Sartorial masculinity in transition: Vernacular counterpublics and the aesthetics of masculinity in Kerala

This article critically examines the evolving representations of masculinity within Kerala’s vernacular print media, specifically through two popular fortnightly magazines, Vanitha and Grihalakshmi . It argues that the increasing focus on men’s grooming and sartorial practices in these women-centric magazines signals a paradigmatic shift in the gendered public sphere of Kerala. Tracing this trajectory from the mid-1970s to the present, the article highlights how masculine aesthetics, once framed in opposition to beauty and self-care, have gradually been integrated into mainstream cultural discourse. Drawing on theoretical frameworks informed by the notion of counterpublics, the article situates these shifts within the broader dynamics of consumer capitalism, media production and the public sphere. It explores how the visibility of male self-fashioning oscillates between genuine cultural transformation and commodified inclusion, producing a complex matrix of aspiration, exclusion and hegemonic reinforcement. Ultimately, this study foregrounds how sartorial and grooming discourses in Vanitha and Grihalakshmi reflect not only the influence of globalized consumer culture but also the renegotiation of masculine subjectivity within the layered terrain of Kerala’s public and private spheres.