Monday, November 14, 2005

Egads, I'm In Style Again


I have all the personal style of a stopped clock. My wardrobe is full of such ancient oddities as tawny buck saddle shoes, wing tips, penny loafers, two-button suits, button-down shirts, sweaters and tweed jackets, some of which are 15 years old. On the weekends I favor a polo shirt topped off with a college sweatshirt and sneakers. Sometimes I even wear pants.
As my younger sister told me recently after I hadn't seen her for 3 years: "You look exactly the same. And I mean exactly the same. You always look exactly the same." I don't know whether she meant this as a compliment, but I can't see getting worked up about it. Like that stopped clock, sooner or later I'll be back in style.

Well, it appears from this piece in the San Francisco Chronical that that day may be coming sooner rather than later.

Trend-surfers, beware!

The time has come, as it must for all labels, for the word metrosexual to fade into the dustbin of history. Now this media-driven group of men must step aside as sensitive-guy icons and make room for the latest in alleged masculine heroes: ubersexuals.

The use of metrosexuality as an identifier, like "Generation X" and, inevitably, "Generation Y," has spread impossibly fast since the term became popular two years ago as a way to categorize straight guys who apply moisturizer, tweeze their eyebrows and get facials.

The new ideal, according to veteran trend-spotting promoters Marian Salzman, Ira Matathia and Ann O'Reilly, as described in their new book, "The Future of Men," is ubersexuality. The word means a "return to the positive characteristics of the Real Man of yesteryear (strong, resolute, fair)," according to the writers, who helped spread the word on metrosexuality in the first place.

Unlike metrosexuals, who the authors now claim risk being seen as "sad sacks" who seem "incapable of retaining their sense of manhood," ubersexuals are confident, rugged and influential.

Heh. John Kerry. Heh.

Any how, I've always thought of myself a "Real Man of Yesteryear." Of course yesteryear was a long time ago, and now I'm just an "Old Man of Yes, Dear." Nevertheless, this trend towards male masculinity is a healthy sign for the nation. It also means that I don't have to throw away my favorite jeans with the holes in them for another couple of years. Rugged, indeed.

6 comments:

Cassandra said...

There is something very endearing about a man who is comfortable with himself.

It's called "classic", and it never goes out of style.

Anonymous said...

Oh helk. I had a snark about the holes in the jeans and couldn't make it work.

As it is, jeans and comfortably classy go hand in hand.

spd rdr said...

"Classic?"
God, what has happened to the rebel in me? I'm not "classic," Cass. Jurassic, maybe. But more like just plain lazy.

portia said...

I've never been attracted to men who own more shoes more than I do. However, fessin' up to a "mindset" shared by Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and *sigh* George Clooney, well, that's downright sexy...with or without the pants:)

Cassandra said...

*sigh* Not classic as in '3-piece suit classic'.

Classic as in 'classic masculine behavior', capiche?

I give up.

Anonymous said...

Oooh. I know. The comfy jeans with an old sweater and sneakers type.

Or Mr. Brawny...

*ducking and running*