The New Era of Men’s Style is Redefining Cool
The New Era of Men’s Style is Redefining Cool
By Campbell Bensley — October 16, 2025
When GQ Magazine first unveiled its “New Masculinity” issue in 2019, it marked the end of the idealized, one-size-fits-all man. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, GQ chose to evolve, abandoning the outdated notion of what the “perfect man” should look or act like.
“What had gone stale—and needed to change fast—was the idea that GQ should prescribe a cookie-cutter mold of a stylish man, and insist that all of our readers cram themselves into it if they ever expected to get a promotion, or get laid, or be considered handsome, fashionable, and cool,” editor Will Welch said in GQ’s “State of the American Male” issue.
GQ ditched the idea of telling men how they should dress and behave and instead began helping them find those answers for themselves. No longer would the magazine’s pages serve as a manual for how to grill the perfect steak or buy the perfect suit. Instead, it began asking men who they wanted to be and encouraging them to define masculinity in their own terms. In an age of self-discovery, the issue celebrated nontraditional forms of manhood and ushered in a new era of individuality for men.
Six years after the “New Masculinity” issue’s release, the conversation has only intensified. When it came time for its 2025 “State of the American Male” issue, GQ argued that masculinity hasn’t disappeared or regressed: it has simply evolved into a state of chaos.
Nowhere is this evolution clearer than in the style of Hollywood's newest generation of stars. From Jacob Elordi's oversized tailoring to Paul Mescal’s revitalization of the five-inch inseam and Timothée Chalamet's backless red-carpet looks, today’s icons don’t represent a single look, but rather the idea that men are choosing to express who they are instead of what they’re told to be.
Meanwhile, musicians such as A$AP Rocky continue to push boundaries even further, often sporting pearls and nail polish as part of his signature look, proving there’s no limit to what masculinity can look like in today's age.
In an age of the “black pill” ideology and looksmaxxing-obsessed youth, it’s easy to think modern masculinity is in crisis. Many believe the internet has led men to chase an unrealistic and hypermasculine expectation of what they should be—a belief shaped by gym culture, social media highlight reels, and an echo chamber of influencer advice. Many people feel pressured to conform, setting aside their individuality in favor of social approval.
Yet fashion has quietly become an outlet, one that allows every man to define his own version of confidence and style. It’s become a subtle form of rebellion, as boundaries are continually being pushed, bringing in a new generation of men’s style. More often, men are opting to ditch social expectations and dress for comfort and authenticity, reflecting GQ’s vision that masculinity, like style itself, is no longer a formula but a feeling.
As Welch said, “If you truly are cool, you don’t care about a magazine’s cookie-cutter mold of masculinity.”
And even amid the missteps, GQ offers a reminder of progress: “Yes, men are awkward. Yes, we are too slow to change. Yes, we are easily and often misguided.” But the point, as Welch concludes, is that men are changing, stumbling forward, awkwardly yet undeniably, toward something more honest.
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