Can a man appreciate vintage and be metro?

[Martinis at 8]

...I'd also assert that in the vintage era there was more acceptance of where men came from historically than there is today...

[1] No, IMO there was less tolerance back then regarding where one came from. Socio-economic, racial, etc.

[2] I do believe today that men are less "manly" on a variety of issues, and for a variety of reasons.

Unfortunately points [1] and [2] have a conflict with each other in certain aspects. It didn't have to turn out this way, but it has to a large degree.

M8

 

[LizzieMaine]

I've never known, or even seen a "metrosexual" -- from what I've read, it's largely an urban upper-middle-class sort of phenomenon. Around here, wearing a tie with one's flannel shirt is enough to mark one as a prancing dandy.

But I get the sense that "metrosexual" tends to get thrown around in pop culture in a snide way by those who feel somewhat threatened by well groomed men: an overgrown-frat-boyish thrust at anyone who's moved beyond the scruffy-dude phase of their lives, so that anyone who presumes to wash their hands after using the bathroom gets "yahhhh, yer a metrosexual!" thrown at them. So if it hasn't already become a meaningless word, it's well on the way.

As for me, I prefer "clean cut." Nothing fussy, nothing preening -- just unselfconsciously clean and well-groomed.

 

[Joie DeVive]

Carey Grant and many other men in the Golden Era took care of themselves and were always impeccably groomed, but they made it look effortless and not done on purpose (if that makes sense). They also had a sense of distinction and charisma that oozed out of them and were very masculine but in a gentlemanly way.

Thank you Kimberly. It makes sense, and helps to firm up the loose set of ideas I had floating around in my head. I felt silly writing last night when I couldn't get the thoughts to solidify. You helped me put it together...

And as for chest hair, I'm not talking about a "hair shirt". There is a midline between Robbin Williams and Yul Brynner.
Just wondered if I was alone in not disliking, and actually having a preference for the au natural look...
And maybe I'm just an oddball... Wouldn't be the first time!

 

[Jovan]

I don't have a huge aversion to pit hair, personally. I don't mind it being gone, either. [huh] Naturally, having none is probably cleaner. But I'm getting fftopic: here.

I very much agree with Kimberly. I like to think of myself as a Cary Grant or Sean Connery (after he learned from the real-life Bond, Terence Young of course). Effortless style is always more approachable than someone who spends 30 minutes trying to iron the edge puckering out of his soft collar.

 

[jamespowers]

I very much agree with Kimberly. I like to think of myself as a Cary Grant or Sean Connery (after he learned from the real-life Bond, Terence Young of course). Effortless style is always more approachable than someone who spends 30 minutes trying to iron the edge puckering out of his soft collar.

Effortless style yes.
Edge puckering on a soft collar is best left to the dry cleaner who knows what they are doing. Starch helps.
Hairy=scary to me. Too much hair and I think I found the missing link. Hairy backs like a sweater are really nasty. You could pose babies on them for pictures like they did in the old days with bear skin rugs.

Regards,

J

P.S. I hate the term metro.

 

[Jovan]

The puckering is a desirable effect to me. [huh] You can't really get it out unless you have a fused collar. Either way, soft collars with no stays look a lot better to me. They're not stiff and rigid looking, but move with the wearer, and thus are more comfortable too.

I've taken to wearing the fused shirts I have without stays, and it looks so much better already. I know collar stays have been around since forever, but I really can't go back to them now. Plus, the guys in the '50s and '60s movies who wore soft collars, even with the advent of fusing and stays, looked a lot better.

With that said, anyone want a set of brass collar stays?

 

[Jack Scorpion]

I don't have a problem with the Metro-Sexual craze. Or any of the recent trends toward androgeny. My only issues come when people begin to affiliate classic manliness or masculine values as a flaw. For instance, I've too often caught slack from peers for not shaving this or that. I've too often been told to use product in my hair.

 

[Jovan]

Some older masculine values, such as not treating women as equals, are rather dated now, obviously.

I don't have a problem with people not shaving certain places or not using product, as long as they keep themselves neat looking. Having a tangle of hair that never gets brushed or combed is rather off putting, and conditioner is something a lot of guys who really NEED it now don't use, unfortunately.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

But I get the sense that "metrosexual" tends to get thrown around in pop culture in a snide way by those who feel somewhat threatened by well groomed men: an overgrown-frat-boyish thrust at anyone who's moved beyond the scruffy-dude phase of their lives, so that anyone who presumes to wash their hands after using the bathroom gets "yahhhh, yer a metrosexual!" thrown at them. So if it hasn't already become a meaningless word, it's well on the way.

