Who is a metrosexual?

[paperboy]

My apologies for bringing up one of last year's most overused and cliched terms. Just wanted to know if any other guys here are "metrosexuals" like me? Yes, I admit it. I get my eyebrows waxed every 8 weeks or so. Up until recently I also got highlights in my hair. I even shaved my leg once, but it was to be able to tape my ankle for a football game.

Anyone else care to come out of the closet? Don't leave me hanging!

[zebulondragonslayer]

Sorry paperboy, I am obviously not one concerned with personal appearance. Ha ! If so, I would already have leaned out instead of bulking up for strength. If I were I think I'd be more into bodybuilding rather than powerlifting and olympic style weighlifting - I prefer functional strength and actually am LESS into bodybuilding than Marty is.

[paperboy]

Sorry paperboy, I am obviously not one concerned with personal appearance. Ha ! If so, I would already have leaned out instead of bulking up for strength. If I were I think I'd be more into bodybuilding rather than powerlifting and olympic style weighlifting - I prefer functional strength and actually am LESS into bodybuilding than Marty is.

I hear ya bro. I was just wondering in terms of outside the weights and such. I've dropped the bodybuilding in favor of more strength (pure and functional) routines myself. But when you got a face like mine and a job that involves a little face time, you gotta do what you gotta do :P Okay okay, I enjoy it too!

As Mike Mahler put it, I'm not exactly looking for the metrosexual California bodybuilder chest with puny legs.

[KerPlunk]

Heh, I didn't expect this topic on the boards. I probably fall into the metrosexual camp, too (at least people seem to take great glee in referring to me as such). I like to watch Queer Eye. Strip Search and Kept Thursday nights on VH1 are my new guilty pleasure. I dont get my eyebrows waxed (dont really think I need to), but will groom anything that looks out of place. I do get a haircut every three weeks like clockwork, though, and have more hair product than my fianc. Ive been trying to tone it down a bit lately, though; I think the trick is not to look like youre trying too hard.

[Marty]

I'm a retrosexual

[Scott Shetler]

My apologies for bringing up one of last year's most overused and cliched terms. Just wanted to know if any other guys here are "metrosexuals" like me? Yes, I admit it. I get my eyebrows waxed every 8 weeks or so. Up until recently I also got highlights in my hair. I even shaved my leg once, but it was to be able to tape my ankle for a football game.

Anyone else care to come out of the closet? Don't leave me hanging!

Lee,

Say it ain't so man! Maybe we should have started the kettlebell workout with some good ol' deadlifts; let you use the 70lb KB only; then watched reruns of Charles Bronson movies!

-Scott

[paperboy]

Hey, you saw me...wasn't I pretty?

Besides, I'm not the one with my own picture in my avatar :P

[CinnamonGirl]

CG is anticipating the next installment in the metrosexual discussion. :wink:

[paperboy]

Heh, I didn't expect this topic on the boards. I probably fall into the metrosexual camp, too (at least people seem to take great glee in referring to me as such). I like to watch Queer Eye. Strip Search and Kept Thursday nights on VH1 are my new guilty pleasure. I dont get my eyebrows waxed (dont really think I need to), but will groom anything that looks out of place. I do get a haircut every three weeks like clockwork, though, and have more hair product than my fianc. Ive been trying to tone it down a bit lately, though; I think the trick is not to look like youre trying too hard.

I watch movies on Lifetime, television for women. And I know there's more of you out there that do the same!

I've never heard of Strip Search or Kept. What's that about?

[onecoolmama]

Ok, I admit it. I watch lifetime for woman! :P But I am with CG. I want to watch this thread unfold.

[ms_irreverent]

This thread is a hoot; I am also watching it unfold.

[paperboy]

This thread is a hoot; I am also watching it unfold.

I didn't know it would be of such interest to people! Now no one else is gonna speak up! But I'm comfortable enough with my male-ness to admit to it. :P

Now, someone direct me to the nearest nail salon!

[zebulondragonslayer]

Oh boy, here we go. I am with Marty on this one - retrosexual. Am more like a wild animal than a gay man....

Rise of the Metrosexual

March 11 2003

He loves Armani, is seen just as often near a catwalk as competing in sport, confesses an adulation for Kylie Minogue, even designs his own jewellery. But he's not gay.

