Wearable Tech: Can Today’s Man Pull It Off?

I remember watching Back to the Future thinking it was quite possibly one of the coolest movies I had ever seen, I mean what was better than watching Marty McFly heading into the future and seeing all those cool gadgets? The hand held tablets, the video phone and their glasses phones have today all come true but hang on… we don’t look that ridiculous with wearable tech do we?

There’s something about certain parts of that movie that make me wonder; yes the technology is amazing and cannot be debated but do we really and truly look that bad when wearing them? Is there a thin line between looking cool and looking like a mindless robot?

From the much sought after Google glasses to the Samsung smart watch and the highly anticipated iWatch; do any of these gadgets have an actual place in fashion or do we risk looking like a scene out of a bad movie?

As blokes I suppose it’s fair to say that we haven’t always been the most stylish of the bunch but in the past decade at least, men’s fashion has really kicked it up a notch. From world renowned men’s designers to high street brands; the men’s fashion sector is now capable of catering to any style, personality and preference and is now, quite proudly standing alongside women’s fashion as an equal.

Whether you’re a celebrity, an average Joe or the avid businessman who knows that image is everything, here’s what you need to consider if investing in wearable tech…

• Real Life – OK, so deep down we all want to be Bond, talk into our wrist watch or use it as a weapon but does that work in the real world? With certain watches you can now make phone calls, send messages and even take pictures but consider whether that is something you will actually be able to put to use. If you’re the type of bloke who appreciates a quality watch and can always make room for a TAG, will you be able to make the adjustment to a leather watch under £100? If you’re a fan of technology then great but if you’re making too much of a change to what you’re used to, it could be a difficult transition. What about if you’re not used to wearing watches; can you suddenly make the transformation and wear a watch that you could call your mom with?

 

• Stand Out – I cannot deny that Google glasses are phenomenally cool, I mean let’s face it they are simply one of the greatest advancements of our time but let’s be realistic; can you really walk down the street and sit at your desk with cyber goggles on your face? Certain wearable technology is simply incredible but at that sheer cost you’re probably going to be the only bloke in a very large radius wearing them which means you’ll stand out a mile and although I’m all for stand out fashion; is it even safe to be one of the few people wearing something on your face worth over £1000? We hide our smartphones like they’re gold so is wearing Google glass in the every day world a wise move?

 

• Looks Good – I’ve read article after article that wearable technology will become fashionable but I have yet to see it. Since Google Glass’ introduction on the DVF catwalks in 2013 everything is being done to make tech more fashion friendly but something about it is still not working. As men, watches are one of the few luxury accessories we allow ourselves and they say a good watch makes a man; an orange leather watch that you can make a phone call from doesn’t scream style. Unlike women we don’t wear things on our hair and the majority of us don’t wear earrings so are Google glasses the best way to begin drawing attention to our faces? As cool as they may be, today’s new tech appear far too bulky to pull off, however outlandish your style may be.

I shall never deny that today’s advancements in technology are amazing and that wearable technology really is taking us into the future but is this really something we can incorporate into our everyday lives?