MANMODE: Dressing the Male Ego

“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.” - Mark Twain (1835-1910)

By FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

FIDM Museum & Library, Inc.

Man's Smoking Jacket Man's Smoking Jacket (1885/1890)FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

Ego!

It comes across loud and clear through a man’s wardrobe.

ManMode: Dressing the Male Ego presents three centuries of menswear from the FIDM Museum collection.

Man's Court Suit Man's Court Suit (1810/1814)FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

Boldness and confidence translate into strong silhouettes, dominant colors, and militant embellishment.

Man's Archery Coat Man's Archery Coat, 1820/1824, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's Jacket Man's Jacket, Bill Whitten, 1970/1974, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's Reversible Jacket Man's Reversible Jacket, Jean Paul Gaultier, 1994/1995, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's Waistcoat Man's Waistcoat, 1863/1867, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's Frock Suit (1858/1862)FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

Victorian aesthetes were impeccably tailored, showcasing mastery of sartorial connoisseurship.

Ambrotype, 1854/1857, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Vest Front View, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Cabinet Card, 1873/1877, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's Full-Dress Ensemble Man's Full-Dress Ensemble, Basel Durant, 1936, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Collar and Cravat Collar and Cravat (1864/1871)FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

The educated gent’s prowess for art and sportsmanship were revealed through his neckwear and shoes: Ascot or bow tie today? Wing-tips or spectators?

Harper’s Weekly, A Journal of Civilization, 1863/1863, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Photograph, 1908/1912, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man’s Slippers, 1860/1869, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's Shoes Man's Shoes, Harry William Morris (Attributed), 1893/1897, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's Shoes, Lincoln's New York, 2007, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's Jumpsuit Man's Jumpsuit (1967/1971) by Ruben Torres & Paco RabanneFIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

Embracing innovation—cutting-edge textiles and space-age silhouettes—meant a mid-century man could inhabit out-of-this world concepts.

Man's Ensemble, 1965/1969, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Unisex Caftan Unisex Caftan, Rudi Gernreich, 1967/1971, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's Maxi-Coat Ensemble Man's Maxi-Coat Ensemble, Alexandre, 1970/1974, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Logo Ensemble Logo Ensemble, Stephen Sprouse, 1988/1988, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's Business Suit Man's Business Suit (2013/2014) by Thom BrowneFIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

Modern hipsters pair straight-off-the-runway Fast Fashion with vintage or Eco-couture to express a calculated interest in style.

Man's Punk Ensemble Man's Punk Ensemble, Malcom McLaren & Vivienne Westwood, 1976/1980, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's Pants Man's Pants, Alexander McQueen, 2007/2008, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's Jeans Man's Jeans, Ralph Lauren, 1991/1995, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's At-Home Ensemble Man's At-Home Ensemble (1865/1869) by Samuel ParkerFIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

From the bedroom to the ballroom and the office to the outfield—male egos demand attention!

Man's Boxer Shorts Man's Boxer Shorts, Munsingwear, 1948/1950, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's Bathing Ensemble Man's Bathing Ensemble, MacGregor Sportswear, 1934/1938, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Man's Inflatable Ensemble Man's Inflatable Ensemble, Issey Miyake, 2001, From the collection of: FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

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Tap to explore

Credits: Story

Curated by Kevin Jones & Christina Johnson

© FIDM Museum & Library, Inc.

Photography by Brian Sanderson and Benjamin Shmikler.

Images made available for limited non-commercial, educational, and personal use only, or for fair use as defined in the United States copyright laws. Users must cite the author and source of the image as they would material from any printed work, and the citations should include the URL “www.fidmmuseum.org”. For publication or press requests, visit this link or email imagerights@FIDMmuseum.org.

Credits: All media

The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

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