Fashion, It’s Not Just for Women Anymore

Tips on Style and Upkeep for the Male of the Species

August 2005

Style – By Elizabeth Cutler
The term “male fashion” may seem like an oxymoron since the media usually talks about fashion as it pertains to women. Women are certainly the peacocks of our culture, eclipsing the much duller male palate of navy, grey, and black. So yes, men’s attire is more conservative and it shouldn’t stray far from that comfortable territory. But that said…

Personal fashion is not about reinventing the wheel; it’s more about choosing the right rims. So, if you feel too effeminate wearing pink or purple (and guys, this is one woman who hopes
you do!), don’t. There is nothing worse than a man that looks uncomfortable in his clothing. But on the other hand, there is nothing sexier than a man who does feel comfortable and who really ‘owns’ the look he’s chosen.

I for one mourn the loss of the male ass in a pair of well-fitting jeans. While a well-displayed boxer can be alluring (and a boxer brief completely enticing) in the right circumstances, a higher cut pant with a less saggy ass puts me through the roof. Nowadays, it is almost impossible to buy pants that go up to the navel, and thank goodness for that. Leave camel toes on the hooves of our fine humped friends, I say. So I’m not talking about looking like Erkel, I’m simply talking about cleaning up your look, about going anti-grunge, if you will. You can have messy (messy, I said, not dirty!) hair, but don’t have messy clothes.

Here’s another tip: The best way to get company in your pants is to wear a pair of nice ones. I can’t tell you how many positive comments I hear from girls when they see a guy who has bothered to put on nice pants. I’m not saying to pull a Mick Jagger and wear women’s pants ( although if you can pull off that look…) or to give up your Fubus if that’s your deal. Nothing that extreme is necessary. A male friend of mine with killer street style wears oversized shirts with baggy jeans, but the jeans always look new, they’re well-tailored, and they have great detailing like a dark wash and sexy red stitching. Amazingly hot.

Fashion critics say this season is like Chekhov meeting the Addams family (now there’s a visual!). So put on Smashing Pumpkins’ Adoreand spend a little time considering your options. Wear dark jeans. Get a longer inseam and cuff them. Kill your purposely faded, whiskered American Eagle jeans. Take a hint from your emo friends – no, don’t start crying to the altar you made of your ex-girlfriend, put on a blazer and wear a skinny scarf or a tie. And if you can rock it comfortably, wear a vest. An argyle vest over a light blue button-up and under a blazer is a big look for this Fall season. DSquared2 and Diesel both featured that look on the runway, so don’t just take my word for it!

This season is not your father’s kind of conservative, it’s more “nouveau conservative,” with updated versions of classic items like vests, blazers, trench coats, plaids, and Henley shirts. The fall line is irreverent, layered, and labored. Start by rolling out of bed and looking sexily mussed, then put your outfit together on top of that. Dip a cautious toe into the accessory pool and wear a couple of faux military metals on a sweatshirt. And if you chose to follow the color wheel for fall, stick with mustard, maroon, navy, grey, brown, green, and lots of black.

Fashion is fantasy. I’m not talking Dungeons and Dragons or Pam Anderson with a can of whipped cream. I mean that just like a woman can transform herself in minutes into a plethora of different characters, so can men. If you have an inner rock star, get a pair of vintage shades and let him make an appearance. If you always wanted a leather jacket, now’s the time to buy it. Pick one or two pieces of clothing that are slightly uncharacteristic of the everyday you and take the plunge. Take chances with your clothes — not big chances, nothing involving feathers or gold lamé — just something daring enough to turn a few heads and give you that extra little something .

Upkeep – By Beau Taylor
I recently took a poll of female friends and asked them what their #1 pet peeve is about their male friends’ or lovers’ bodies or appearances. The answers that came back were enlightening, but not all that surprising. At the top of the list was, believe it or not, clean hands and finger nails. So get over the fear or the taboo and get a manicure/pedicure. They are inexpensive and feel wonderful. One note here, though, guys: NO POLISH whatsoever. Buffing, absolutely, but polish, NO WAY!