Surprisingly (or not, rather), it's the frat boys who seem to be at the forefront of the "metrosexual" trend - that is, they're the ones who are clean shaven, look after their skin, always have perfect hair, new clothes, trendy clothes etc.

At least this is the case in the midwest. Frats and Sororities are no doubt as ridiculous as they always have been about how their members present themselves in public.

Though, frankly, i'd rather see a campus full of people who care about how they look than the current campus of unshaven manly men who couldn't give a damn and look like crap on a shovel . . . at best.

bk

 

[Kimberly]

I don't have a problem with the Metro-Sexual craze. Or any of the recent trends toward androgeny. My only issues come when people begin to affiliate classic manliness or masculine values as a flaw. For instance, I've too often caught slack from peers for not shaving this or that. I've too often been told to use product in my hair.

Well if it's any comfort to you many women find the five o'clock shadow very appealing on a man. I happen to love it. . I love classic manliness and hope it never goes away. I steer clear away from men who are too pretty in the classical sense (think Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise). If they are going to fight over the mirror with me than that's my cue to run!

 

[Jovan]

Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise are pretty men, but their personalities are what draws me away from them. That and Tom Cruise's acting.

 

[Martinis at 8]

Well if it's any comfort to you many women find the five o'clock shadow very appealing on a man. I happen to love it. . I love classic manliness and hope it never goes away. I steer clear away from men who are too pretty in the classical sense (think Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise). If they are going to fight over the mirror with me than that's my cue to run!

Okay the mirror quip is very funny.

Gotta agree with the shadow thing too. In fact in one of Ian Fleming's 007 novels (I forget which one), Bond mentions that he refuses to shave more than once a day, and won't shave a second time for an evening event.

 

[Jovan]

A man after my own heart. Shaving is very irritating to the skin, even if you use the best razor/shaver and gel/cream.

 

[SpitfireXIV]

I steer clear away from men who are too pretty in the classical sense (think Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise). If they are going to fight over the mirror with me than that's my cue to run!

yeah, i like more manly men. whether their daily skincare regiment is more extensive than mine or not really is immaterial. what's on the inside counts for a whole lot more.

 

[Kimberly]

yeah, i like more manly men. whether their daily skincare regiment is more extensive than mine or not really is immaterial. what's on the inside counts for a whole lot more.

I agree with that concept about personality and character. I do think I would kind of freak though if their skin care regimine is more extenstive than my own because mine is fairly extensitve. . I work with some men who I consider overly groomed and they all share one trait in common which is perfectionism. Perfectionists make me nervous because they are never happy "as is" and are often in search of something that will never be. We all try and strive for some form of perfection, but some people take it to the extreme. I myself like the little imperfections in people. Whether it be a crooked nose, a strong jaw line, etc. I think it helps to give them character and make them unique.

 

[jamespowers]

I agree with that concept about personality and character. I do think I would kind of freak though if their skin care regimine is more extenstive than my own because mine is fairly extensitve. . I work with some men who I consider overly groomed and they all share one trait in common which is perfectionism. Perfectionists make me nervous because they are never happy "as is" and are often in search of something that will never be. We all try and strive for some form of perfection, but some people take it to the extreme. I myself like the little imperfections in people. Whether it be a crooked nose, a strong jaw line, etc. I think it helps to give them character and make them unique.

So, in other words, more Dick Tracy and less Alan Alda?

Regards,

J

 

[52Styleline]

And here all along I though a metrosexual was someone who had amorous adventures in a small vintage Nash automobile....Man, I gotta get out more :eusa_doh:

 

[Kimberly]

So, in other words, more Dick Tracy and less Alan Alda?

Regards,

J

Exactly!!!

 

[Jack Scorpion]

Some older masculine values, such as not treating women as equals, are rather dated now, obviously.

I don't have a problem with people not shaving certain places or not using product, as long as they keep themselves neat looking. Having a tangle of hair that never gets brushed or combed is rather off putting, and conditioner is something a lot of guys who really NEED it now don't use, unfortunately.

I might be guilty of that last one. Hah.

 

[Jovan]

If your hair's not in tangles all the time, you're fine.