BLUTEAU, JOSHUA M. 2022. Dressing up: Menswear in the Age of Social Media. New York: Berghahn Books, 172 pp., ISBN 9781800732773

Keywords: Material Culture, Menswear, Ethnography, Digital Anthropology, Identity.

In Dressing Up: Menswear in the Age of Social Media, social anthropologist Joshua M. Bluteau provides a compelling investigation into the world of men’s fashion, examining those who ‘seek out unusual or flamboyant tailoring’ (p. 6) and how their sartorial choices reflect and actively shape contemporary ideas of masculinity. Drawing on perspectives from identity studies, semiotics, performance theory, as well as understandings of authenticity, fetishization and commodification, he demonstrates how tailored menswear functions as a medium through which men craft their identities within an increasingly digitized world.

Bluteau’s research blends participant observation across ‘terrestrial’ (physical) and ‘digital’ spaces. He avoids using the terms ‘online’ and ‘offline’ to emphasize how interconnected these realms have become: ‘so deeply enmeshed… that it [is] impossible to separate the two’ (p. 8). The book consists of a preface, introduction, six thematic chapters, and a conclusion. Bluteau opens with a vivid, introspective account of his mornings. He speaks of reaching for his smartphone upon waking to check the engagement on his Instagram posts; selecting and putting on a tailored suit; photographing the look; and reviewing the images before sharing them to Instagram. Such actions effectively set the stage for the book’s main argument: the crafting of the  sartorial self is a performance that extends beyond the physical act of dressing to include habitual engagement within digital spaces.

Bluteau’s ethnography begins in the ‘terrestrial’ spaces of Savile Row and Dover Street Market (DSM), where bespoke tailored menswear is produced. At Savile Row, open workshops showcase the artisanal skill and heritage behind each garment, elevating their value through visible craftsmanship and a sense of authenticity beyond material worth. DSM, by contrast, offers an immersive, art-like retail experience, where avant-garde designs and a no-photography policy position fashion as exclusive and experiential. Both spaces demonstrate how men are not just buying clothing, but curated performances—where aesthetics, service, and craftsmanship contribute to shaping identities rooted in taste, power, and exclusivity.

Fashion shows are other performances that men can ‘buy into.’ In Chapter Two, Bluteau attends and analyzes those by designers Sir Tom Baker and Joshua Kane. Building on Debord’s theories of ‘the spectacle,’ he frames the shows as ‘spectacles’ in their own right—self-generated events where images are commodified and fetishized – blurring the line between fiction and reality. Through the interplay of clothing, mood, music, and staging, fashion shows create powerful images that shape audiences’ perceptions, influencing how they dress and construct their identities.

Bluteau focuses specifically on how ‘depth ontology’ (Miller 2010) is employed to enhance the desirability of the clothes on the runway. This concept refers to the extent to which clothing is perceived as an authentic reflection of the wearer’s identity. Some designers adopt shallow ontologies</