Now let’s start with hair and face from the top down. Need I state that, unless you are in a band called The Mullets, you shouldn’t have a mullet? No? Good. Today’s range of hair styles is vast, with many guys opting to shave most, if not all, of it off. However, get opinions on your locks from sources other than your own reflection. Building a comfortable relationship with a hair stylist or barber is key. Whatever your chosen look is, make sure it’s neat, clean, absolutely dandruff free and appropriate to your own style and audience. I recently walked past two young men dressed like members of Guns-n- Roses with hair styles to match. Head bangers may not be your style, but these guys looked great because their hair matched their overall look and they knew how to “work it.”

As far as product goes, men’s products are everywhere. If money is an issue and high-end department stores or salons aren’t an option, places like CVS or Walgreen’s will do quite nicely (don’t ever quote me on that!). So for the great low-cost products from the likes of Spa Sciences, Redken, and VO5, the general rule of thumb is to buy your shampoo and conditioner in two separate bottles (no 2-in-1 combos here, please). Before purchasing a styling product, be it gel, pomade, wax, etc., read the package to make sure you’re buying what’s right for the kind (and amount) of hair that you have on your head. A tiny tin of wax is great for styling a near-crew cut, but it’s going to do squat if yourhair is down past your collar. For those of you who are lucky enough to have something growing up there, take care of it! Quit smoking, consider taking a vitamin every once in a while, and use products that aren’t full of alcohol (here’s a trick – the closer the word “alcohol” is to the beginning of the list of ingredients on the back of the package, the more damaging the product is going to be to your hair and scalp). And don’t forget to use a good dandruff shampoo once a week to get rid of dry skin and gel build-up (yup, the stuff that makes the flakes) lest you need to resort to a good barnacle scraper after a few months.

One more bit of advice on hair: As hard as we try to keep it on our heads, that’s how hard we need to try to keep it away from other areas. For brows, underarms (they’re only “pits” if you don’t keep them nicely trimmed!), noses and ears, head to your local drugstore for trimmers specially designed for these delicate areas. And speaking of delicate areas, your nether regions deserve a little trimming, a little manscaping. Nothing drastic, just make sure the area is inviting, not scary.

Now take a glance around your gym locker room. You’ll notice, I hope, that your fellow men are no longer scrubbing their faces with the same bar they used on their stinky feet (thank goodness for small favors). Madison Avenue is capitalizing on the multi-billion dollar empire called men’s vanity, so now mild “manly” cleansers from Nivea, Neutrogena, and even Gillette are available on supermarket and drugstore shelves everywhere. Basics in this department are a separate facial cleansing product, toner or clarifier, and moisturizer. Men’s lines aren’t brain surgery, so just read the package. “Cleans and opens pores,” Tones and closes pores,” Moisturizes and seals pores.” It’s all about the pores. Simple, right? Well, actually it’s all about pores andmoisturizing, so also pick up a moisturizer, preferably one that already contains an SPF sunscreen. Unlike combo shampoos and conditioners, this is a good combo to have in the same bottle as it eliminates an additional step in your regime. After you start seeing the effects of a moisturizer, you might even be inspired to try morning and nighttime eye creams – and then, if you’re really getting into the whole idea and feeling brave, you might even want to make an appointment with a registered esthetician. Clear skin goes a long way towards making the entire you look pulled together and attractive.

Ah, scent. Let’s not forget that the French invented scent to cover stench, not to create stench. Don’t ever make your cologne so heavy it creates a stench. Go with that old phrase, “That’s a lovely scent, but must you marinatein it?!” And because we can’t always judge our scents on our own, ask a friend to take a whiff and tell you the truth. Experiment with a couple of scents, too, before you settle on your signature one, as scents interact differently with different body chemistries. Keep in mind that it’s a bad idea to buy colognes from a discount store – cologne is fragile, like wine, and can be bruised and spoiled by heat and rough handling. Buy bottles without spray applicators since spraying covers too much area and most of the cologne ends up in the air anyway. Instead, tip some onto your finger and apply sparingly to each side of your neck and at the collar bone, right where you would want someone to lean in for a closer inhale! Apply cologne (sparingly, remember) after toweling off from a shower and the scent will linger all day.

OK then, you’re on your way to a cleaner, tidier, more moisturized, better smelling, better coifed you. And trust me, the ladies will thank you – and, if you’re lucky, reward you for your efforts!