It’s funny how some things come back around. I wore vintage fedoras and wide double-breasted suits when I started my menswear journey. These items were put on the back burner when I decided to move away from true vintage (due to sizing and the practicality of living in LA) and started to incorporate more “contemporary” elements such as ivy. But as you guys know, I’ve gone full circle after nearly a decade of this hobby– I’ve doubled down on fedoras and DBs and wear them quite a bit. And now I think regular life is starting to do the same thing.
Before menswear, I mainly did fandom/nerd stuff with my regular friends. We spent our days getting boba, going to conventions, and some of us even cosplayed. My attendance at such things lessened as I developed other interests. Menswear was the biggest one, especially as I had some aspirations of working within it. Boba started to become coffee and Going Out. Conventions became trunk shows, Dapper day, and other menswear-centric things. Cosplaying was simply altered; I’m still dressed like a fictional character I identify with, but it’s now one I’ve”created”. I also dress up every day rather than just saving my coolest clothes for events.
It’s not that I stopped doing fandom things, it’s just that I expanded my taste and started to do what I wanted to do. It’s not just menswear too; I like going to museums, the library, and the symphony. And for a while, it seemed that activities from my past and present would never truly mix, especially when I consider the types of friends I’ve made over the years. My menswear or art friends weren’t the type to go to cons and my fandom friends had no interest in flea markets or art museums. Apart from MJ, I didn’t have many friends that transcended genres. Spencer, as much of a nerd as he is, had his own limits.
But something changed. I started to meet guys like Jack and James who actually did belong in both camps. These guys were nerds and dorks. Granted I’ve met quite a few of those in menswear, especially in my own discord (sorry guys) but the difference was that they were willing to act on their geeky interests. They were open to cons, cosplaying, and setting up future D&D sessions. After meeting these guys and becoming extremely close friends, it seemed like I was back to where I was pre-menswear. The only difference is that I do other things too. I’m a fully formed adult who doesn’t have to choose one “lifestyle” over the other. I can do anything I want!
This couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m three years out from my last menswear job and I have no plans to work officially in the industry again. I just want to focus on wearing clothes for myself and having all types of fun with my friends. And that fun led us to attend the local Renaissance Pleasure Faire.
I had only been to the Ren Faire a few times and each time was an enjoyable experience. The first time was as a kid. My parents took me to the joust and even let my brother and I walk home with wooden swords; they obviously did not remain intact for very long. The second time was in 2017, a time when I was working in menswear and losing a bit of connection with that old world. So when my new friends were actually keen to go, I was incredibly excited.
The inspiration came when we first decided to go to Wondercon. MJ and I decided to go in cosplay and ended up having a fantastic time. Mind you, we were simply wearing clothes we already owned and simply styled ourselves after characters we liked: MJ went as Marty McFly and I was Porco Rosso (the only true costume piece was the flight cap). It was such a fun time to immerse ourselves and have some fun with clothing that wasn’t just attire to wear to a coffee shop or a museum. After having a great experience at Wondercon, we started figuring out what to do next. With Dungeons & Dragons coming out, we knew that it had to be Ren Faire.
I was so excited. After all, a con is indeed an Occasion to dress for! By the time late April had come around, we had already had some menswear events like Dapper Day and the SFC trunkshow; we wanted something a bit more extra where we could let loose. And unlike my [Christian] fandom friends of the past, everyone in the Ren Faire party were drinkers, so this was already going to be quite unlike anything I had experienced in the past. I’m quite lucky to have found people (including my wonderful girlfriend) who are not only open to going to all of the things I enjoy, but take an active interest in it too.
And of course, guys like Joseph who aren’t into menswear but still come out to things we do (as you might recognize him from a few dinners, trivias, and art stuff).
A few of the guys took the opportunity to cosplay, seeing it as a new exercise in POV. James, who is mainly known for his Husbands approach to menswear, actually bought a few things like a tunic, poncho, breeches-esque pants, and riding boots. He even wore elf ears! I love seeing that menswear aesthetic precision, but done in something else that is absurd but supremely important to him. With our lifelong friendship filled with future events on the horizon, these garments would not be a waste of money. In fact, he might even wear them more than a proper tuxedo. James is a pretty big nerd and he had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time; it seemed that like me, he thought his con days were behind him. It may help that James’s girlfriend was also keen to join in and did a Ren Faire-inspired look with her everyday clothes.