So Ian Thorpe told Australia in a radio interview last November. With interests outside the domain of the traditional, Aussie, macho male, Thorpe talked about his sexuality for the first time. He was flattered that the gay community identified with him, he said, but he was, in fact, heterosexual. "You know, I'm a little bit different to what most people would consider being an Australian male," Thorpe told ABC Radio.

But he's not that different, at all. Men of all sexualities are taking a greater interest in their appearance. They go to hairdressers rather than barbers; avoid using soap because it's too harsh on their skin; visit the gym instead of playing sport and even have difficulty deciding what to wear.

They're occupying their time differently - not only spending more of it in front of the mirror, but also at boutiques, in bars rather than pubs, enjoying a dance at a nightclub and going to beauty salons. Cosmetics brands such as Ella Bache say men make up as much as 40 per cent of their salon customers in some areas.

Marketers are spurring on the change, dropping the macho element from products that target men. Gone are the tough male images, even from beer and car ads.

Men's fashion chains are growing, with women's stores such as Esprit launching men's ranges, and department stores offering boutique-style experiences. Men's magazines are increasing their coverage of fashion - not just for editorial reasons, but because they're getting more ads. The men's title FHM says its fashion and grooming advertising has increased 35 per cent over the past three years.

Twenty years ago, male fashion, skin care and vanity in general were identified with gay men. Now sexuality, it seems, is irrelevant. In fact, British newspapers have even found a new word for the softer man: the "metrosexual".

David Beckham, the man whom British academics have credited with changing male behaviour, has been deemed the ultimate metrosexual.

Beckham has helped break "masculine codes", says Warwick University sociology professor Dr Andrew Parker, "defying various manly expectations such as what clothes a man is allowed to wear".
Mark Wahlberg's semi-naked appearance for Calvin Klein underwear in the early 1990s is often cited as the beginning of mainstream male vanity.

Like Thorpe, he's a "little bit different" from the traditional, heterosexual male.

Beckham may be captain of the English soccer team, but he wears sarongs and nail polish, and has even posed for gay magazines. As the American online magazine Salon said, he has admitted that he likes to be admired, and does not care if it's by women or by men.

Whether they have heard of the term "metrosexual", that's how men across the world are appearing. Stores such as the Myer Grace Bros chain say it's a trend that's starting to hit the mainstream. This year, the company will launch a department for male cosmetics and fragrances. While David Jones says its men's cosmetics range is experiencing double-digit growth.

There have always been men who have taken great care of their appearance, but now, says Myer Grace Bros cosmetics buyer Marissa Galatis,

"we are trying to appeal to the wider, men's market. In particular, to young men: a lot of this growth is driven by them."

Mark Wahlberg's semi-naked appearance for Calvin Klein underwear in the early 1990s is often cited as the beginning of mainstream male vanity. Marketing legend has it that the ad was aimed at a gay market, but straight men took notice. Whether it was because women were ogling, or men themselves thought the former rapper looked good, Calvin Klein soon became cult clubwear, with men wearing their pants low to show off the brand.

Ten years ago, Weight-Watchers was strictly for women and "gutbusting" was seen as the more acceptable term for a bloke. Now it's OK for guys to watch their weight.

"The under-40s are certainly interested in the way they look and their physique," says Allan Bolton, a key developer of WeightWatchers for Men. "Over-40s are interested in how they look for the health benefits."

Role models are changing and it's not just Beckham and Thorpe. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Pat Rafter, Hugh Jackman, Lachlan Murdoch and footballers such as Craig Wing are manicuring their appearance and showing their softer side: Rafter appears as a caring father; Jackman in musicals as well as in tough-guy roles in films such as X-Men. Wing told women about his gentle side in a Cleo bachelor-of-the-year competition.

In response to this groundswell, magazine publishers have established men's titles such as Men's Health and GQ. Even the blokier ones such as FHM and Ralph have increased their fashion and skin-care coverage.

The general manager of men's wear at David Jones, David Bush, says, "There's no doubt that David Beckham, Robbie Williams and Ian Thorpe and the 'blokey blokes' that are interested in fashion send the message that, by being so, you are not going to look like a fairy.

"Twenty years ago, we sold clothes and now we sell fashion." Younger men, in particular, are taking to their bodies with closer shavers, fragrances, moisturisers and hair dye. Calvin Klein's fragrances, Crave, is aimed primarily at 15 to 22-year-old males, who spend much more time in front of the mirror than their fathers. Why?

