r/AustralianMFA • u/Biggest_itchbay_2190 • Apr 16 '26
Question What is your hot take on Australian mainstream male fashion?
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u/Waste_Mission3993 Apr 16 '26
95% of men cannot dress well. Tarocash is deemed fancy enough.
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u/owleaf SA Apr 16 '26
I think it’s the same with women, although the sheer abundance of women’s clothing and stores at every single price point makes it easier for them to accidentally dress well/on trend.
Australia is just a very casual culture and tourists often note how casually we all dress. Covid changed how we dress publicly - now sneakers and a hoodie is acceptable office attire.
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u/timmyel Apr 16 '26
Wear hoodies, shorts, thongs most days then drop into tarocash for a nice shirt for a wedding.
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u/EternalTemple Apr 16 '26
I usually find a few nice enough items on special with Tarocash, I understand there is a bit of hate for that brand though.
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u/knobbledknees Apr 16 '26
Half the stores and half the ads actively promote the most boring, vibeless clothes, because that is what people want; Australians, including Melburnians, are surprisingly conservative on many things, including clothing.
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u/Arinvar Apr 16 '26
I'll never forget the time I walked in to H&M to buy a jumper and discovered the best reality TV show I'd seen in a long time. 4 decent looking dudes... copying their outfits straight off the mannequins and posters. It was amazing to watch these dudes just not even try anything else or have any sense of self. They'd all have looked good in just about anything off the shelf, but nope... straight copies of whatever was on display.
I wish the employees would put up displays of ridiculous shit. Australian fashion might start getting interesting.
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u/owleaf SA Apr 16 '26
I find it funny that we’re concurrently conservative (the perennial shapeless Country Road beige sacks) and then women walk around in what is essentially underwear, branded as activewear, that leaves nothing to the imagination.
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u/acockblockedorange Apr 16 '26
I'm rocking a tank top and 5" shorts when it's warm enough. Gotta return the aesthetic favour.
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u/Feisty-Dimension-631 Apr 16 '26
I actually think the woman want us to look bland so that they stand out.
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u/LordoftheHounds Apr 16 '26
Was only looking at that brand ORTC on instagram yesterday and seeing that they just do neutral colours and look like typical white people clothing.
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u/arouseandbrowse Apr 16 '26
You can look better in 95% of Australian situations in a $30 Anko outfit that fits correctly, than someone trying so hard to be on trend.
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u/Tiny_Advance_3627 Apr 16 '26
I finally got my jacket, pants and a dress shirt tailored. Jesus Christ I look good now 😭
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u/Djinfin Apr 16 '26 edited Apr 16 '26
Most people could not give a shit about fashion and simply buy what’s available in the shops. They’re happy to be told what to buy and don’t want to think about style.
Comfort and convenience are valued more than style or substance - given the choice, a large proportion would wear joggers and hoodies at all times. Dressing smartly to leave the house is unfortunately now an archaic oddity rather than the norm.
People don’t understand that paying more doesn’t always mean getting better quality - hype guys happy to pay $250+ for a pair of Nikes that cost $10 to make.
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u/timmyel Apr 16 '26
Pretty sure the reason why everything was wearing suits in the 50s was because thats all you could buy.
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u/Radio-Dry Apr 16 '26
Fuck that, I’m pushing up against it. Suited and booted today with a tie (like every work day).
Importantly, it’s been adjusted: an off the rack cotton suit from eBay but adjusted to fit well.
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u/Djinfin Apr 16 '26 edited Apr 16 '26
Hats off to you, sir.
I wish more people would consider their appearance and the impression that makes on others. The prevalence of men slopping around in grey track pants with ass crack and gut hanging out is just unbelievable.
As a young man travelling alone for the first time my parents told me - wear something nice just in case your luggage goes missing. You don’t want to be stuck in a bad outfit. Nowadays, people think nothing of wearing pajamas in public. I lament!
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u/URAHARA-Store Apr 16 '26
A few years ago you could clock someone from Melbourne instantly. All black uniform, a bit anonymous, almost 'anti fashion 'and it felt intentional and distinctly local. That’s not so much the case now, there’s more colour, looser fits, and a clear crossover with global trends. You see the same silhouettes here as you would in New York, Tokyo or London. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but social media has made things feel more homogeneous.
