Men's fashion is undoubtedly influenced by the media, especially in a society that could be deemed as being obsessed by beauty. It is common knowledge that the media has already had a detrimental effect on women, with females striving to reach an unobtainable and unhealthy size zero. However, as shown in recent news reports, the pressure succumb to society's idea of perfection is also having a damaging effect on men.
A strong feeling of insecurity among males has emerged as a result of the pressure for men to live up to and strive to meet the media's depiction of a well-built, muscular ideal male figure. In spite of knowing that millions of people will see these idealised images and respond to them, advertising on the television, in magazines and online continues to contribute to this unobtainable quest for perfection.
Some shoppers believe that by buying the clothes worn by their favourite celebrity or model, they will look the same as them. Some fashion experts are aware of this and play on this concept through advertising. An increasing number of men are experimenting with steroids and dietary supplements in an attempt to achieve the ideal body, highlighting that men will dabble in potentially damaging and harmful substances in order to fit in with the media's portrayal of the perfect man.
Another worrying issue involves the rising cases of anorexia among males. An eating disorder typically associated with women, this life-consuming and potentially fatal disease is often linked to the way society portrays the ideal male body. Evidence shows that teenage boys are the most likely age group to be affected by anorexia, however the damaging physical and emotional effects of the disease can last for years.
More and more men's magazines are incorporating fashion sections into their publications and the Internet has seen a boom in men's fashion blogs. The media can have a positive effect on men's fashion by encouraging the male population to take pride in the way they look, however there is a long way to go to break down this idea of there being a specific, 'one size fits all' ideal male figure.
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