Get the man in your life interested in fashion, style, and everything to do with dressing up well. Introduce him to some of the biggest men’s fashion magazines out there. MenWit makes you a list.
It’s a Man’s World!
While today fashion magazines are considered more of a fairer sex thing, one of the first fashion magazines published in 1678, Le Mercure Galant was published by a Frenchman Jean Donneau de Visé for men.
Putting fashion and men in the same sentence can seem like a bit of a mismatch. Most guys take their prejudices where the words fashion and style are concerned, to unimaginable heights. And the reason is often something as silly as ‘women perceive men interested in fashion as feminine’. Let’s set the record straight here. I speak for most women when I say that women love a guy who makes an effort to be well-dressed and stylish. We love men who know their clothes, their brands, and their designers. It is a welcome change from guys who might as well be relics from the Ice Age who believe that being particular about their clothes is a ‘woman’ thing, and they can continue wearing the same clothes they wore in high school and still have women swooning over them. Being fashion-conscious is a good thing and it is high time these guys manned up.
A guy who is willing to give it a go and embrace style and fashion needs some good advice along the way. And the best way to do that is to browse through some of the most popular and well-known fashion publications in the market. These magazines are style guides that talk about elegant living. No one expects you to strut your stuff in a button-less shirt and heavy eye makeup. But we would like it if you turned up in a pair of well-fitting trousers, a good shirt, and most importantly, a pair of great shoes. Here are our top picks for magazines that tell you how you can define your look, and be your presentable best at all times.
Note: For the purpose of this article we have focused on magazines published in English.
Esquire
First issue published in: 1933
Owned by: Hearst Magazines
Frequency: Monthly
What you can expect inside
- Cover stories on prominent men in the world and their lives
- Features on politics, movies, music, health, etc.
- A fiction section that continuously promotes young talent, and has featured writers like Raymond Carver and Elizabeth Gilbert in the past
Why you should read it
Esquire is the kind of magazine that keeps our faith in men’s fashion magazines alive. While focusing on fashion and style with beautiful pictorials, it never dumbs down its content. It is meant for the classy, refined man’s man who knows what he wants and knows how to ask for it. With intelligently written features on a diverse range of subjects, the magazine plays it hip.
Check them out online at: www.esquire.com
GQ
First issue published in: 1958
Owned by: Condé Nast Publications
Frequency: Monthly
What you can expect inside
- ‘How to’ guides on dressing correctly for different occasions (and occasional penny-pincher features)
- Trends taking the world by storm
- Advice for living life king-size
Why you should read it
Originally called Gentleman’s Quarterly, GQ focuses on style, fashion, and culture through articles on a variety of related, yet diverse subjects. If you pride yourself on being more of a hipster, then GQ’s fashion tips will sit right at home with you. They also have brilliant photo editorials, very few ads, and quite a few thought-provoking articles on different events that affect today’s world.
Details
First issue published in: 1982
Owned by: Condé Nast Publications
Frequency: Monthly
What you can expect inside
- Features on how to be your fashionable best with about five or so articles on different styles
- Guides on the best things that you should invest in (shop for)
- Lists of the most prominent/successful/to-look-out-for men or women
Why you should read it
Details is the kind of magazine that will appeal to a guy who likes to live his life a little on the edge. With a hipster-ish quality about it, the target audience for this mag is a little difficult to place, which makes it one that has something for every reader. What makes it stand out is its continuing focus on pop culture and its ability to capture the pulse of what drives the world.
Nylon Guys
First issue published in: 2004
Owned by: Nylon Holding Inc.
Frequency: Bimonthly
What you can expect inside
- Features on celebrities, fashion, styling, tech, etc.
- Pieces with focus on pop culture
- Shopping guides that feature high-end and budget products that make it more accessible for a regular guy
Why you should read it
If you are young at heart (or actually young), then this should be the magazine you are reading for fashion tidbits. While style remains a huge focus area, there is also a healthy dose of entertainment and pop culture thrown in. Nylon is also one of those few magazines that showcases a huge variety of brands in a broad spectrum of price ranges.
The Rake
First issue published in: 2008
Owned by: Revolution Press International
Frequency: Bimonthly
What you can expect inside
- Profiles on the biggest names in fashion
- Features on recognizing elegant clothing and how to wear it
- Articles on different trendsetting looks and how you can adopt them
Why you should read it
The Rake is one of those rare fashion magazines that actually takes a more educational approach to style, focusing on classical elegance and style as showcased by icons such as Cary Grant and Michael Caine. If you are a sophisticated professional who is fed up of the youngster-focused mags flooding the style sector of magazine publishing, then this magazine seeks to recapture the elite elegance of years gone by. Since the magazine’s core belief is that elegance comes from within, they also feature articles on conducting oneself well and good living.
Check them out online at: therakeonline.com
VMan
First issue published in: 2003
Owned by: Visionaire Publishing
Frequency: Quarterly
What you can expect inside
- Cover stories featuring popular celebrities and their rise to fame
- Previews of fashion trends for the season, hot music tracks, events, etc.
- Articles covering men’s fashion, the industry, and the many trends and the common man’s perception of it
Why you should read it
The V in Vman stands for Visionaire, and the magazine often features young trailblazers whose vision alone makes them sought-after talents in the industry. While fashion and style are the primary focus, there are always some interesting pieces on the industry as a whole, and much-talked about current events.
Check them out online at: www.vman.com
There is nothing vain about a guy who understands being stylish. A man who keeps himself abreast of what is happening in the world of fashion only makes for a more well-turned out person. These magazines highlight menswear and do so by making it more approachable for the boy-next-door.