Wait, guys have outfit aesthetics? 
An unofficial guide to knowing what aesthetic the guy next to you has.

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I had the impression that men’s fashion was simple. A basic shirt, some pants and a pair of shoes. Probably a jacket if Environment Canada issued a warning against the weather acting up. But that was until I started to pay attention. 

If you spend enough time on campus, you might realize that some guys dress in specific aesthetics.

The Performative Guy

He can be easily recognized by his glasses—I am not sure if he actually needs them. I don’t have access to his prescription. The glasses have tiny frames and are perfectly positioned, often paired with an oversized jacket, headphones, a tote bag, and a medically alarming-looking matcha. 

There may be a book. Probably not a textbook, but a book with a prestigious title that sounds intellectually intimidating. The headphones scream “don’t approach me,” but the matcha screams “you may approach me only if you know what Letterboxd is.” 

I don’t know if he is going to class or about to review a nineteenth-century French film.

The Streetwear Swagger

You usually notice his pants arriving before he does. I am unsure as to why men’s jeans have been expanding over the years to a point where each pant leg now has its own weather system. The pants drag across the floor, collecting salt, dust, rainwater and whatever mysterious liquid spilled a while ago. 

He is not just walking through the building, he is cleaning the floors too. And infuriatingly, his outfit still works. The bottom two inches of his pants have experienced many things, but he remains unbothered. 

The Corporate Climber 

He can be seen walking through the Instructional Centre (IB) with a straight face, sporting his crisp and perfectly ironed suit. He looks like he took lessons from Suits’ Harvey Specter. 

He walks with the intensity of someone on his way to close a multi-million-dollar deal, but in reality, he is trying to find a working printer before his ECO220 quiz. 

The Sauga Mans 

The puffer jacket is a constant, but the temperature is not. It could be –15°C, making it reasonable. Or, it could be 16°C, but the puffer stays on. 

Everything on him is black. From his jacket and track pants to his crossbody bag. The AirPods are permanently installed. The pants sit low enough to provide you with information nobody requested. He walks past you close enough for you to hear him on the phone saying, “Yeah, I’m coming. What room is the tutorial?”

The Gym Bro

You do not have to glance at his outfit to identify him. Just look for the shaker bottle. There is always a shaker bottle. Personally, I have never seen them consume an ordinary meal. He seems to be on his thirteenth protein shake of the day. 

It’s 9:45 a.m. and he has finished his leg training session at the gym. Oh, and he also consumed 130g of protein. Every conversation you have with them ends up being gym-related. You ask “How are you?” and he says, “Yeah, I’m good. I’m bulking.”

Their outfits are in binary states—going to or coming from the gym. 

The Gorpcore Dude

I recently learned the word gorpcore (a fashion trend that uses functional outdoor gear as urban streetwear), which helps explain why I kept seeing men who seem to be preparing for an expedition between classes. Cargo pants, trail shoes, and a jacket with a waterproof rating and 14 pockets are essential.  

His destination? The bus stop for bus 110N, which comes every 14 minutes. He periodically glances at the road and checks the Transit app from time to time. All this preparation for the final expedition—squeezing himself on the bus with 50 other passengers. 

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