You Sexy Thing!

From sleeveless tuxedos to maximal jewellery and leather thigh-highs, menswear is finally flirting back

- By Niraj Kakade

For decades, menswear played it safe. Tailored suits, restrained palettes, stiff collars and a complete allergy to visible effort. Looking good was fine, but looking sexy? That was suspect. It was as if men had signed a silent fashion contract where the only acceptable self-expression was lapel width or sock choice. The goal was polish, not provocation. Suits were armour. Style was muted. Sensuality was someone else's business. But something changed. Slowly at first, then all at once, men started to shed that old, buttoned-up energy. 2025 feels like a watershed moment. The rules that governed male dressing for so long are being rewritten, torn up, sometimes laughed at. Red carpets, runways and even street style now brim with looks that would've been unthinkable a few years ago. Skin is in. Jewellery is layered. Shorts are shorter. And the old suit-and-tie combo? Just one option now, not the default uniform of male elegance. What's replacing it isn’t just more casual clothing, but more intimate clothing. Menswear is leaning into vulnerability, flirtation and fun. It’s less about power dressing and more about pleasure dressing. The new sexy in menswear comes from confidence— the willingness to stand out, to wear clothes that hug, drape or expose the body with intention. Men are starting to dress not just to impress, but to entice. And it’s not about shock value. It's about freedom. Finally, the aesthetic range of masculinity is catching up with the emotional and cultural shifts already happening.