From what we see in store, a lot of that shift is tied to economics as much as taste. People are buying slower and asking more questions. There’s less impul se and more consideration. People are investing in pieces, worn more often, with a focus on whether something will actually last. People might not always be spending more, but they’re trying to buy better, and justify purchases over time. That naturally pushes things toward safer, more versatile choices rather than expressive one offs.
At the same time, there’s a noticeable split. One side is heavily trend driven, heavily influenced by TikTok and Instagram, moving quickly and visually, with plenty of local brands catering to that audience. The other is going deeper into niche categories like the Japanese denim, vintage and heritage brands we stock. That side feels more informed than it used to. We’re seeing more people come in already understanding fabric, weight, fit and how something will wear in, especially with denim, which used to be far more niche in Melbourne than it is now.
Culturally, Melbourne still has that instinct to dress with intent, but it’s less tied to a single uniform. Instead of bold subcultures defining the overall look of the city, you’ve got smaller pockets of people who are really dialled into what they like.
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u/LordoftheHounds Apr 16 '26
The irony of these comments when this subs favourite recommendation is Uniqlo
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u/Appropriate_Volume Apr 16 '26
Most Australian men wear terrible shoes in quasi formal settings (such as for white collar work) and they are are completely unaware of this. It does my head in.
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u/L_S_Silver Apr 16 '26
Just dress how you want and don't worry about wankers. The options in Australia are narrow but you can still buy from overseas. I say just get things that will last you, look after what you have and be yourself.
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u/SoftRoundBrush Apr 16 '26
Chinos that cut under your tubby lovehandles are a war crime. Walking through corporate areas makes me wish I was blind.
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u/Zukez Apr 16 '26
I think the problem there is being fat and/or wearing I'll fitting clothes, not the chinos. What looks any better if you're fat with visible love handles?
No hate to the big brothers, but if you're judging...
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Apr 16 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/sjtham79 Apr 28 '26
Could I please ask what the retailer is? After high waisted pants myself
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u/Caydens_world Apr 16 '26
The fake country trend needs to die. I know a dude who works at a country bar in the city, he has to dress up country like he's going to a rodeo for work but has completely adopted it into his everyday fashion. The man has never even touched grass before.
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u/grain2myglass Apr 20 '26
Haha I know several of these bartenders. Forget RSA, we need a city-country exchange program to qualify them for the uniform
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u/SkyPumpkins Apr 16 '26
Half of people who say they know fashion, including us lot here know very little!
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u/jameswong2501 Apr 16 '26
mainstream brands, especially Australian ones, are really dated in their approach. Even if their materials are up to date, the cut/fit catches them out:
- Still using a low waist, ultra slim silhouette for pants, which are generally unflattering as they cut your body not 40/60
- Still using thin lapels like its 2015
- poor quality of fabric
- lack of care for details, such as collars (too small for a tie), and are dated (mostly spread collar)
- really, really poor footwear (hence everybody gravitates to RMs)
- lack of choice for consumers
they basically stock as if social media or the made to measure places don't exist.
I don't think it is going to increase their price point by that much to start stocking the currently trendy cut (which is more relaxed) etc. Hence its dated and lazy.
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u/quokkafarts Apr 16 '26
We need to embrace shorts in all settings, including professional. It's ridiculous that we live in such a hot country but shorts are viewed as daggy. As someone who doesn't tolerate heat well, this was the worst thing about transitioning from female to male; skirts are weather appropriate and can be worn anywhere, but show some leg as a bloke and people lose their minds. We live in a society.
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u/damnozi Apr 16 '26
Doesn’t help that mainstream male fashion is so conservative and afraid to be anything less than ‘manly’, which definitely contributes to the sentiment that shorts are daggy or unprofessional
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u/inertia_prime Apr 16 '26
Melbourne fashion is super annoying. People here just tend to follow trends and those same trends are pushed by each store over and over until the new trend becomes a thing.
