It would seem that men have taken the “dress your boyfriend like JFK Jr.” statement to heart. PAPER would like to propose an alternative: make him dress like Johnny Knoxville instead. Your boyfriend doesn’t know what to do with a Kangol hat; I promise you he can rock a buckle belt and shades.
It’s not just in New York City where men have tried experimenting with the tie, blazer, jeans, backwards hat combo. It is the only city, however, where you get those who are taking it a step further by donning a Citi Bike (or, rather, attempting to.) Even in my small college town, I have seen a bizarre influx of guys trying out Kangol hats for the first time, bless their hearts. I’d imagine it’s hard to experiment with fashion as a cis straight 20-something-year-old man with fashion writers like me roaming around. Their options likely feel limited, and no one wants to be the first one to do something new. But my goodness, doesn’t it feel unnatural?
The way men like JFK Jr. dressed was reflective of who they were, and are, but most importantly: the work they were doing. Very few people can wear a slouchy three-piece suit and a bright red parka with a headband on the same day without looking a mess. It’s had me thinking... if I were a man, who would I dress like? Johnny Knoxville, of course.
The last thing anyone thinks about when they hear the name Johnny Knoxville is his clothes. While understandable, given his career, it is an absolute shame.
Knoxville’s stardom came from his appearance in the Jackass television series on MTV and later film franchise, where he and his crew of anarchic miscreants performed dangerous stunts on one another, gross-out pranks and self-inflicted torture exercises for the hell of it. One may think I’m describing something nefarious, or the type of stuff that would put them on a watchlist, but no! The program aired on cable TV in the ‘aughts and skyrocketed the careers of its cast members, Steve-O, Bam Margera, and, most obviously, Johnny Knoxville.
Being the modern-day equivalent of Buster Keaton, Knoxville’s style reflected less of what he did and more of who he was. Traditionally seen wearing his classic Aviator sunglasses or sporting Ray-Ban frames, he was not one to skimp on accessories. Even seen sporting an array of nautical hats (both captain and sailor), the man loved to layer it on. In true early ‘00s fashion, he also wore a leather wristband, the ultimate cool guy signifier worn by our favorite up-and-coming bad boys of the time.
Beyond the ray-bans and bracelets, the traditional Knoxville outfit formula consisted of a few other essentials. They started with a graphic tee featuring a band or some sort, or text with an innuendo. The shirts were always perfectly fitted around the shoulders unless they were layered over a long-sleeve Henley or covered by a flannel, another classic silhouette of his (and something we absolutely should bring back.) My personal favorite staple of any outfit was his thick, flashy, almost obnoxious belt buckles. Yet they worked, despite the kitsch, with the baggy jeans he sported. Occasionally, you’d see him with a pocket chain or studded belt, even rainbow suspenders if you were lucky.
Think of those videos on Reels or TikTok, of men walking away from the camera and spinning in a circle, showing their outfit, wearing niche LA fashion brands or head-to-toe vintage. But now, the silhouette feels oddly reminiscent of something Knoxville would sport. Outside of my own hedonistic desires for a Jackass comeback, there's something to be said about Knoxville’s utter earnestness in wearing whatever the hell he wanted — and pulling it off with such swagger.
In his collage of ‘00s trends, one can immediately recognize the skater influence in his clothes from his days working at Big Brother magazine: eclectic, punk-ish, semi-ironic. It's an energy we should see more of, and not just because I love Johnny Knoxville — or want to be him. Better semi-ironic skater tees than stuffy corporate business suits with seriously dated ties
Given the speed of the trend cycle, there’s another month or so before the pendulum swings away from the closet of John John. I’ll be patiently waiting with a comically large hammer.
Images via Getty
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