What Happens When Men Don’t Conform to Masculine Clothing Norms at Work?

Every morning, men make a seemingly mundane yet crucial decision: what to wear to work. Most pull out some variation of the charcoal, navy or black suit from their closet, a culturally-accepted form of office wear for men. But what do we make the of the men who reject the solid-colored suit and instead opt for an embellished jacket and sequined leggings? Interviews with men in the latter category reveal that breaking from traditional gender norms at the office can have far-ranging consequences, often resulting in these men hiding their true selves for fear of being punished in their careers. In addition, their experiences raise important questions about why masculine norms exist in the workplace in the first place, and why it might be time to stray away from them.