The man is the medium

It's two weeks before homecoming.  Most boys are just beginning to realize that they need to ask some girl to go with them.  On the other hand, most girls already have their perfect dress, complete with matching shoes, bag, and accessories.  They know exactly how they want their hair to look, and they've arranged an appointment at the salon to get their nails done.  Girls, and women and general, put much consideration into their appearance for special events to everyday life for one reason: they are marked.

Deborah Tannen contrasts the ways in which men and women are viewed in various categories.  She describes how, at a business meeting, she noted the clothing and appearance of the women, while paying little attention to the men's attire.  Tannen states that each woman "had to make decisions about hair, clothing, makeup, and accessories", choices that are all marked by society, while the men have the option to choose an appearance that is either marked or unmarked.  If a women wears too revealing clothes, or applies too much makeup, she is viewed as "sexy", which can branch in both positive and negative directions.  Most every reason that women are marked while men are not is due to the fact that the marking is caused by sexuality.  This concept is well-developed in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, as prominent character Hester Prynne is marked by her letter "a" on her chest.  This letter, earned by adultery, is the mark she holds from others.  Her moral acts of volunteering to the poor and needy go unmarked, and she remains shunned from the society.  Although everyone in the town could easily deduce that Dimmesdale is also guilty of the sin, they choose to deny it.  The townspeople look up to Dimmesdale, and the thought of their dedicated minister performing such a scornful act is disgusting.  His character is multidimensional; people recognize many aspects of his being, and he is not restricted in any way by his appearance or any other shallow characteristic.
Like Dimmesdale, boys can get away with wearing the mediocre black suit and tousled hair.  That is the normal.  That is what is expected.  It is unmarked.