The Menswear of Barbenheimer

Whenever fashion personalities talk about reversing the “Decline of Menswear”, the topic always drifts to cultural movements. After all, culture and fashion are closely linked; people seldom dress “just because”.

The last time this has happened (last time meaning both in recency and perhaps the final moment), was in the late aughts and early 2010s when Mad Men was at the forefront of the zeitgeist. The hypermasculine, mid century-attired show came at a time when the culture of social media started to be born thanks to the simultaneous adoption of personal-sharing sites like Tumblr and Instagram. Men became aware of a look they found camaraderie (or aspiration) with and they had an opportunity to be digitally around like minded people and to share their own take on it. #Menswear was born. And it lasted for quite a while.

Over the years, Social Media’s maturation has resulted in the splintering of culture. Instead of one big moment, we have dozens of niche communities, all dedicated to their own specific interests. Most importantly, they are able to capture the zeitgeist in their own way, removing the need to participate in mainstream culture; you could enjoy status wearing your “weird” look even if it isn’t reflective of people at the local mall. This, combined with the acceptance of casual (non suit) attire for almost any “occasion” (jobs and even some weddings) has resulted in the “Decline of Menswear.” In short, people don’t see the value in menswear if they can enjoy status without it. We need a cultural movement to make that happen.

Enter Barbenheimer.

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The twin release of incredibly contrasting films (that honestly have much more in common than most would think) is such an interesting thing to note. Not only is each film distinct in its subject matter, but each one has a unique look to its characters. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer’s physiological-drama brings about brooding period looks featuring slouchy suits, spearpoint collars, wide brimmed hats (to match the wide trousers), and a sense of existential dread in expectation of nuclear war. Gerwig’s Barbie, a vibrant satire on gender roles, promises chic outfits (worn by Barbies and Kens alike) that sends up mid century (and 80s-90s) dolls as well as what a stereotypical, patriarchy-loving man’s man would wear.

Contrasting releases have happened in the past (Mamma Mia and The Dark Knight released on the same day in 2008), but it didn’t hit like Barbenheimer. Both films have obviously distinct costuming, but Batman isn’t someone you could regularly dress like or have items you already own; Bruce Wayne also just wears a suit, which isn’t’ exactly distinctive. Those movies also came at a time when social media (at least as we know it today) was in its infancy. Being into fashion was not a hobby. Now it is!

Barbenheimer’s release was primed for the current mood. We’re now in a world where being into fashion is not only an acceptable hobby but something that anyone can get into. People are getting dressed “just because” and are taking photos of themselves to just dump on the gram. In other words, people finally having fun with clothes and the advent of Barbenheimer was the perfect reason to do so.

It almost comes across as a unifier. We’ve been seeing more feminine and queer-inspired styles being worn by mainstream celebrities, opening up the accepted possibilities a man can opt into for his attire (you could argue that this is just another example of white straight men taking from women and queer culture without giving). This means that men everywhere can have fun by watching Barbie in a fit that they might not have worn in previous years–the hope is that this might unlock fun potential in their outfits. The fact that Ryan Gosling, a man who plays characters that men love identify with, plays the ditzy Ken points to hope for the future.

As for Oppenheimer, the dread-filled, slouchy vibe of Nolan’s film almost echoes the rise of disillusionment that fashion “mfers” feel about the subculture. It’s a vibe fashion veterans, or at least those who engage with it as a deeply personal hobby, can get into. On a more top-line level, Oppy’s wide, high waisted pants, floppy collar, and western accouterments (like his belt and wide fedora) are things that are currently trending in men’s fashion. If wearing a suit in 2010 meant that you could step into the shoes of a successful, womanzing ad exec, then wearing a baggy suit (and western belt) in 2023 means that you can be a sad, existential physicist who contemplates the end of the world.

All of this to say that Barbenehimer might be the cultural moment we need to inspire men’s dress…at least for a few hours at the movie theater.

I heavily doubt that this will lead to a renewed interest in #menswear as a film doesn’t “stay” as long as a seven season show. After all, The Crown hasn’t inspired people to wear a Barbour over a DB suit and fist its pockets. But to give credit where credit is due, Diana’s appearance on the show has softly echoed the current skater-prep (or Dirtbag Ivy) vibe of current menswear. I’m starting to see people post clips of Peaky Blinders and Suits on Tiktok, with many users referencing those comments on other people’s fits. It’s clear that pop culture moments still do contribute to fashion zeitgeist. Maybe in a world where nothing truly captures the entirety of culture, this is just what we have to settle with. And I say we embrace it!

It’s funny–I truly wasn’t expecting Oppenheimer to be a total menswear mood but it really is. I had definitely gotten caught up in the energy around it, but this was mainly due to the fact that people were dressing up for Barbie and wanted to put their own contrasted spin for Oppy attire. But the menswear costuming in Nolan’s film is very well done and quite inspiring.

Outside of a few too-long waistcoats, everyone in the Oppenheimer looks fantastic. Since the film covers Oppy’s doctoral studies through his security clearance revocation (in other words, nearly three decades), we really get a great case study in vintage menswear by era. Oppy himself is a prime example of this.