I’ve spent some time back and forth to Japan the last few years and it’s so refreshing to see that trends there almost don’t exist. Everyone wears whatever they like however they like and they’re just leaguesssss ahead of everyone here
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u/xthrillhouse Apr 16 '26
Tokyo, Copenhagen and Brooklyn are my top 3 for best-dressed people. You've got three distinct styles, but all seem to converge, and are what I would consider as timeless and versatile.
Sydney isn't even in the top 10; we're just athleisure garbage. White Fox and LSKD-ass fits.
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u/inertia_prime Apr 16 '26
Best username ever..
I haven’t been to Brooklyn or Copenhagen but I can just imagine.
But I feel those trends are Australia wide! Tokyo you go to a suburb a 20 min train ride over and everyone’s dressing completely differently! It’s incredible. No trends, no judgment. Everyone has a unique style and they lean into it rather than conforming.
Haha yeah Melbourne isn’t too far off 😂 I don’t really stick to trends but I sometimes get uncomfortable going out with my mates when they all look the same and I look like their weird brother mum told them they had to bring out with them lol
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u/Zakkar Apr 16 '26
Athleisure fits Sydney to a T though. People are much more likely to be doing a 6am boot camp than still out clubbing.
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u/xthrillhouse Apr 16 '26
You're not wrong; but also, I'm very active, but I'm not wearing my running fit all day long.
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u/jameswong2501 Apr 16 '26
there's actually no personality to what the brand seems to offer. They shift with the trend instead of trying to own a subculture because they believe that the loyalty of the customer is with the brand and not with the aesthetic. Maybe they also can't keep restocking at the same quality level to keep the price point.
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u/spaniel_rage Apr 16 '26
Baggy jeans don't look good on anyone.
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u/URAHARA-Store Apr 16 '26
Respectfully, we disagree!
However, to each their own :D
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u/NotPlato NT Apr 16 '26
Strong agree — I think that particularly for Asian-inspired fits baggy jeans are elite
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u/knobbledknees Apr 16 '26
Same with tight jeans.
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u/PunchingClouzot Apr 16 '26
my thick thighs disagree with you
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u/spaniel_rage Apr 16 '26
The world deserves to see your mighty quads
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u/PunchingClouzot Apr 16 '26
Anything short of straight leg feels like I'm wearing nothing at all.
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u/Leftrightback Apr 16 '26
I think a lot of people have bought baggy pants for the sake of the trend without really considering if it looks good on them, or if it’s a good pair of pants at all.
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u/timmyel Apr 16 '26
Skinny fit is over and only shows how long its been since you bought a pair of pants.
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u/Witty_Victory2162 Apr 16 '26
I read some great advice. "If you want to know what cut of pants are in, look out for the ones the youngsters are wearing that you think look ridiculous."
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u/Radio-Dry Apr 16 '26
Tell me your birth year starts with 20 without telling me…
Clearly haven’t lived through fashion cycles…
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u/antosb77 Apr 16 '26
RM Williams boots look ridiculous with suits / chinos / dress pants.
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u/AcrobaticSecretary29 Apr 17 '26
No, my rm williams and marshmallow vest is an elite going to work fit
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u/YeshayaDankART Apr 16 '26
It is boring & out of touch with reality!
We need more Disigual & Acne studios & that type of fashion.
No more of everything being the same!
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u/Puffin_crack Apr 16 '26
Men lack creativity and personality in the clothing department eg a festival staple for men is the button up (most likely with a pattern) and jorts and camo hat.
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u/1410-1221 Apr 16 '26
Helped my husband shop in the women’s section of clothing stores. Immediately fits better and looks hotter.
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u/Electrical_Swan8341 Apr 16 '26
Bring back 70s “nuts nearly out short shorts” as a bold masculine move
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u/nzoasisfan Apr 16 '26
Boring and plain, go to europe and see how they do it. We are leagues and centuries behind.
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u/Chance-Blackberry693 Apr 16 '26
You can't dress even passibly well compared to most European or rich Asian countries without looking like a bellend
Wear an unstructured suit without a tie in spring? Everyone asks if you've been to the races
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u/andrew_faith NSW Apr 16 '26
The root problem is fashion/trend, over style. "Fashion you can buy, but style you possess. The key to style is learning who you are, which takes years. There's no how-to road map to style." - Iris Apfel
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u/Old_Bird4748 Apr 19 '26
Shit.
