Despite being generally the worst, 2020 had some of the most exciting moments in men’s wear of recent years. We were again reminded of the eternal cool of the likes of Lenny Kravitz and Michael Jordan; we welcomed to the red carpet hot club Lil Nas X and Machine Gun Kelly, and we were pleasantly distracted by Joe Exotic and Connell’s chain. And as always, the least expected stole the show — see Kornacki’s khakis. Here are the moments in men’s fashion that defined 2020.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Image Credit: Courtesy of NETFLIX Joe Exotic in “Tiger King” was the first viral show of quarantine — and his larger-than-life fashion car crash was the perfect match to his dubious personality. His Eighties bleached mullet, bedazzled Hawaiian shirts and blinged-out accessories took our minds off this for a moment, at least.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Image Credit: Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images Dr. Anthony Fauci was one of the most recognizable faces of 2020 — therefore earning his classic suiting and minimal glasses a spot on our men’s wear list.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Image Credit: Lenny Kravitz for WWD Is there anyone cooler than Lenny Kravitz? With the release of his memoir, he landed on the covers of many magazines — including ours — and showed off his effortless style along the way, always mixing high designer with vintage personal finds.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Locked in a room at the Mercer Hotel or off in sunnier destinations, Marc Jacobs channeled his creativity to serve major fashion fantasy that included hair dyed to match monochromatic looks, perfectly manicured hands and a signature string of pearls. We love.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Image Credit: The Mega Agency While we’re used to fanning out over Timothée Chalamet’s red carpet fashion, this was the year of seeing his streetstyle game — and he delivered.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Image Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP It’s hard to believe this hot pink cowboy moment was in 2020. At the Grammy Awards back in January, Lil Nas X paid homage to the iconic Versace S&M collection with a Western hot pink twist.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Image Credit: The Mega Agency Brad Pitt winning the Oscar for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” in this perfectly tailored Brioni tuxedo seems a million years ago. The few times we’ve seen him since — on a reunion Zoom, delivering food to those in need — he’s continued to look flawless.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Courtesy of BBMA2020 This was the year of Bad Bunny. His fearless approach to fashion, which often includes gender play — feels extremely refreshing and exciting to watch.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Image Credit: AP Photo/David Scarbrough The popularity of “The Last Dance” was once again another reminder that Michael Jordan is much more than one of the best players in NBA history — he’s a fashion icon as well.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Image Credit: Courtesy of Hulu There was something about Paul Mescal as Connell in “Normal People” that won the hearts of the Internet this summer. Never has a single chain been so influential.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Image Credit: Invision for the Television Academy/AP/Courtesy Photo There is nothing new about men in skirts on the runway, but seeing Daniel Levy clean up at the Emmys — dressed in a Thom Browne kilt — was a major moment in men’s this year.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Image Credit: ©RAMEY PHOTO AGENCY Following the excitement of his Saint Laurent campaign in 2019, 2020 was the year we dove into archival Keanu Reeves fashion.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
It’s not just any pair of khakis that could break the Internet during election week. Well done, Steve Kornacki. His unintentional homage to late Nineties casual Friday provided the feel-good nostalgia that we needed.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Image Credit: The Mega Agency For Harry Styles, the sky is the limit — and for 2020, that included being the first solo man on the cover of American Vogue (in a dress, at that).
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Image Credit: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez LeBron James continues to be a huge star on and off the court — now with another championship under his belt.
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Defining Moments in Men’s Fashion 2020
Image Credit: Courtesy of MTV Is it us or is Machine Gun Kelly suddenly turning the fashion heat up this year? His hot pink sleeveless turleneck, paired under a matching suit by Berluti and a string of pearls, was nothing short of thrilling.