GettyWomen have been trailblazers in fashion for centuries, stepping out in anything from meat dresses to delicate bridal lace, just to pick up a pint of milk… because style says we can.
But now the industry is welcoming guys to the outlandish party too, and it’s about time.
The latest controversial trend has dropped, courtesy of American rapper and all-round dapper gentleman, Cazwell, who is trying to make lacey shorts for men happen.
Cazwell (pictured in the centre) is giving the traditions of male sartorial elegance a modern revamp, with lattice lace, see-through shorts and matching shirts, in collaboration with streetwear brand, Hologram City.
The New York rapper and a specially commissioned designer, Hoza Rodriguez, came up with the two-piece lace tailored short-suits when designing the outfits for Cazwell’s new music video, Loose Wrists.
Cazwell and his four models – dubbed the ‘Flower Rangers’ – nail that subtle boundary between sharp and soft dressing with a rainbow of pastel colours alongside crisp, white socks and kicks, for a look that would have Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air dancing the night away.
GettyThe concept was debuted on the Gucci SS16 catwalk, back in 2015, courtesy of the Italian fashion house’s Creative Director, Alessandro Michele.
But Cazwell has received mixed reviews on Instagram, where he revealed the new style. One Internet fashion expert dubbed the outfits, ‘tacky and overly dramatic’ and another said the lacey shorts are ‘real bullshit’, while someone said the style made them ‘uncomfortable on both guys and girls’.
One man ambiguously stated: “You guys look like you’re about to have a butter knife fight in the back alley with a gang of seamstresses.”
The jury is still out on whether this is a compliment or an insult. Dane Cook is decidedly confused.
One commentator perfectly summarised the style divide, writing: “YES and NO all at the same time! I want to run out of the room by my eyes can’t tear themselves away!”
Meanwhile, champions of the trend called it ‘EVERYTHING’ and ‘lowkey cute’ while a clever soul who’s pleading for pastels noted that this outfit is ‘everything id ever want in a stupid day drunk BBQ outfit [sic]”. Luckily for him, they’re now on pre-sale.
Disclaimer: Wear clean underwear.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.