Credit goes to Todd McNeeley ?

There's no doubt in my mind that women get the short shrift in so many aspects of our culture... in governmental representation, in professional life, in advertising, art, everything, etc., and while we make cultural strides toward equality, it comes too often because women have to push hard and not because men help with the pulling...

But then there is fashion... women have amazing options for shoes and accessories and clothes, etc... and even here where the industry has been dominated by men creating what they'd prefer to see women in, rather than what women would feel good wearing, it is only in recent years that the industry has started to respond to women who are not representative of the arbitrary standard for traditional beauty by providing these options in sizes other than the smallest and most demure. It used to be that "plus" size meant clothing that looked and fit like sackcloth rather than things that were properly fitted... embellished with modern details... made to reflect up to date trends... Dress Affordable inexpensive homecoming outfits under 50

Men, however, actually have gotten the shaft is in fashion because there seems to be this notion that men don't like dressing well... and maybe that is perpetuated by many a man, apparently, refusing to dress well. But many men have a bad feeling about suits and ties because the industry caters to men who are designed like Ryan Gosling (who is admittedly dreamy) and not like the rest of us weird misshapen lumps of mutated muscle mass and jell-o swirled in a skinbag.

I like to wear a suit whenever I can. I like having interesting choices for shirts, belts, and shoes that buck the norms. It is disheartening to shop for shoes and see that 99% of my choices are black, brown, and oxblood... and if it isn't a wingtip, it is constructed like a damned gym shoe. I want blue, red, green, or plaid shoes... with soles not made of spongy rubber. I want shirts with inventive or bold patterns and colors that are fitted to my body type. Slim cut only addresses the needs of a fraction of men.

I'd like to see the industry respond to the idea that everyone, male or female, of every size and shape and ethnicity and whatever, should have options that allow them to express themselves in ways that are interesting, personal, and properly fitted, and to be able to do so at price points that they can afford.

Why should Justin Timberlake be the only guy who can rock a checkered Tom Ford suit at the SAGs? I'll bet Justin Timberlake wouldn't mind if I showed up at a banquet wearing similarly interesting clothing. And I like the positive attention I get when I dress well... and I know that every man would like to rock a suit at a wedding or a party or whatever, but not have to feel self conscious if he wants to slip his jacket off and dance a little with his friends.

Fashion is still tilted toward women... but worse, it is still tilted toward the perfect, the most beautiful, the well off, and not toward all of us. I dressed like a pack mule for years because I couldn't find what fit and what looked right and I eventually said "screw it... I don't care."

It was only when I started to discover how to match pieces and shop for fit and when to get things altered that I was able to put together a sense of style that makes me happy... and it is hard to do and one can easily feel failure sooner and more often than anything approaching success... and you end up with a whole generation of men wearing jeans, a sweatshirt with a football logo on it, and a ball cap... and it is sad.

I don't like the fashion industry. It is shallow and silly and trivial and stocked with spokespeople who I find vapid and not respectable at all. But fashion itself, gives one an opportunity to make a positive statement about themselves. You can dress to project your personality, your professionalism, your values... but too many are shut out of those opportunities because they don't fit the mannequin mold and the cottage industry shops that do try so hard to cater to them are still hard to find and access, and still quite pricey.

One of our fundamental values as a society needs to be that we all have inherent beauty and worth and we all deserve to have choices in fashion that meet our need to put our best foot forward.