I Said I Wasn't Done Yet!

Currently Listening To :: What Can I Say :: Van Hunt

To revisit the last paragraph from my last post, I was alluding to the fact that despite once the hype is gone, said "thing" is up for inspection. That way I don't get caught up in the bells and whistles of advertising, the overtly evil editorial mentions and store recommendations designed to move units. I speak with an increased sense of ambivalence in the hope this will make me immune to boring marketing campaigns which simply put products in front of you and believe that somehow more features, longer lifespan or "magical ingredients" will make me whip out the Visa and go, me too!

Let's do a simple case study.

When the emergence of the buzzword "metrosexual" appeared on the mass-cultural landscape, there was a groundswell of activity. Grooming content in magazines jumped, sport stars appeared on TV openly discussing fashion, while the words "double digit growth" was on the lips of every marketeer and retailer.

In the words of it's definer Mark Simpson: "The typical metrosexual is a young man with money to spend, living in or within easy reach of a metropolis — because that's where all the best shops, clubs, gyms and hairdressers are. He might be officially gay, straight or bisexual, but this is utterly immaterial because he has clearly taken himself as his own love object and pleasure as his sexual preference." While written in 2002, his article "Here come the mirror men," from The Independent, November 15, 1994 was the first mention of the word.

Well, being the young, well-off, dapper dresser and faultless groomer that I am, naturally people were going to dub me metrosexual. However, to be honest, I just wasn't that into me. Sure there's a three step process. Matching colours does make for a better outfit. And of course, having a style director and colour technician handle my hair is worth the extra money over just your run-of-the-mill stylist (but then, Toni&Guy is, like, so this morning.)

*Ahem*. That's right; technically, this laziness combined with my overt lack of narssistic behaviour regarding my overall appearence makes me fall outside the definitive metrosexual. BUT, even more so, what irked me was the hype surrounding that word.

With the hype having died around mens grooming et al, it's now safe to crawl out from under my anti-hype bunker and finally buy my Clarins for Men face care products. But a step process? Everyday? You have to be kidding me.

For the record, I'm momentarily adopting the term retrosexual. Watch this space.