Thread: Isn't this all a bit foppish?

I understand keeping ones self clean! Clipped nails, shaved face, clean body, tidy beard if you have one, but what of all the smells, soaps, creams, after shaves. Where do we draw the line? I've seen pictures of the bathrooms of some of us here and some of us have more aftershaves and soaps than most women have make up, perfume, and hair stuff. Oh! And all the mens hair stuff at the local pharmacy is just overwhelming. when did we become so overly concerned with our appearance and where do you personally draw the line?

Also are their any men left with simple tastes and simple wants anymore or are we all so self obsessed these days?

Why must we draw the line? I like to look good, especially in a world where looks get you far. I've always felt myself a dandy though, so maybe I don't get to reply here

Originally Posted by Quick Orange

Why must we draw the line? I like to look good, especially in a world where looks get you far. I've always felt myself a dandy though, so maybe I don't get to reply here

Yeah, it's a fine line between being a gentleman and being a metrosexual, at least that's what the wife says

Well, I am a fairly simple man with simple pleasures. A lot of the male grooming stuff is lost on me because I have no hair.

Some days I like to smell good - important meetings, giving talks etc. I will wear aftershave then, or put on something smelly. But as a general rule I wear deodorant and that is it.

Face creams, exfoliating scrubs, body butters - these are all things I draw the line at. Not because I think it is somehow unmanly to use them, but more because I believe they are pointless consumerist crap foisted on a gullible public by the cynical "health and beauty" industry. This is the same industry whose commercials use 17 year old super models to advertise anti-wrinkle creams, and airbrush imperfections out of pictures....

What ever happened to growing old gracefully? I like the bit of silver coming into my beard. I like the laugh lines around my eyes and mouth. And I like that my wife and I can experience and share the aging process together, and have a laugh along the way at my ever-increasing levels of back hair!!

James.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

What ever happened to growing old gracefully? I like the bit of silver coming into my beard. I like the laugh lines around my eyes and mouth. And I like that my wife and I can experience and share the aging process together, and have a laugh along the way at my ever-increasing levels of back hair!!

James.

Here here!!

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Well, I am a fairly simple man with simple pleasures. A lot of the male grooming stuff is lost on me because I have no hair.

Some days I like to smell good - important meetings, giving talks etc. I will wear aftershave then, or put on something smelly. But as a general rule I wear deodorant and that is it.

Face creams, exfoliating scrubs, body butters - these are all things I draw the line at. Not because I think it is somehow unmanly to use them, but more because I believe they are pointless consumerist crap foisted on a gullible public by the cynical "health and beauty" industry. This is the same industry whose commercials use 17 year old super models to advertise anti-wrinkle creams, and airbrush imperfections out of pictures....

What ever happened to growing old gracefully? I like the bit of silver coming into my beard. I like the laugh lines around my eyes and mouth. And I like that my wife and I can experience and share the aging process together, and have a laugh along the way at my ever-increasing levels of back hair!!

James.

Yeah, what he said...
Jimbo, as far as I'm concerned, is right on the money. Looks get you far, but only so far...

I draw the line on anything that involves wax, that is mildly related to make-up or just a bit metrosexual. I consider myself a gentleman. I like to wear cologne (Burbery, the original is my all time favourite), and I need lip balms and some sort of moisturizer for my dry skin... otherwise I'll just be a sand-paper man in a tweed suit...

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Some days I like to smell good - important meetings, giving talks etc. I will wear aftershave then, or put on something smelly. But as a general rule I wear deodorant and that is it.

Yep. I fall into this category as well.

You?

Originally Posted by JMS

Also are their any men left with simple tastes and simple wants anymore or are we all so self obsessed these days?

(I'm editing myself - was going off on a rant about self-obsession and egoism in society today but that's a subject for a different thread.)
On topic, I have a puck of VDH soap, a couple of Collleen's sample pucks, a tube of Proraso and a tube of Musgo Real, Afta after shave, Mennen after shave, and 6 colognes I've collected from b'days and Christmasses. I like to look good and smell good but the "metrosexual" thing leaves me decidedly cold. Manicures, pedicures, facials and the like are for women. The most thought I give to my appearance (aside from the inevitable when I look in the mirror first thing in the morning ) is to "look respectable". Can't really define that but I know what it is and it doesn't have anything to do with skin food, buffing or butters.

Originally Posted by clrobert60

(I'm editing myself - was going off on a rant about self-obsession and egoism in society today but that's a subject for a different thread.)
On topic, I have a puck of VDH soap, a couple of Collleen's sample pucks, a tube of Proraso and a tube of Musgo Real, Afta after shave, Mennen after shave, and 6 colognes I've collected from b'days and Christmasses. I like to look good and smell good but the "metrosexual" thing leaves me decidedly cold. Manicures, pedicures, facials and the like are for women. The most thought I give to my appearance (aside from the inevitable when I look in the mirror first thing in the morning ) is to "look respectable". Can't really define that but I know what it is and it doesn't have anything to do with skin food, buffing or butters.

Have you ever had a pedicure or a facial? Obviously you don't get it for beauty purposes, but it makes your feet and face feel pretty damn good. The added bonus is that if you do it with your significant other, she'll brag about you to her friends. This helps immensely in times of need (see Ray G's thread about Old Spice).