Have you noticed what people are wearing these days? How it all looks the same? How people seem to just completely ignore fashion and wear whatever's at the top of the drawer, regardless of aesthetics? How people wear to parties the same thing they wear to cut their grass?

Men seem to have completely lost any sense of "style," of what is aesthetically pleasing--to most men, clothes are functional. And I'm not just talking about the trend towards more casual clothes; even in a casual environment clothes are meant to fit well, match, and be innovative. Men just don't care. Observe this pic that I lifted from an article on new men's "fashions" for Spring:

This is just a red shirt! Even if this is a nice shirt how is it a fashionable item? Of all the new clothes coming out, this was the item the editor chose? I don't think I need to provide any more examples of "modern fashion," you can see it yourself, look out your window at the people on the street...

So, what's the root of this degradation of fashion? It's the same problem that causes drug use and high drop out rates: lack of role models. Let's look at some examples. Perhaps the most visible fashion icons have been and will always be movie stars. Movies define "cool" and those who play in movies epitomize this cool, on and off the screen. I canvassed the IMDB website for some pictures of famous screen actors of our day. Notice what they are wearing (the faces have been censored to protect the innocent):

Some of the clothes look ill-fitting (the grey suit especially). Two sets are just plain trashy! And the one man in a nice suit with a decent shirt is unfortunately the most boring of the four! They lack style. Style is that panache, that never-before-seen look; it's innovation, something new, something classy.

Now, I'm not saying that everybody should be really into stylish dressing--it's a hobby like playing the piano. Not everybody will be interested in playing the piano just as everyone will not be into dressing well. However, it's nice to have piano players around and not have America's ever-presently dull culture crush them like it does style.

That's my complaint: modern style is in fact the destruction of style. People look at you funny when you wear a tie or when you dress nicely. I've been asked numerous times, "What's the occasion," or, "Did you just come from work?" If you don't wear the uniform (t-shirt and jeans), you must be weird or something. I think it's funny how people think they're being non-conformist by not wearing suits...more like the reverse.