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April 24, 2007
The Five Statesmen
Socialsexuals is a term I made up to describe the 5 different groups of men who's identity can be easily characterized by their look and lifestyle. In general they share some common characteristics. They're stylish and fashion conscious. They're sometimes mistaken for and labeled gay. They are also better groomed than the "average" man. Most importantly, each one makes a bold statement. They stand out and that's why I call them Statesmen. So here's my breakdown of who's who and what's what in order of appearance.
EDUSEXUAL
They're the rarest of the socialsexuals. They have a strong desire to constantly learn thus their whole identity is fueled by it. Intellect is their modus operandam. They have a wonderful sense of self even tho they may not be as physically attractive as other socialsexuals. Their clothes are relaxed and harken to a collegiate life. Edusexuals possess the unique ability to mix and match clothes that seemingly don't match. Their grooming habits are also more relaxed. They keep their faces clean shaven and trim their body hair. The most they do with their hair is leave-conditioner and a light texturizer. Edusexuals are mostly found in suburban or college towns away from the big cities.
UBERSEXUAL
The ubersexuals are often confused with metrosexuals but they deserve a classification all their own. For starters, they're all incredibly fit. Their hairless bodies are chiseled and muscular thanks to a personal trainer. They're well traveled, cultured and incredibly respectful. They usually wear their hair short and keep it clean cut - nothing too fussy. Clothing is body conscious, usually tailored and expensive. They all share an affinity for high fashion and have no problems sporting large man-bags which contain water, vitamins, extra clothing, hand creme, lip conditioner, cologne and a smaller bag. Their skin is flawless from countless hours spent with a befriended Dermatologist and Cosmetologist. The most distinguishing characteristic of an ubersexual is confidence - the most dynamic, masculine, stylish, uncompromising and intimidating of all socialsexuals. They can be found in large cities in upper-class neighborhoods.
METROSEXUAL
The most well known of all socialsexuals, the metrosexual can be characterized as having an obsession with their appearance - sometimes grooming well beyond anything nature intended. Examples are shaped eyebrows, tans, styled and color treated hair. This misleads people to label them gay. They also follow trends more so than any other socialsexual spending a significant amount of money on clothing. This also extends into their lifestyle habits. They're trendy and always want the newest, hottest and latest. Some metrosexuals also wear make-up, not to hide flaws, but to accentuate their features. They also love accessories as it further helps distinguish their look. They stand out in crowds and are often admired by many women. Metrosexuals were once only found in urban cities but are now so prolific, can be found anywhere.
ECOSEXUAL
They're one of the newer statesmen to arrive on the scene. A number of recent events led to their birth, namely organic clothing finally reaching high fashion and the current trend to "go green". They're characterized as being extremely eco-friendly and environmentally conscience. Their morals and principals dictate their lifestyle which sets them apart from other socialsexuals. All clothing comes from organic cottons, hemp and other plant fibers. Their shoes come from a blend of plant fibers and recycled materials like plastic. They're fashionable but not as loud as other socialsexuals since their clothes only use organic dyes and environmentally friendly manufacturing processes. Totes and man-bags also come standard but again, only made from plant fibers or recycled materials. They're well groomed but the most relaxed of all socialsexuals, sometimes letting facial grow beyond the 12 o'clock barrier. Their most notable characteristic is the need to talk, sometimes preach the values of conservation and research for clean energy. Expect their homes to use the most energy efficient appliances and if they're not driving a hybrid, you'll find them riding a bike. They're mostly found in the west and north west United States and parts of Scandinavia.
TECHNOSEXUAL
This statesmen is not the geek or nerd many mislabel them as. They have a strong aesthetic sense just like other socialsexuals but also have a love for gadgets and technology. They're technophiles that have become metrosexual. They're characterized by having not only tons of gadgets, but the desire to have the latest and greatest. Like other socialsexuals, they have deep pockets but spend most it on electronics instead of clothes. They're technology's early adopters. What makes them technosexuals are the grooming and fashion habits found in other socialsexuals. Clothes are important but they prefer the casual approach. They care about their hair and skin just the same but again, take the relaxed approach. They don't heavily accessorize like metrosexuals but their man-bags are all about utility, often eschewing designer names for something that charges all their electronic goodies inside. The technosexual is hard to find in the wild since it detaches them from their computers, but many can be found online chatting. Many of them also have their own blogs and love to post their thoughts all over the blogsphere. Speaking of which, only technosexuals understand terminology like "blogsphere, AJAX, mark-up, IPTV, solid state memory, etc.
Posted by tranism at 7:30 PM | Permalink
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April 13, 2007
Say No To Jeans & Dress Shoes
I will be a fashion snob right now and tell you guys, STOP WEARING DRESS SHOES WITH JEANS! Sure it's the easy way out. You want to stay comfortable and casual but dress it up a bit. This is just plain wrong and I want to beat down the man in Milan who came up with it. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!
Everywhere I look I see this atrocity. Young guys, older guys, cute guys and guys on vacation. If you're going to wear nice shoes, WEAR IT WITH NICE PANTS. Enough said.
All guys who march to their own drum beat can ignore this post. I know you're wild and don't follow any rules. This is just an FYI for the guys that follow mainstream.
My rant is done.
Posted by tranism at 12:22 PM | Permalink
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April 8, 2007
Bespoke Social Suicide
When you think about bespoke suits, you think of Saville Row in London. You think finely tailored clothes custom made to fit every nuance of your body. You think of the classics when men were gentlemen and the cut of their clothes defined class. So what happens when a man used to wearing ball gowns and tiaras in corporate meetings clashes with the world of Bespoke? You get Social Suicide.
One half behind the duo, Simon Waterfall (isn't his name awesome!) wore those ball gowns as an anti-statement until one day he couldn't wear them anymore. Suits are the order of the day when conducting business but Simon didn't want an ordinary suit so he started cutting, slashing and painting. Fast forward a little and we have the birth of Social Suicide; custom tailored clothing with funny and bold social statements .
Blazers with an AK-47 rifle sewn into the shoulder to look like you're packin' major heat. Suits with slashes strategically placed in key areas inspired by sharks. A suit with an embroidered bouquet on the back made to look like you're holding it when you reach around - a statement about legalizing gay marriages.
Aside from the social statements, these suits are bespoke made by London's best tailors. The craftsmanship can be seen in all the little details. Unique to the line are inventive touches like collar stiffeners, modified dress shirts that tuck into pants without all the extra bulk around the waist and invisible pockets in your cuffs to hold business cards.
The best part about this line is its price with suits starting at just £200. Saville Row bespoke suits usually start at £2,000. I'm fawning over the jacket inspired by the scouts and can't wait for my planned tripped to London next year.
via PingMag
More pictures after the jump.
Posted by tranism at 1:24 PM | Permalink
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April 6, 2007
A Handsfree Handbag
Blurring the lines between a bag and clothing, Arret a Porter is functional fashion. The bell sleeve is actually a compartment accessed by a zipper. The wearer slips it on like a sling but from certain angles, it looks more like a fashionable clothing accessory.
via Yanko Design
Posted by tranism at 4:13 PM | Permalink
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April 4, 2007
Risky But Doable
Just a little fashion warning. If you can pull off a horizontal striped hoodie without looking wrong, then you my friend are a rare breed. They're on sale now at Urban Outfitters for $19.
So why are horizontal stripes risky? They either make you look fat or too skinny. In fact the only guys who can wear it are the ones with average builds, broad shoulders and a medium length torso. AVERAGE people, not slightly overweight, not muscular, not skinny - just average.
Posted by tranism at 12:45 PM | Permalink
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