As the presence of women increased in men's social and working lives - as their rights were belatedly recognised - men have changed the way they act. Straight men, some marketers believe, are changing because women demand their partners take greater effort with their appearance.

"The feminist movement has been the biggest contributor to the men's market since it has developed," says Jean-Marc Carriol, director of the fashion company Trimex, which represents Clarins in Australia.

As women have pushed for equal rights, Carriol says, "the success of that push has fundamentally altered the way men and women interact within the workplace. Appearance and grooming are really important."

The workplace itself has changed for many men, too. As the proportion of white-collar workers grows, so does the need to look good. To compete in today's work environment, you must dress well, have your hair cut neatly and take care of your body.

And as the world becomes increasingly globalised, Australian men are starting to see that men in other countries, particularly in Europe, proudly take care of themselves.

Even with beer, marketers are taking on a less macho tone when they communicate with men.

"We have certainly seen a change towards more segmentation (of the beer market)," says Lion Nathan's premium marketing director, Paul Foster. "There's still that 'hardcore' masculine image at the core end of the market, (but) there's also a lot more progressive market segments."

Men are also changing the way they buy homeware, cars and electrical goods, says Alan Treadgold, director of research and consulting at the advertising agency Leo Burnett.

"There's a lot of categories that are purchased by males, but using what we would conventionally regard as female cues," says Treadgold. "Traditionally, when purchasing home entertainment systems, we would expect guys to be motivated by gadgetry and technical features. But, increasingly, there's a certain type of male choosing it from what might be seen as female attributes, such as the environment of the store, level of service and other intangible things."

In car advertising, for example, much more emphasis is being placed on the people driving and the feelings they are experiencing rather than the car's specifications.

Global research by the advertising agency Euro RSCG last year showed that men were more secure in their masculinity, with those aged 40 and above displaying greater sensitivity, particularly through family values.

"The definition of what it means to be male is changing," says Euro RSCG's strategy planning director, Matt Donovan.

This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/03/10/1047144914842.html

[paperboy]

Hey man, it wouldn't bother me one bit to be in the same category as Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Hugh Jackman, or Beckham 8)

I've had manicures and pedicures before too, but nail polish? Gotta draw the line somewhere!

[KerPlunk]

I watch movies on Lifetime, television for women. And I know there's more of you out there that do the same!

I've never heard of Strip Search or Kept. What's that about?

Lifetime is a bit too much for me. Id probably end up watching it if I let myself, but Im always quick to change the channel if I find myself pausing there (I dont know if dirty is the right word to describe how I feel after being sucked in to one of those movies, but its sort of reminiscent to waking up after a nasty drinking binge and saying Oh no, not again). I'm more of a food network/bravo kinda guy when it comes to those tendencies.

The website for Strip Search: http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/strip_search/series.jhtml

Kept: http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/kept/series.jhtml

Theyre basically reality makeover shows; Strip Search is looking for dancers for a male revue and Kept is weeding out guys to be Jerry Halls arm candy. Ill be watching them tonight after I hit the gym. Ive had it planned out since last week.

[paperboy]

Yes, Food Network and Bravo are on my favorite channels list. Don't care much for the Speed Channel. I used to watch Queer Eye, but it got old pretty quick for me.

[Scott Shetler]

Hey man, it wouldn't bother me one bit to be in the same category as Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Hugh Jackman, or Beckham 8)

I've had manicures and pedicures before too, but nail polish? Gotta draw the line somewhere!

Oh man.... Yeah I have my own picture, but keep in mind I shave my head with a bowie knife and motor grease ala Vin Diesel in Pitch Black! No waxing here! :-) But c'mon bro'! Manicures and Pedicures?!?!? We need to head down to Buckhead and hit Fogo De Chau for the all you can eat read meat buffet! With all this Brad Pitt manicures, pedicures talk it may be too late!!! LOL!

-Scott

[paperboy]

Hey man, it wouldn't bother me one bit to be in the same category as Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Hugh Jackman, or Beckham 8)

I've had manicures and pedicures before too, but nail polish? Gotta draw the line somewhere!

Oh man.... Yeah I have my own picture, but keep in mind I shave my head with a bowie knife and motor grease ala Vin Diesel in Pitch Black! No waxing here! :-) But c'mon bro'! Manicures and Pedicures?!?!? We need to head down to Buckhead and hit Fogo De Chau for the all you can eat read meat buffet! With all this Brad Pitt manicures, pedicures talk it may be too late!!! LOL!