Speaking of wearing your everyday clothes, MJ did a variation of cosplay where he approximated a character or a vibe but through menswear items he already owned. With a blue haori jacket, green sport shirt, khaki pleated chinos, and tall riding boots, it’s clear that he was going for a “Japanese-menswear” cosplay of Link. It’s also just a great fit– if you take off the ears, and staff, and replace the riding boots with paraboots or loafers, you’d get MJ’s everyday attire of rugged Americana.
Spencer (who was surprisingly actually down for going) decided to wear his normal attire of Western Americana. He’s not really a true con guy nor does he have anything that would work for a Renaissance townsfolk or any non-mid century fictional character. As a result, nothing is truly different between what he wore to Ren Faire and what he typically wears when we hang out. But that’s o okay, because this just means he looked as good as he always does. Spencer had on his silverbelly fedora, a RRL brand collar shirt, a type-1 denim jacket, white HBT chinos, and cowboy boots. Now the day we went to the Faire was indeed RennCon day, where general cosplay is allowed/encouraged, so Spencer retroactively fit in with the few cowboys that were also in attendance.
In true Ethan fashion, I decided to do a mix of vibes. Like Spencer, I would not consider what I wore as true cosplay but my outfit definitely played into the drama and novelty of the event. As you probablty expected, I went in Safincore which is the most louche thing I could wear that feels appropriate for the occasion all while being an actual fit I’d wear on a regular day. I wore my kimono coat from Visvim and put it over my jinbei, which made for a slouchy layering effect that didn’t involve the use of lapels; underneath I wore a plain black tee shirt, black wide-leg draw string pants, and my fisherman sandals (with socks because it was a dusty place). My fisherman sandals have a buckle on them, which honestly fit the other buckled leather shoes worn by others at the Faire.
We spent a good 5-6 hours at the Renaissance eating ribs, watching shows, and checking out everyone’s wares, from Welsh Cakes to brandishing handmade period-style weapons. It was such incredible fun, especially when we got to LARP a bit with other attendees. Granted I was pretty tipsy, but I think that made it even better, despite the splitting headache afterward, no doubt due to dehydration, the hot sun, and wearing layers; the cane I brought for a fancy effect actually came in handy when it came to maneuvering under the influence. But we powered through it all and had a fantastic time being cohesively dressed up and having a wholesome time in the company of friends and strangers.
You guys might think that this topic is weird to canonize into the blog, but remember that the blog is about my relationship to menswear. As an Asian-American and being from LA (which is notoriously casual and newer than the other states), classic/vintage menswear has always been a form of cosplay. Even with the diversity and plethora of groups involved in the space today, there is a bit of an unstated typical lifestyle of the average #menswear enjoyer that is full of art galleries, Negronis, and watch launches. I would say that chatting about the philosophy trends and consumption while trying on a hand made suit feels pretty LARPy. None of these are bad things (in fact, I’d enjoy it), but my experience with menswear extends beyond these #menswear experiences. I don’t mean this in a pick-me way but rather to simply show how my menswear hobby even gets to come with me when I do my fandom things. And again, it helps that I have friends who are also able to do the same things and “code-switch” with their hobbies as needed.
In other words, this event is recapped here because I loved my fit and I wanted to share the experience of wearing something I loved to something I did. It’s here, especially since it’s a variation on something I’ve already worn before, proving that this isn’t a one-time occasion wear (that’s my definition of a costume) but an actual extension of my everyday expression. I find it no different than any other event I’ve written about before. If anything, I wanted to show that my wardrobe is quite versatile and foundational to all the activities that comprise my life. Every day is an opportunity for good, intentional menswear even when you’re traveling to the 16th century!
Or maybe this is just an excuse to show off some fun photos of a great day with friends that involved a bit of intentional outfits. Take what you will!
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