emmanuel reynaud holy virility the social construction of masculinity

everyday wear, different variations of the eternal shapeless
jacket, baggy trousers and heavy, uncomfortable shoes.
Still, it seems recently that a new outfit ― jeans, bomber jackets
and running shoes has become increasingly popular. The
colours are usually less sad but they remain pure - red, black,
green, blue― and the clothing is tighter fitting. Apart from the
ease and mobility it offers, this dress has the advantage of
looking sporty, evoking strength and physical prowess. That is
no doubt one of the main reasons for its success. Rather than
comfort, he looks for an expression of his power in his clothes
and accessories. Once again, the army is the best example of
the masculine approach: the only touches which individualise
the uniform are the stripes, and decorations; these are so highly
esteemed that leaders like Brezhnev, Bokassa or Amin Dada
used to cover their chests with medals. And when man does not
have, or no longer has, the opportunity of sticking decorations
all over himself, he can still fall back on wearing a black leather
jacket, or a president-style suit: anything will do to symbolise
power.
[24 / Holy virility]
Masculine elegance provides a good example of the way man
asserts himself through standardisation and through control
over his body. A distinguished or smart outfit is neither
complicated nor very varied: it consists of a two- or threepiece
suit in a (very) dark colour black or dark-coloured shoes, a pale
shirt, white, more often than not, dull socks and underwear. To
round off the whole effect, a long thin band of material called a
'tie' is knotted under the chin. If the rest is not particularly
comfortable the tie is downright unpleasant. To understand its
presence, it must be remembered that the neck is a crucial
point; the link between the head and the rest of the body― in
short, in masculine imagery, it is the dividing line between the
flesh and the mind. Therefore it is of utmost importance to draw
attention to the boundary, and to try and eliminate the risk of a
link being made, a garrotte is placed between the two. Thus, the
tie is reassuring; just observe a man straightening his tie after a
tricky situation―whew! that's better― he seems able to breathe
again: his neck is tightly gripped, he is no more than a head
suspended in the air.
As Charles Reich points out in The Greening of America: 'Sitting
across from a man in a business suit, it is as if he did not have a
body at all, just a face and a voice.' That is precisely the effect
sought by the well-groomed man: but the face must not reveal a
hint of sensuality, it must be nothing more than a receptacle for
the brain. His face must not express a trace of innocence or
neglect, and so he is clean-shaven and his hair is closely
cropped; a humiliation which is sometimes inflicted on women,
but for the man it is the confirmation of his power. As one
general said, at a time when there was a slight wave of protest
in the French army: 'You will not ride twice in a tank with long
hair!'