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How to Wear Mesh Menswear Plus Some Inspiration

How to Wear Mesh Menswear Plus Some Inspiration

As more Y2K trends get revived, it was only natural for mesh menswear to make a return.

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If you don’t remember it with clarity from the first time, you’re not alone. Rather, “mesh” then and now referred to a see-through, although not always net-like, material that offered some stretch.

Some resembled fishermen’s nets, like Jean Paul Gaultier’s infamous tank tops, while others looked like a stretchy, gossamer gauze with a print on top.

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Today, Gen Z and younger Millennial consumers are exploring trends from the turn of our current century, while menswear collections take inspiration from retro athletic and club-leaning material. Learn more about the development of mesh menswear and ways to try it out in the present.

About Mesh Menswear

The present’s conception of menswear goes back to ‘90s Gaultier collections for both men and women. 

Women’s ready-to-wear presented a certain aesthetic: stretchy, layered, brightly colored, and made with cheeky see-through material.

Mesh emerged through patterned tops that could be worn alone to show off the body while still providing some coverage, paneled garments, or as a dress to play up these factors more.

mesh menswear

With menswear, we tend to associate the ‘90s’ top trends with streetwear, be it Grunge to hip-hop. However, clubbing gear took full advantage of the material’s sheer quality and breathable nature. 

Also with menswear, we tend to see the era through Gaultier’s fine mesh tank tops – now considered a queer clubbing staple – or the 1994 Tattoo collection designed to function as a second skin. 

At the same time, mesh brings up athletic associations in men’s fashion, be it gym wear or jerseys. Although this perspective tends to be plainer and more on the nose, it builds off mesh’s functional aspect – particularly letting air circulate to cool your skin. 

How to Wear Mesh Menswear

While womenswear is all abuzz with rediscovering mesh, menswear has taken a more subtle approach expanding upon the role of lace and other sheer fabrics that’s we’ve seen over the past few years:

With a Print

This is classic ‘90s, whether you’re thinking all-night club party or getting some Gaultier inspo. In the present, fine, stretchy mesh becomes a canvas for prints, all-over and placement graphics, and even color-blocking. Wear ideally in shirt form to highlight the print, either over your skin or a solid-color tank top if you’re seeking more coverage. 

Mesh - Paloma Lira GREY GALAXY MESH TOP

Paloma Lira Grey Galaxy Mesh Top

This is how you do unisex fashion – as well as a Y2K revival. Paneled mesh with exposed seams, an uneven hem, and a psychedelic print deliver a Pucci-meets-Gaultier hybrid. 

Shop on Palomalira.com


Koche x Von Dutch Black Long T-Shirt

Von Dutch X Koché Mens Mesh Long Sleeve Shirt

On the subject of a Y2K revival, the revamped, more luxurious Von Dutch imprint goes for moto-inspired color-blocking and some era-appropriate tattoo-influenced graphics. 


OTTOLINGER Mesh Top For Men

Ottolinger Green & Black Nylon Mesh T-Shirt

This cropped combination with a higher neck and ombre print goes for some vaporwave vibes that manage to be simultaneously trippy and soothing. 

Shop on Modesense.com


Inspired by Sportswear

In the present, cooling in sportswear frequently comes from quick-drying, moisture-wicking treatments, making mesh seem a bit old school. That’s exactly where sportswear-inspired mesh garments aim. 

Some go for more of an Americana, 1950s vibe: think retro polo shirts styled out of a thin, breathable material. Others nod to the ‘80s – jerseys as shirts, preferably cropped to show off your abs. 

Mesh - Forever 21 Jersey Mesh Tank Top

Forever 21 Jersey Mesh Tank Top

Think touch-football but with a brighter hue, more substance, and a sleeker form that’s intended to be worn by itself with your favorite pair of shorts. 

Shop on Forever21.com


Mesh - AMI Paris oversized T-shirt

AMI Paris Oversized Mesh T-Shirt

We’re getting classic sports jersey from this solid-black mesh T-shirt. More sheer, logo-free construction suits the modern, more style-centric wearer.

Shop on Farfetch.com


ERL Printed Mesh T-Shirt

ERL Printed Mesh T-Shirt

Think hockey jersey but made for the seaside. Inspired by California’s Venice Beach, this contrast-heavy, long-sleeve top feels familiar yet simultaneously unpredictable.

Shop on Saksfifthavenue.com


Techy

The appeal of Y2K, so far, has been its retro futurism, similar in the way we now view 1960s space-age architecture.

The start of a new century – coupled with the pervasive concern that technology would no longer work – resulted in colorful yet often skin-tight and synthetic apparel meant to convey something otherworldly that simultaneously worked for dressing for a rave

Techy mesh garments pull from their athletic roots while also nodding to Y2K-like futurism. It means anything can go – jackets to full button-down shirts – just as long as it appears ultra-modern. 

Mesh - Banana Republic MESH T-SHIRT

Banana Republic Mesh T-Shirt

Lounge or workout, this closer-fitting, long-sleeve mesh shirt looks classic yet modern and combines the material’s perforated qualities with quick-dry properties to control perspiration. 

Shop on Lyst.com


ASOS DESIGN long sleeve t-shirt in glitter mesh

ASOS DESIGN Long Sleeve T-Shirt in Glitter Mesh

Full-on mesh with a touch of sparkle comes across contemporary yet quaintly retro, reviving Y2K clubbing trends for the Gen Z market.

Shop on Asos.com


Lululemon Water-Repellent Hiking Shirt

Lululemon Water-Repellent Hiking Short Sleeve Shirt

A water-repellent material made of recycled polyester and elastane is joined by mesh panels for improved air circulation. The oversized, jersey-inspired fit is reminiscent of streetwear, while performance properties give it a practical aspect. 

Shop on Lululemon.com


Patchy and Paneled

You might be thinking about a beard growing in unevenly. Instead, “patchy” and paneled in the context of mesh create a color-blocked effect, with solid elements breaking up the sheer material.

It adds more coverage and substance and, at the same time, delivers a secondary patterned element that doesn’t always involve layering. 

AMIRI Off-White Cotton Shirt

AMIRI Off-White Cotton Shirt

Cotton and cashmere set the foundation for a larger-grid mesh fabric interspersed by silhouette-style florals. 

Shop on Modesens.com


Mesh Grind Long Sleeve Shirt

Bode Mesh Grid Long-Sleeve Shirt

Inspired by anglaise silk lace panel curtains and the domesticity they represent, this long-sleeve shirt adds a more substantial grid pattern against finely woven mesh squares. 


Sheer Black Velvet Shirt

Differio Sheer Black Velvet Shirt

Goth-inspired and ready for a night of clubbing in almost any era, this long-sleeve, slim-cut button-up plays sheer mesh panels against solid velvet vertical stripes. 

Shop on Differio.com

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How to Wear Mesh Menswear
Writer

Ivan Yaskey is a Philly-born menswear fashion blogger and copywriter. When not writing about men's style he's also an EDM and synthpop enthusiast.