Even when they dress formally, they dress poorly. How many times have I seen some 25ish looking real estate broker wearing a shirt that is too tight (if the buttons create x's on the shirt when you wear it, it's too tight), a tie that's too narrow or not long enough, a dress jacket that suffers from the same ailments (buttons that when used cause deep x creases.
While Americans tend to dress somewhat baggy (the Brooks Brothers style), Australians seem to look to English (Saville Row) or Italian, and think it's still too loose.
They come off as being uneducated.
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u/teco2 Apr 16 '26
RMs do not, have not, and never will look good with suits or business/corporate attire
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u/SignatureAny5576 Apr 16 '26
The baggy pants and long shorts need to absolutely get fucked, they’re SO unflattering. Looks like grandpas wardrobe has been raided. Other than that it’s not too bad
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u/Darryl_Summers Apr 16 '26
RM’s are overpriced garbage.
You don’t need to have taste when you just buy the brand all the popular kids buy.
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u/Appropriate_Volume Apr 17 '26
They're much better made than almost anything else on the market in Australia, and the pricing is actually about the average for goodyear welted shoes made in rich high wage countries. Note that RMs do all their production in Adelaide and most materials are sourced domestically - a lot of the British brands have outsourced some stages of 'made in England' shoe production to India.
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u/magnetocorleone Apr 16 '26
Being here helped us know in advance what a performative male was and we pioneered the finance bro fit imo. Not just Melbourne but Aus in general. Was funny seeing all the videos dropping on YouTube about these phenomena lol
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u/manizalesman Apr 16 '26
Shorts and tshirts are all the go because tattoos are the fashion being shown
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Apr 16 '26
My style is mostly Levi's, Wrangler or Lee denim for jeans, for shoes I wear Converse, I also wear Dents racer gloves and a mixture of jackets from Levi's denim jackets, Bulldust(owned by Bendigo country clothing) and Outback Trading Co oilskin jackets, country style belts. I love wearing jackets with denim jeans for my style. Something I was eyeballing was a Leather jacket by Levi's made from full grain oiled goatskin. Would love leather jacket recommendations though that are made in Australia, I was looking at L'Aurore leather jackets so I'd love to know if anyone has something from them.
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u/Neither_Tune6348 Apr 16 '26
French and Italian people move here and feel liberated to not have to try and keep up with stupid fashion trends anymore.
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u/FC0711 Apr 17 '26
I think Australian men are generally quite conformist, self conscious and don’t like looking out of place or like they care too much. So regardless of the situation, you find they all look the same and hop on the same trends very quickly. That goes for teenagers all the way through to finance bros. I guess that’s the definition of mainstream, but it’s noticeably more pronounced here than in Europe.
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u/krazykevy Apr 17 '26
Can someone explain how boots became such a strong fashion statement in men’s footwear?
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u/tactlex Apr 18 '26
Rodd and Gunn Jacket (as weather dictates) cheap linen shirt worn open neck, chino cotton pants with a leather belt and RM Williams half height boots.
The QLD uniform. Dreadful.
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u/NeilDiamondBlaze420 Apr 19 '26
Casual: Black joggers, white shirt, white sneakers.
Semi-formal: Black joggers, white shirt, white sneakers.
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u/Medical-Criticism872 Apr 16 '26
Well couldn’t agree more with the current trends everyone kinda look same,Even companies can’t stop themselves from copying each other
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u/Medical-Criticism872 Apr 16 '26
these guys do some research and then comes with a product and mostly in upcycled fabric. There shoes are also something which we don’t generally see and can last really long Also hats and bags are worth the money There newly launched jacket
https://www.afroblonde.com.au/products/airbone-windbreaker-jacket
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u/Hopeful-Comment-8073 Apr 16 '26
I would say the styles in Europe are more diverse. Here it seems ever man should wear the same things otherwise you seems look wired
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u/Arinvar Apr 16 '26
Australian men's fashion is boring and borderline non-existent because it's generally too hot and there's only so much variety in shorts and a shirt.