Amongst many species, males display the more eye-catching exterior. The anole lizard, for instance, goes full fire engine to deter predators, mandrills (a form of primate) display bright colors to signify health, and big boy peacocks could put most rainbows to shame.
So why do humans with the Y-chromosome so assiduously avoid sartorial flash ? Wasn’t Jack Nicholson’s Joker Heath Ledger OWNED the rolethe last dude spotted in lime green polka dots? And Honest Abe sure didn’t sport a purple stovepipe at Gettysburg-nor did the reason for that have much to do with battlefield decorum or testosterone. And it’s the same reason Johhny Cash was never known as The man in canary yellow. Believe it or not, male clothing and color schemes still faithfully conform to the example of an 18th century slacker. And he was a dandy. Quite literally.
