Paul Gaultier specializes in joyfully rejecting conventional distinctions between masculine and feminine dress. 'Une garde-robe pour deux' (A wardrobe for two), a 1985 Gaultier illustration, portrays a man and women in nearly identical... Read Article ››

Johann Hummel court suit, c. 1810-14
  Since our FABULOUS! exhibition opened in September, we've featured selected exhibition highlights on our blog. As FABULOUS! closes tomorrow, this post will be our final installment in the series. Want to revisit favorite pieces from the... Read Article ››

Silk plush top hat, c. 1855-60
  In the mid-nineteenth century, a gentleman of distinction wouldn't have dared to leave his house without a hat. The most popular style of men's hat was the glossy, silk plush top hat, sometimes called a chimney pot or stovepipe. Equated with... Read Article ››

Plaid platform shoes, c. 1972
  Fashion history is rife with examples of women borrowing from menswear. Bloomers (the nineteenth-century adaption of male trousers), riding habits (adapted from men's riding habits) and the 1980s "power suit" are just a few examples. But... Read Article ››

Neck ties
  Neck and bow tie patternSimplicity1945-50Gift of Helen McKenna2006.864.3 The elongated, relatively slim silhouette of the modern neck tie emerged in the mid-nineteenth century. Unlike its predecessor, the cravat, the neck tie didn't require... Read Article ››
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