It was bound to happen sooner or later, and based on numerous articles, including The Guardian and the Chicago Tribune's Red Eye, it looks like "metrosexual" may be coming to the end of its 15 minutes (or four years, but who's counting?).
And it's about time. "Metrosexual" may fall somewhere between heterosexual and homosexual, but why is it on the same spectrum to begin with? To merge one's grooming sensibilities with their sexuality is unnecessary. Is male sexuality so poorly defined that any "new" behavior exhibited by men can actually alter our perception of their sexual preference?
News flash - ask any owner of upscale, high-end spas or salons that caters to a male clientele and they'll assure you that men have been participating in these sorts of activities for years. Look back on the 90's and the pre-metrosexuals were there. The 80's had more than their share of pretty, preening, pin-up boys. The 70's had their own version, too, they just maybe had a moustache and even tighter pants than their modern-day counterparts (but no "manscaping" - chest hair was big back then). The 60's? Well...hippies are smelly by definition, so nevermind.
Lots of people credit Queer Eye for the Straight Guy for intensifying male interest in grooming. After the grungy 90's, male style had been in a transition period. The Fab Five came prancing into our living rooms and made it OK for men to pluck their eyebrows, wear fitted clothing (for the love of God, when will they stop making pleated pants and tapered jeans?), and even exfoliate. After all, the men could reassure themselves that even though they were taking cues from gay men, it was all done to help them get laid, right? Because, really, that's what this is all about: men trying to find that elusive combination of manly ruggedness and sophisticated civility that will help them score with the ladies. Women dictate their tastes and men just try to keep up.
So what's really changed? Some men are clueless about fashion and their own physical image, other men take it to the extreme and spend more time in front of the mirror than their girlfriends. Most men (gay or straight) fall somewhere in between.
Article comments
1 - Rich Powers
Don't you just love the media's ridiculous "trend" stories? How they practically invent trends using nothing but a few poorly-supported anecdotes, as if they're the harbingers of a new cultural revolution. Everyone will forget that lame "Heteropolitan" term within a week.
2 - Don Baiocchi
Exactly. And everyone doesn't even have to forget Heteropolitan in a week. It's barely a blip on the cultural radar to begin with (thankfully). Sometimes I think it's just journalists who think they're really clever trying to see what they can get away with (and therefore take credit for).
3 - Luke
the onlysexual term I've read about that I actually agreed with was retrosexual, women are sick of men who behave like sissy's, and are also sick of fat slobs, the retrosexual is literally shawn conery from the 60's 007 movies, and the cool thing about that is, it's a level of suave confident manliness that male trendwhores can't attain, and probably shouldn't even try.
4 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
If only I weren't short, bald and fat, I could try my "hand" at being a retrosexual. On the other hand, I'm happily married with kids. I don't have time for all that crap.
Hey Don, I know it's a long stretch a third of a world away, but can you pass the Brylcream this way?
5 - Don Baiocchi
i don't know what Brylcream is. Does that mean I'm a bad Metrosexual or a good Heteropolitan?