What started as one viral post about Wale’s fit turned into one of those internet arguments that’s really about way more than clothes. Earlier this week, a post amplified by Rain Drops Media took off after somebody said they were shocked that a look like Wale’s was considered acceptable for a man his age, kicking off a full-blown “how should men over 40 dress?” debate online.
One thing worth clearing up from jump: Wale is actually 41 right now, not 40, but the conversation clearly became shorthand for a bigger question about style, aging, masculinity, and who gets policed for how they show up.
The criticism itself came from a pretty familiar place: the idea that once men hit 40, the jerseys, hoodies, fitteds, loud sneakers, and “young” streetwear pieces are supposed to get retired in favor of something more mature, polished, and understated. A lot of people on that side were not necessarily saying a grown man needs to wear a three-piece suit to Walmart, but they argued that style is supposed to evolve with age and that some of the same looks can start to read as stuck in time rather than stylish. That sentiment showed up across reposts and reaction threads, where people said there’s “no wrong age to wear clothes,” but also argued that refusing to mature your wardrobe can come off like a lack of growth.