Back in the good old days, society at large knew how to dress to impress. There were regency ball gowns, togas and the ever-chic potato sack for the less fortunate. I have a proposition: We, as a civilization, should collectively agree to bring back metal armor. Yes, the silver, shining, protective armor that warriors wore needs a renaissance.
The fashion scene is the perfect place for armor plating’s reintroduction. It has never been more diverse than now in terms of silhouettes and aesthetics, but it’s also never been so dull. The addition of silver armor into everyday wear would be stunning and add a hitherto unseen twist to the average outfit.
In fact, the main reason metal armor should come back is that fashion fans often pretend people have to adhere to an aesthetic. You have to be a Hot Topic emo, or a vanilla clean-girl, or a y2k baby-tee baddie, and that’s boring. Fashion should be fun, and metal armor is nothing if not silly.
The biggest issue with metal armor is obtaining it. Where does one get a suit of armor?
Small businesses, of course.
The amount of armorsmiths that exist is genuinely astounding. Several are located on Etsy; many more are just a Google search away. Customers can shop from pre-made catalogs or special order something unique. And, while a little pricey, armor is an investment in your safety.
Metal armor also allows the average clothes wearer to experience the meaning of camp. It would instantly elevate any outfit to something slightly silly and unique.
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To the armor naysayers—those that would argue armor is impractical or, even worse, ugly—allow me to guide you through a few hypotheticals and show you the error of your ways.
Going out for a night on the town? Make sure your chainmail is under your jean shorts and bubblegum-pink crop top. No sword shall pierce you that night.
What about game day? Paint your armor purple and gold, then adorn it with faux tiger skin. Show everyone that you stand with LSU on the football field and the battlefield.
Moving past the aesthetic value, imagine this: You have a very unique professor, one with a policy stating, “Students may duel me, and upon winning, I will award extra credit.” As a student, you should always take advantage of any opportunity to get extra credit, and it would be much easier to win the duel if you had on some combat-appropriate armor.
For gym enthusiasts, wearing a full suit of armor is a great way to test your strength and endurance. There’s a reason full-body armor has a reputation for being cumbersome; it takes a strong person to pull it off.
Armor coming back isn’t a totally ludicrous idea. Saman Bakayoko, a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, has been publicly styling her metal armor since August. She provides effortless camp with each revolutionary look she unveils and has garnered 1.7 million TikTok views doing it.
Bakayoko’s growing recognition proves two things: People are ready for and open to having fun with fashion, and metal armor may go from a niche micro-trend to the new fashion norm.
In the event that metal armor does come back, it will breathe fresh life into fashion. It will spark debates that push ideas further. It will introduce ceiling-shattering silhouettes that seem totally new but were actually created in the Middle Ages.
It would also just be funny to see people wearing armor on campus.
Garrett McEntee is an 18-year-old English freshman from Benton.
