Men’s fashion is having a bedazzled moment

And for the more frugal man online shops like Fashion Nova Men, Boohoo and even Amazon offer rhinestone-heavy clothing at more accessible price points.

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Washington Post

Zoe Cummings, Taylor Swinton

Published Jul 12, 2026  •  Last updated 23 minutes ago  •  4 minute read

Photo by Juli /Adobe Stock

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Have you noticed on a night out that the men are sparkling more? Bedazzled shirts, bedazzled shorts, bedazzled jackets, bedazzled hats and even bedazzled shoes. Take Paris Fashion Week or the 2026 NBA champions or the men on “Love Island USA,” rhinestones are taking over menswear fashion, from luxury to fast fashion. And the internet has comments.

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During the 2026 Fall/Winter Fashion Week, Dior, Louis Vuitton and Kartik showcased flashy outfits on the runway. Brands such as Supreme, Amiri and Versace have taken the lead in this trend. Just this month, Atlanta rapper Future wore a red and white bedazzled varsity jacket while performing in Los Angeles during the World Cup.

And for the more frugal man online shops like Fashion Nova Men, Boohoo and even Amazon offer rhinestone-heavy clothing at more accessible price points.

Some social media users question if one can even find non-sparkly men’s clothes at the mall. Two Washington Post reporters hit the mall to scope out the supposedly sparkly landscape.

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In many stores in the Pentagon City Mall in Arlington, there are no bedazzled men’s items. But in streetwear-specific storefronts, like Sneaker Mart, the results were almost blinding.

What started off as a shoe cleaning business, Sneaker Mart is a hub for designer sneakers and streetwear.

What do most of the clothes have in common? They’re bedazzled.

Negus Assefa, one of the owners, says the shop began selling these glittering garments around a year ago and is seeing a large demand from customers.

Assefa describes the trend as an “epidemic” that authorizes men to play around with their style in ways they’re comfortable with.

“People who are super-fashionable might go all out and then others who just want a nice little detail will go for something a little more calm. There’s levels to it,” Assefa says.

As a store owner, Assefa finds himself forecasting trends for his future inventory. He says with the online hate, specifically from women who want men to dress differently, things may change soon.

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“Women aren’t really big fans of the rhinestones,” he observes, predicting that the trend “will probably start to die down soon.”

Some social media users are not fans of the jewels; @itsnotceline7 says on TikTok, “Be different this summer because the girls don’t wanna see you sparkling.”

On an episode of “Pop the Balloon,” a popular YouTube dating show, a viral clip emerged of a guest saying a reason she wasn’t attracted to the contestant is because she’s “not a fan of men wearing bedazzled jeans.”

On the other hand some users such as @jadaamillion, are backing men up saying, “I think its beautiful that men want to express themselves in new ways,” titling the TikTok video, “The bedazzled pants are going to save us.”

Men’s fashion blogger Derek Guy, known as “The Menswear Guy” to his social media followers and readers, isn’t surprised about the trend or the discourse that’s erupted.

He says men are often criticized for being curious about their style. It’s the “idea that if a man expresses too much interest in clothing, he’s either vain or shallow,” Guy says.

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The longtime blogger and clothing researcher has learned that fashion is a system of nonverbal communication. The clothes you wear tells the world about who you are, or at least how you want to be perceived.

“Men have always paid attention to fashion to some degree, but they’re very careful in how that interest is expressed,” Guy explained.

Guy says trends like rhinestone clothing begin in the communities of young Black and Brown people. So if the average “office man” isn’t wearing it, it’s less likely for that trend to fade quickly.

And whether it’s a bling-forward aesthetic or some other trend, young men are finding themselves and gaining a sense of belonging and individuality by participating.

“Fashion signals values, our sense of identity, whether it’s class, sexuality, gender or ethnic background. All of those things play a part and that’s why clothes are important to people no matter what they wear,” Guy says.

Independent streetwear designer Micah Roberts has been wearing rhinestones since he launched his brand Dusty Boys in 2018. Now though, he thinks brands are “taking advantage” without intention.

“A lot of these brands aren’t really designing, but are buying premade packages that are sold in bulk. That’s why you see a lot of these pieces that look the same, which I feel is a lack of creativity.”

As for Roberts and the future of his brand, rhinestones aren’t going away. He wants to encourage consumers to dress not just for trends, but for how they want to feel.

“When I put on rhinestones, I feel like a rock star, like a king,” he said.

06-30-2026 01:04PM

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