Fashion is definitely not a women-only topic. Men have always been interested, though sometimes not considered. In 2025, that seems to finally be changing, with men of all ages choosing looks that inspire confidence. This era brings the romanticizing of ’90s and 2000s looks, the popularity of business casual and styles that intersect professionalism and everyday wear.
Hovig Yacoubian of Yacoubian Tailors carries on the family business his father started in 1969. “Post-COVID, people are definitely not dressing up as much as they used to,” Yacoubian says.
To meet this demand, he says they’ve started to carry more casual pieces, like five-pocket pants and casual collared shirts. Still, he sees the value of dressier wear to help men be taken seriously in workplace settings. Those who have jobs where they need to dress up for court often visit their business for a quality suit that’s hard to find in many other places.
His clientele ranges from 20 up to 90 or 95, with the majority in their 40s and 50s, he explains.
“Whether or not we like it, people take cues from how you dress,” Yacoubian says. Clothing could be the factor that sets men apart in a competitive job environment.
Meanwhile, on the campus of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, twin brothers Demerius and Demichael Ikponmwosa opt for designing the types of looks they want to see.
Their fashion brand name, Thank Mosa, comes from their last name, which means “Thank God” in Nigerian. According to their Instagram page, they are a streetwear religious brand with a goal of speaking truth and volume. They do this through biblical messaging and Bible verses on their clothing pieces.
Demerius majors in business and entrepreneurship; Demichael majors in computer science with software systems; and they run their business on the side.
“When we were younger, we always dressed alike, and we enjoyed putting together outfits,” Demerius says.
When the pair came to UTC, they were searching for a way to bring their fashion into their new college, so they created the student organization ELTF (Elevating Life Through Fashion).
Active on Instagram, ELTF posts regular “fit checks” and participates in open-panel discussions about the growing world of fashion, when they’re not hosting fashion trivia nights around campus.
When it comes to dressing for a job, the brothers agree that the business casual look takes more of a precedent for some young men over the suit-and-tie formal wear.
“I’d probably say nice cut jeans with a solid-colored shirt or a collared shirt,” Demerius recommends.
The realistic college male goes for function as much as fashion, between classes, clubs and jobs. “Not everyone wants to wake up 30 or 40 minutes before class and sit around and figure out outfits,” Demichael says.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still ways to play around with style.
“It’s really up to preference,” Demerius adds. “Even when I want to look comfy, I try to make sure I have at least something that’s matching.”
With stigmas detached, men are stepping out with bold looks. TikTok trends take over the world of casual fashion. A new term, “older brother core,” is exactly what it sounds like: how an older brother, particularly an older brother in the early 2000s-2010s, might dress. While the definition of exactly what that means varies, elements include baggy-style jeans, fingerless gloves, chains clipped onto pants and beanies — the type of clothing you might have seen strewn across your older brother’s bedroom floor decades ago, according to Laura Holliday on the blog Medium.com.
Mullets are another surprising comeback in male fashion. Ashton Williams, the owner of Urban Cowboy Studio in Chattanooga, has been in the barbershop industry for the past five years and opened Urban Cowboy Studio two years ago. “The modern mullet, I don’t feel like it’s going anywhere because it gives personality to people without going too far out of their comfort zone,” Williams says. “They can look clean in the front and still have a nice, connected flow that hangs nicely out of a hat.”
Facial hair trends follow suit. “We’re seeing a lot of short beards with longer mustaches,” he says. “It gives a cool illusion of [being] clean-shaven but having a dirty-style, longer mustache that hangs slightly over the lip.”
Urban Cowboy Studio prides itself in catering to people of all hair textures and demographics and aims to create a welcoming environment in their salon. “The barbershop can be a safe space for men to talk and let some smoke out,” Williams says.
As trends flow in and out of favor, businesses in Chattanooga play a role in helping men look and feel their best.
Find Yacoubian Tailors at yacoubians.com. To shop and learn more about Thank Mosa, follow their Instagram page, @thankmosa, or their club’s Instagram page, @eltf.utc. Find Urban Cowboy Studio at urbancowboystudio.com, or follow them on Instagram, @urbancowboy.studio.
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