QOTD: Is It True That 'Swag Is for Boys' and 'Class Is for Men'?
This image that juxtaposes images of men in "urban gear" with men in corporate/Euro-centric attire has been circulating widely via social media. Do you agree that "swag is for boys" and "class is for men"? Does having a corporate demeanor mean that one lacks swag? Or do you think this image promotes a social bias that devalues urban and Hip-Hop culture? Let us know what you think!
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I completely and wholeheartedly agree that swag is for boys, while class is for men. If I were to walk into a club and see a man dressed in “swag” clothes, I would not show a single shred of respect and I would automatically devalue him below myself (Call me arrogant but that’s how it is). Now if said man was dressed in a nice suit that doesn’t look like a cheap Sears suit he picked up for under $100, I would respect him for having a finer style and being more cultured.
That’s as far as I see it with clothing. However, as far as your overall demeanor, I don’t know what the demeanor of swag is but for this instance I will assume it to be similar to the way they dress; Punk-ish, disrespectful, aggressive and most probably immature. That’s not to say all men who dress in suits don’t act the same. However, that is quite rare. Men with class tend to be more of a gentleman and not loud and obnoxious.
Besides, do you ever see men two men in suits arguing over who has more class? No. Do you see boys with swag arguing over who has more “swagger?” Always.
I’m also not saying there are no similarities between the two.
In short, yes, I agree class is for men while swag is for boys. That’s my $0.02 on this whole ordeal.
Class has very little to do with clothes except how you wear them. Class is an attitude a way of life. Swag is also an attitude but in my opinion it is not a way of life. Swag is an attitude that defines your presentation. Class is character that that defines your presentation. Class is about dignity and a crispness while Swag represents more of a culture. To each it’s own but the comparison is not a line drawn between men and boys. If this was the Case Russell Simmons would forever be a boy and Diddy would be defined as confused.
Apples to oranges. Swag and class have to do with attitude and demeanor. The gentlemen in the photo appear to have swag, but class is something you can’t identify from a picture. Skimping on my usual wordiness, one can have swag in urban gear, but someone with class will keep a clean look to it (i.e. pants not hanging, etc.). I do believe class does encompass some euro-centric elements though. [shrugs] Be confident, coordinated, well dressed (not what you’re wearing, but how you wear it), respectful and mature and you likely will have a lot of swag and class #justsaying
absolutely.. keep a gorwn man dressed ,acting, walking and talking like a misguided boy and they will more often than not play the role shortly thereafter
IMHO, I think a man should be well-round and be able to exhibit qualities of class and swag whenever the need arises.
Class should always be at the core of a man’s moral compass and stylistic choices but showing some swag adds a bit of flair and personality in the execution.
Swag [in the absence of class] is for boys.
Class [with the adaptability of swag] is for true gentlemen.
Just my $.02
Very well stated. I don’t think the two have to be mutually exclusive. There doesn’t have to be an age bracket that suits one or the other. But there is an appropriate time and place for each.
JVPsaid,
Very, very well put!
And dare I not be ignorant in saying it seems as if the whole ideology is another method of social construction to classify a particular group of people as being lesser than/inferior to another.