-Scott

I'm there, dude!

[Lobo]

Oh my gosh! Say it aint so. You all are on your own. What is now termed metrosexual, I use to call something else.

I'm pretty far to the other side. I cut my own hair, hate shopping for clothes and I even have underware that dates back to high school. And I still wear them. :D

[paperboy]

Oh my gosh! Say it aint so. You all are on your own. What is now termed metrosexual, I use to call something else.

I'm pretty far to the other side. I cut my own hair, hate shopping for clothes and I even have underware that dates back to high school. And I still wear them. :D

Do you own a Flowbee haha!

Well, I'm not too far gone, some of my underwear also dates back to high school.

I can hear some of you now..."Too much information!"

[Lorrie]

"Every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man!"

Or

Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not expressed in fancy; rich not gaudy
For apparel oft proclaims the man,

[KerPlunk]

Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not expressed in fancy; rich not gaudy
For apparel oft proclaims the man,

Heh, good call. See, this is nothing new. I think our culture rebelled against formality of all kinds not too long ago (40 or 50 years?) and one of the byproducts of that was men thinking that it was ok to have complete disregard for their appearance because it would be considered manly (and Im speaking in generalities here guys, please dont take offense). Today we have lots of men who have no idea how to wear a suit, tie a tie, what kind of shoes and socks to wear with that suit, etc. Its not about looking like a peacock; for me its more about respecting myself, others and whatever situation I happen to be in. There isnt anything wrong with casual dress, as long as youre in a casual situation. On the other hand, if youre in a professional situation I think its worth it to look the part. Like I said before, the trick is to look like you didnt try all that hard (everyone knows how uncool too much vanity is for a man), so a simple, understated elegance is best. I interned at the Missouri capitol last year and it was just atrocious what some people would try to pass off. A lot of guys dont want to accept it, but theres always some minimum level of dress dependent on the situation. I guess the metrosexuals are the guys who arent satisfied with that minimum level, whatever it may be.

I was thinking about this topic and it reminded me of my Army days. I knew a guy from Texas, we had gone through training together and had both ended up at Ft Riley, KS. He was from Houston, drove a huge black truck and by all accounts tried to be macho. But, hed get his hair cut every two weeks at a salon, went tanning, got manicures, would wear eyelinereven in uniform (for the record, I have never worn any sort of makeup outside of Halloween). He was also the best guy with women Ive ever seen. Wed hit Manhattan, KS every weekend and he would pick up a new Kansas State girl every time. This guy was metrosexual way before that term was ever used, and it worked for him.

Also, the military basically rewarded the metrosexual guys (well, probably not the eyeliner, but thats another story). I always had a clean and pressed uniform, always had my boots at a mirror shine, my hair was always in regulation, I was always clean shaven, I kept my room clean, etc. A lot of guys had problems with this sort of thing; I never did.

[paperboy]

Well said, KerPlunk.

[zebulondragonslayer]

I agree Paperboy - Well Said Kerplunk !

I was actually in the USAF myself for 4 years (1 at the Academy) and I have worn suits in business for years, though fortunately everything has gone business casual now.

I was kidding you Paperboy - I like Chuck's idea though - red meat and buffett are 2 of my favorite concepts !

[zebulondragonslayer]

Sorry, I meant Scott, not Chuck .....

[paperboy]

red meat and buffett are 2 of my favorite concepts !

Indeed! I can't get enough of either!

[Scott Shetler]

Fogo rules! they actually have a great salad bar for you metro-types!LOL! but it is like 30-different types of red meat and the servers bring it around on skewers and you choose what you want. it is a little pricy ($40 a plate all you can eat) but if you are hungry you can put away $40 and then some. We will have to go sometime Lee, Lisa actually likes the place a lot, itis great for a night out.

Talkto you later!

-Scott

[paperboy]

Fogo rules! they actually have a great salad bar for you metro-types!LOL! but it is like 30-different types of red meat and the servers bring it around on skewers and you choose what you want. it is a little pricy ($40 a plate all you can eat) but if you are hungry you can put away $40 and then some. We will have to go sometime Lee, Lisa actually likes the place a lot, itis great for a night out.

Talkto you later!

-Scott

Sounds good, Scott! I'm sure we can talk Philly with Lisa all night!