r/malefashionadvice
Type of site
Subreddit
FoundedSeptember 2, 2009 (2009-09-02)
OwnerReddit
URLreddit.com/r/malefashionadvice
Users5.4 million subscribers

r/malefashionadvice is a subreddit for men seeking fashion advice. Founded in September 2009, the subreddit features men providing their outfits and asking for advice.

In June 2023, r/malefashionadvice protested changes to Reddit's application programming interface (API), and the subreddit's community moved to Discord and Substack. Reddit administrators seized control of the subreddit on July 20.

History

r/malefashionadvice was founded by Jeremy Wagner-Kaiser in September 2009 after discussing men's fashion with other users on Reddit. Speaking to Esquire, Wagner-Kaiser said, "[r/malefashionadvice] was created explicitly to give advice to people who don't have any idea what they're doing. We want them to have clear, straightforward answers", referring to the elitism of forums such as NikeTalk, Superfuture, Styleforum, and Ask Andy About Clothes.[1]

During the 2023 Reddit API controversy, r/malefashionadvice voted to become a subreddit to discuss male fashion of the 1700s, including imagery of Jack Sparrow, as did r/femalefashionadvice.[2] The subreddit went private shortly afterwards as moderators urged members to move to Discord and Substack. Reddit administrators informed moderators that they would be removed if the subreddit remained private.[3] On July 20, Reddit took over the subreddit under an account named "ModCodeofConduct".[4] Reddit has called for additional moderators on the subreddit.[5]

Content

r/malefashionadvice is a community-focused advice subreddit; Wagner-Kaiser attributes the success of the subreddit to its anti-elitist mission, as well as novices and hobbyists.[1] Users can run outfits by each other, ask advice, and provide resources.[6] "What I'm Wearing", a regular thread on the subreddit, features users sharing their outfits and asking for advice.[7] "What Are You Wearing Today?" is a biweekly thread in which users share their outfits in pride.[8] Joseph Knowles, a Vancouver student, was voted twice in a row as the subreddit's best-dressed man for his entries in the thread.[9]

The culture of r/malefashionadvice references Internet memes. The inexpensive, generic "Basic Bastard" attire, a frequent in-joke, has developed from a blue Oxford shirt, khaki chinos, and desert boots from Clarks, to a gray crew neck sweater, denim, and minimalist white sneakers. The moderators of the subreddit attempt to avoid toxic masculinity, pickup artists, and men complaining about high fashion, such as a Thom Browne runway.[10]

Reception and influence

Law professor and blogger Ann Althouse praised the subreddit in a 2019 blog post.[11] The Wall Street Journal reporter Jacob Gallagher tested several methods to identify a jacket David Beckham wore on The Late Late Show with James Corden, finding asking r/malefashionadvice to be the fastest method; users correctly identified the jacket from RRL, Ralph Lauren's rugged brand.[12]

r/malefashionadvice and r/malefashion have been used to organically promote products.[13] In 2011, fashion brand Outlier appeared on the front page of Reddit through r/malefashionadvice, leading the brand to create its own subreddit.[14] The outfit calculator Twelve70 experienced a surge in popularity after its creators posted the app on r/malefashionadvice, becoming one of the most popular posts on the subreddit.[15]

In academia

Sociologist J. Slade Lellock analyzed r/malefashionadvice in a 2018 study, finding that the subreddit reflected a shift in masculinity and an acceptance of fashion, though reserved that engagement in fashion is strategically supportive of men's ideals, affirming fashion scholar Ben Barry's assertion.[16]

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Flammla, Christine (September 6, 2019). "How Reddit's Male Fashion Advice Became One of the Nicest Places on the Internet". Esquire. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  2. ↑ Peters, Jay (June 22, 2023). "Fashion advice subreddits are turning back the clock to protest Reddit". The Verge. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  3. ↑ Peters, Jay (July 13, 2023). "One of Reddit's biggest communities is suggesting users move to Discord". The Verge. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  4. ↑ Peters, Jay (July 21, 2023). "Reddit takes over one of the biggest protesting subreddits". The Verge. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  5. ↑ Harding, Scharon (July 28, 2023). "Reddit calls for "a few new mods" after axing, polarizing some of its best". Ars Technica. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  6. ↑ Baragona, Louis (September 19, 2018). "The Reddit Community for Male Fashion Advice Is Full of Helpful Style Hacks". Men's Health. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  7. ↑ Brandom, Russell (August 7, 2012). "Reddit: Where Nerds Learn to Love Fashion". Esquire. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  8. ↑ Wolf, Cam (January 31, 2017). "The Best-Dressed Man on Reddit Is an Expert at Thrifting". Racked. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  9. ↑ Hosie, Rachel (February 1, 2017). "How the best-dressed man on the internet spends only £30 a week on clothes". The Independent. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  10. ↑ Jennings, Rebecca (March 19, 2018). "The Surprising Sweetness of Menswear Reddit". Vox. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  11. ↑ Althouse, Ann (September 9, 2019). ""How Reddit's Male Fashion Advice Became One of the Nicest Places on the Internet/The popular subreddit turned 10 this week, and it's still helping guys improve their style—sans trolls."". Althouse. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  12. ↑ Gallagher, Jacob (April 30, 2019). "Does a Shazam for Clothing Exist?". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  13. ↑ Parisi, Danny (April 30, 2019). "How fashion brands are tapping into the exclusive Reddit community". Glossy. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  14. ↑ Gayomali, Chris (December 16, 2014). "A Chance Encounter, Reddit Marketing, And Pants You Can Wear Forever: One Startup's Story". Fast Company. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  15. ↑ Darling, Mike (February 3, 2021). "These Brothers Spent 4 Years Building a 'Style Calculator' to Help Men Dress Better". Men's Health. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  16. ↑ Weiner 2019, p. 8.

Works cited

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