Icons of Men’s Style by Josh Sims

In today’s podcast, we explore Icons of Men’s Style by Josh Sims—a visual and cultural odyssey through the most enduring garments in the male wardrobe. More than a coffee-table book, Sims’s work traces the military, industrial, athletic, and cinematic origins of iconic pieces like the trench coat, leather jacket, blue jeans, white T-shirt, aviator sunglasses, duffle coat, and even the humble sweatshirt. Each item is analysed not only in terms of function and design but also as a product of the cultural forces that shaped it.

We’ll discuss how each garment transitioned from practical use to style icon and why figures like James Dean, Steve McQueen, David Bowie, and Sean Connery weren’t just wearers of fashion but key vehicles in its canonisation. You’ll hear why the U.S. Navy’s G-1 flight jacket became a symbol of masculine bravado, how Ivy League students transformed surplus military chinos into preppy staples, and why a German work boot (Dr. Martens) became the footwear of British punks, skinheads, and grunge kids alike.

This episode also unpacks the visual structure of Sims’s book - how the use of original advertising, celebrity photographs, and film stills turns each garment’s history into a layered narrative of image and influence. We’ll examine the shift from tailored formality to casual freedom, charting the evolution of silhouettes, materials, and social codes from World War I through the late 20th century.

And finally, we’ll reflect on what makes a garment truly “iconic”: Is it the function, the design, the subculture that claims it—or the cultural moment that elevates it?

As Josh Sims puts it: “This book is not about fashion. It’s about the mysterious, fate-like process that culminates in ‘cool’—how utility becomes ubiquity, how workwear becomes weekend uniform, how invention becomes inheritance.” 

Whether you’re building a classic wardrobe or want to decode the DNA of men’s style, this episode offers a guided tour through the timeless garments that changed the way men dress, forever.

A Men's Styling Podcast Made with LOVE by The VOU's Expert Image Consultants.