"What sounds like a sentence straight out of internet brainrot is the recipe for the perfect performative male, a satirical TikTok trend that mocks men who "perform" in a way that appeals to women. Performative male dress-up competitions have popped up worldwide, from colleges like USC and UC Berkeley to parks and cafés in Berlin and Toronto. In a recent such event in Singapore, participants dressed in oversize jeans and vests."
"Amanda Massi, a luxury personal stylist based in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, said that the performative male aesthetic has become a joke because of the numerous memes about it. But beyond that, she said, "there's a significant, deeper psychological and cultural narrative at play." "The performative male aesthetic is a fascinating intersection of identity, intention, and cultural signaling," Massi said. She said the trend "blends elements traditionally associated with progressive values, intellectual engagement, and a casual yet cultivated masculinity.""
A satirical TikTok trend called the performative male prescribes an aesthetic of baggy jeans, matcha lattes, Labubus, feminist reading, wired headphones, and indie artists like Clairo and Beebadoobee. Participants stage dress-up events globally, from US colleges to parks and cafés in Berlin, Toronto, and Singapore. Actions at events have included chanting slogans about period cramps, throwing sanitary pads, burning sage, and performing emotional gestures that signal progressive values. Luxury stylist Amanda Massi notes the trend has become a meme-driven joke but also reflects a deeper psychological and cultural narrative. The trend blends progressive signifiers, intellectual affectation, and a casual, cultivated masculinity.
Read at Business Insider
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