You get to see Oppy going from close fitting, peak lapel 3PC suits of the early 1930s to the proto-Bold Look tailoring of the mid 1940s; in some scenes you get a glimpse of his casual wear, featuring brown jodhpurs, an action-back short jacket, and a waxed cotton coat. While his somber and solid-heavy attire isn’t exactly Esquire Man, Oppenheimer is clearly a man who likes to be well dressed and has a look for the different Occasions of his life. There’s quite literally a scene where he gets a superhero “suit up” scene when he officially joins helms Los Alamos…and puts on his iconic plain suit and wide brimmed fedora.

The other characters are also well dressed. Oppy’s fellow scientists at Los Alamos all wear shades of brown and grey, getting to show off slouchy, tonal tailoring that is slightly offset with a handful of fun abstract ties that characterize the period. The scenes set in the 1930’s contrast the war period attire, mainly through the use of spearpoint collars (some of which are pinned) as well as the plentiful use of sweater vests, though this could have been done to signal the ivy-esque environment rather than a specific era. Some characters had some interesting outfits to show off personality; Jack Quaid’s Richard Feynman shows off some quirk with swing ties and hollywood jackets (as well as his bongo drums). Overall, the scientists in the film have such a great, easy look that proves you can look good and be concerned with blowing up the world. It reminds me of similar looks in the Imitation Game.

The government focused scenes with Lewis Strauss, various Senators, aides, and other Atomic Energy Commission officials are set a bit later. While we are never given explicit years, we can assume by the clothing (and the plethora of brow-line glasses) that we are in the mid to late 1950s. We see a lot more plain white shirts, slim ties, and white tv-fold pocket squares. RDJ’s Strauss does stand out with his more formal or dandy attire; we see him in a wing collar tuxedo rig and homburg as well as cream ties and striped suits.

I was certainly inspired to get into the spirit of Barbenheimer and I got dressed for watching the film, even though I wasn’t able to see until a random Monday evening at 10:30PM. No matter, it was fun to wear something well, fun on what would have been a normal day. While the brown suit, chambray, cowboy boots, and solid wool tie were a no brainer, I actually had an internal debate about my hat. My brown fedora is certainly the closer color match, but if we were talking about the important expressive qualities that made the Oppenheimer look, my wider brimmed, thin ribboned western hat was the best choice, even if it was a lighter color. I think it worked out thematically with my fit anyway!

After watching the film, I got inspired by all the drab scientists and overall period attire of the film. In the days following, I donned some brown tailoring, either as a full suit or in separates, pairing it with some fun earth toned ties or wild abstract designs. I think I did a pretty good job! I also made sure to include some previous looks in this blog post that show that I have occasionally dipped into this mood in the past (not just for this movie).

To be clear, I don’t think of this as “the man who made the atomic bomb should be a style icon” but rather as a testament to the customers who were able to capture the vibe of an era that I inspired me to get into menswear in the first place. My everyday looks have always revolved around different moods like ivy, yuppie, and Safincore but this is the first time I’ve really gotten inspired to back to my roots and overtly reference vintage with my current wardrobe.

Even though Oppenheimer is the true menswear movie, I can’t deny that Barbie is the more fun choice. Out of the two films, Barbie was the film I actually saw first which happened the day after my Slutty Menswear Party. I wasn’t hungover, but I’m not sure the same could be said for MJ.

I was only aware of a few of Ken’s looks prior to the film: the sleeveless denim jacket, the awning stripe beach fit, and the faux-fur cape. To my surprise, he gets to wear so much more in the film! Most of this is due to the universe of Barbieland, where all of its inhabitants have a cool outfit for literally any occasion: the beach, rollerblading, disco dance parties, and as the travel montage to the real world requires, space travel, camping, and tandem bike riding. My favorite look is definitely the Ken dance number, where all the boys are in black tees, trousers, and loafers with the only color coming from the pink sock (ew).

While there is certainly a Barbie “vibe” that encapsulates the costuming as while (chic, a bit absurd, and with a touch of mid century to 90s charm), its interesting to note that the characters have a new fit for every scene that they’re in. Nothing is repeated yet everything feels natural. There’s something to glean there and apply to our own wardrobes (though not everyone needs to have such an expansive closet).

Even though my Oppenheimer fit is close to what I wear on the daily, I was actually really excited to get dressed for Barbie. I don’t actually own a lot of pink but I also didn’t want to buy something I wouldn’t wear often. A pink shirt and pink socks with a somber suit felt a little too bleh. In the end, I wore a white suit with a pink plaid western shirt; cowboy boots and my western fedora finished it off. It’s definitely unconventional, but I felt like it fit the spirit of Barbie especially considering the western references it had. This is also an outfit I would wear on a normal day but considering how bold it is, I might not have been pushed to put these things together without such an occasion.

And speaking of Occasions, Isabel’s friends actually hosted a Barbie themed brunch prior to the film! They work in set design and production, so they brought that same energy to this intimate shindig. Their apartment was decked out with as much pink as possible. There were Barbie menus, strawberry mimosas, and even a photobooth so we could document our fits forever. It was such a fun time!

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny could only wish to have this energy.

There is so much more to talk about with these movies, as well as the cultural zeitgeist around them, that we actually decided to do a podcast episode about it. And for the first time in a while, this movie-themed pod is not going behind the paywall! So enjoy the discussion and analysis of Barbeneimer below.