Men wearing womenswear-inspired outfits shouldn’t look quite as absurd as they do, especially when women have been making a big fuss out of wearing menswear-inspired clothes the past few seasons. But our society has certain ideas about masculinity, preserving it and so forth, blah blah, and so men’s fashion just looks ridiculous so much more easily than women’s fashion. (Though, to be fair, if you put a tail on girls’ clothes that would very easily look extremely silly, too.) With the fall 2012 men’s shows finished in Europe, a wealth of material existed for yet another roundup of some of the most ridiculous looks from those runways. Ahead, enjoy some of our favorite printed, metallic, tailed, velvet, lace, and leather looks.
Walter Van Beirendonck As one straight guy said to me, "Is that a propeller face?" You know, I was thinking whiskers but maybe it moves... Walter Van Beirendonck As one straight guy said to me, "Is that a propeller face?" You know, I was thinking whiskers but maybe it moves?
Photo: Carlo Scarpato/Carlo Scarpato 2011
Jean Paul Gaultier Aside from how this model looks like he's just been kicked out of a magician's alliance and is making a rapid Zoro-like exit, ... Jean Paul Gaultier Aside from how this model looks like he's just been kicked out of a magician's alliance and is making a rapid Zoro-like exit, the thick band of leather over his nipples is riveting. It appears to have a pocket, in which case it would function like a fanny pack, and yet it's over the nipples, like a chest pack.
Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Vivienne Westwood Apparently Westwood was thinking about how the early polar explorers dressed, and how cold they were, when she came up with thi... Vivienne Westwood Apparently Westwood was thinking about how the early polar explorers dressed, and how cold they were, when she came up with this show. Even so, it's hard to say whether the crusts on the beards and hair of her models were meant to resemble snot or snow or a mixture of the two. Though the hair and makeup was so dramatic it seemed to render the clothes beside the point, Style.com proclaimed, "This was Westwood at her most restrained."
Frankie Morello Waxed, made of wax -- it's all the same these days.
Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Boris Bidjan Saberi The asymmetrical janitor.
Photo: Carlo Scarpato/Carlo Scarpato 2011
Thom Browne And yet again Browne displays his signature knack for stuffing a hot, buff man into a skirt everyone feel even more uncomfortable abo... Thom Browne And yet again Browne displays his signature knack for stuffing a hot, buff man into a skirt everyone feel even more uncomfortable about it than they already are.
Henrik Vibskov The dress/jacket/robe (?) is like a walking bag of cocaine. Not because it looks like a mixture of razor blades and drugs but oh, ... Henrik Vibskov The dress/jacket/robe (?) is like a walking bag of cocaine. Not because it looks like a mixture of razor blades and drugs but oh, the smuggling possibilities afforded by those pockets.
Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Dries Van Noten There are actual flames on the suit. Actual flames.
Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Damir Doma Rachel Zoe's son sure grew up fast.
Photo: Carlo Scarpato/Carlo Scarpato 2011
Givenchy I'm pretty sure I saw a few women wearing this to the ballet in Texas in December.
Rynshu Hopefully this is a jumpsuit, instead of separates.
Photo: Carlo Scarpato/Carlo Scarpato 2011
Versace You know how some skiing people just seem to like to ski so that they can brag about it? Like people in yoga who try to show off? Well th... Versace You know how some skiing people just seem to like to ski so that they can brag about it? Like people in yoga who try to show off? Well this is the ski suit for the person who likes to brag about skiing, but gets to the slopes and, rather than ski, sits in the chalet, trying to show off.
Christian Lacroix Also in the pretentious skiwear category.
Photo: Alessandro Lucioni
agnes b. Of course this look is mostly notable for the theatrics of the model, who smartly fancies himself a bat.
Photo: Carlo Scarpato/Carlo S...agnes b. Of course this look is mostly notable for the theatrics of the model, who smartly fancies himself a bat.
Photo: Carlo Scarpato/Carlo Scarpato 2011
Alexis Mabille Choosing one look from this show was tough, but it's that tiny, almost imperceptible bow at the waist that clinched it.
Photo: C...Alexis Mabille Choosing one look from this show was tough, but it's that tiny, almost imperceptible bow at the waist that clinched it.
Photo: Carlo Scarpato/Carlo Scarpato 2011
John Galliano Though much more toned down than the runway shows Galliano himself produced, Bill Gaytten managed to make his models look sinisterl... John Galliano Though much more toned down than the runway shows Galliano himself produced, Bill Gaytten managed to make his models look sinisterly flamboyant without all the eyeliner.
Photo: Carlo Scarpato 2011
Etro Alex Rees's reaction to this look: "Oh, I've ALWAYS wanted one."
Bernhard Willhelm [This box is being left purposefully blank.]
Dolce & Gabbana This is great. Dolce puts chicks on the runways in panties all the time so the men ought to have to walk in varying degrees o... Dolce & Gabbana This is great. Dolce puts chicks on the runways in panties all the time so the men ought to have to walk in varying degrees of nakedness, too. When the show ended, these guys were dying to talk about their juice fasts, but no reporters were around to ask them about it.
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