Site search
sponsored by
Home
News
ENLARGE
Jim Grant / Tahoe Daily Tribune / Francisco Rodriguez, owner of Rain Urbana Lifestyle Couture, fits a mannequin with a pair of True Religion jeans, a Trunk Ltd. shirt and a Diesel sweat shirt.
Francisco Rodriguez has seen more men come into his store looking for stylish, modern clothing, especially after they received rave reviews from females while on their first foray into fashion.Photo:4236666,right;
As the co-owner for Rain Urbana Lifestyle Couture clothing store, Rodriguez has witnessed a growing phenomenon: men's adoption of traditionally female habits, termed by some as "metrosexual." And besides the growing male interest in fashion, a new study has found more men are insecure of their role in society, a trend that creates a quandary for advertisers.
"What I'm seeing is at first the guy who hasn't gotten his feet wet walks in and sees stuff and is a little intimidated. I think deep down he wants to know about fashion," Rodriguez said. "Basically what I say all the time is we're always putting the training wheels on the guys."
This year the international advertising agency Leo Burnett Worldwide - with a client list that includes McDonald's and Heinz ketchup - released a "man study" Thursday titled "Metros vs. Retros: Are Marketers Missing Real Men?" Surveying more than 2,000 men from 13 countries, the report noted many men's uncertainty in their roles and a perceived decrease of societal dominance.
"The shift from manufacturing to information economies, the arrival of empowered women in the workforce, new patterns of consumption and evolved family dynamics have had a deep impact on men's lives," the report states.
"We appear to be witnessing a new experience of male insecurity and confusion. Half of all men in the research agreed that their role in society is unclear. This ranged from 36 percent of Indian men to a staggering 64 percent of French men."
Likewise, 50 percent of American men surveyed stated they were unsure of their place in society, the report stated.
Four types of male personalities were examined, with one-quarter identifying themselves as metrosexuals, or those who care about appearance and exhibit feminine traits.
The three others types - retros, patriarchs and power seekers - are more traditional male types with concerns centering on being the breadwinner, caring for family and focusing on careers.
Scott Lukas has his own moniker for the metrosexual identity manufactured with the help of popular culture: consumer masculinity. Chair of the sociology and anthropology at Lake Tahoe Community College, Lukas has taught classes on gender roles and issues.
As the co-owner for Rain Urbana Lifestyle Couture clothing store, Rodriguez has witnessed a growing phenomenon: men's adoption of traditionally female habits, termed by some as "metrosexual." And besides the growing male interest in fashion, a new study has found more men are insecure of their role in society, a trend that creates a quandary for advertisers.
"What I'm seeing is at first the guy who hasn't gotten his feet wet walks in and sees stuff and is a little intimidated. I think deep down he wants to know about fashion," Rodriguez said. "Basically what I say all the time is we're always putting the training wheels on the guys."
This year the international advertising agency Leo Burnett Worldwide - with a client list that includes McDonald's and Heinz ketchup - released a "man study" Thursday titled "Metros vs. Retros: Are Marketers Missing Real Men?" Surveying more than 2,000 men from 13 countries, the report noted many men's uncertainty in their roles and a perceived decrease of societal dominance.
"The shift from manufacturing to information economies, the arrival of empowered women in the workforce, new patterns of consumption and evolved family dynamics have had a deep impact on men's lives," the report states.
"We appear to be witnessing a new experience of male insecurity and confusion. Half of all men in the research agreed that their role in society is unclear. This ranged from 36 percent of Indian men to a staggering 64 percent of French men."
Likewise, 50 percent of American men surveyed stated they were unsure of their place in society, the report stated.
Four types of male personalities were examined, with one-quarter identifying themselves as metrosexuals, or those who care about appearance and exhibit feminine traits.
The three others types - retros, patriarchs and power seekers - are more traditional male types with concerns centering on being the breadwinner, caring for family and focusing on careers.
Scott Lukas has his own moniker for the metrosexual identity manufactured with the help of popular culture: consumer masculinity. Chair of the sociology and anthropology at Lake Tahoe Community College, Lukas has taught classes on gender roles and issues.
Lines are being blurred, Lukas said, with hit television shows like "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and cultural icons such as pretty boys David Beckham, George Clooney and Brad Pitt frosting their hair or getting manicures.
"They're doing things not (in) tradition what straight men would do," Lukas said.
Yet there is a return of emphasized masculinity, Lukas contended. His examples included President Bush dressing in a flight suit during his infamous "Mission Accomplished" speech on an aircraft carrier and the emergence of Arnold Schwarzenegger in politics.
Add in domestic violence rates, existing wage discrepancies between men and women and traditional male-dominated career fields, Lukas believes the reality is more differences than similarities still exist among the genders.
"I don't think anything has really changed," he said.
At the high school level there is a difference. More boys are embracing pink clothing, wearing formal clothing and showing off their underwear, said fashion teacher Laurel Brock.
"Even the jeans. They're dark jeans, not ripped-up, shredded," Brock said. "They're nice jeans."
Brock attributes the style to an increased confidence level among male students. It's a fad, she said, and no so prevalent in Tahoe as other areas.
"I think it's a city trend. I don't think our area has the money or the appeal to create it here as much," she said.
The style is an issue in metropolitan areas, such as New York. Last Sunday the New York Times ran a piece titled "Gay or Straight? Hard to Tell."
Authored by David Colman, the story was the top e-mailed story days after its publication and was eighth on the list Thursday.
"They're doing things not (in) tradition what straight men would do," Lukas said.
Yet there is a return of emphasized masculinity, Lukas contended. His examples included President Bush dressing in a flight suit during his infamous "Mission Accomplished" speech on an aircraft carrier and the emergence of Arnold Schwarzenegger in politics.
Add in domestic violence rates, existing wage discrepancies between men and women and traditional male-dominated career fields, Lukas believes the reality is more differences than similarities still exist among the genders.
"I don't think anything has really changed," he said.
At the high school level there is a difference. More boys are embracing pink clothing, wearing formal clothing and showing off their underwear, said fashion teacher Laurel Brock.
"Even the jeans. They're dark jeans, not ripped-up, shredded," Brock said. "They're nice jeans."
Brock attributes the style to an increased confidence level among male students. It's a fad, she said, and no so prevalent in Tahoe as other areas.
"I think it's a city trend. I don't think our area has the money or the appeal to create it here as much," she said.
The style is an issue in metropolitan areas, such as New York. Last Sunday the New York Times ran a piece titled "Gay or Straight? Hard to Tell."
Authored by David Colman, the story was the top e-mailed story days after its publication and was eighth on the list Thursday.
The immediate embrace by straight men for gay looks has people confused on who is hetreosexual and who is homosexual. Or, as Colman put it, placed "gaydar - that totally unscientific sixth sense that many people rely on to tell if a man is gay or straight - as outmoded as Windows 2000," Colman wrote.
In France, which had the highest rate of male insecurity, a few anonymous men provided comments to the advertising study.
In the end feminism has turned us all into women," one man shared.
"Since women are the men's future, we have to adapt, change our nature, womanize ourselves," another commented.
The study's assessment for marking companies is to change, especially since three-quarters of men interviewed stated male representation in advertising is inauthentic.
Tom Bernardin, chairman and chief executive officer of Leo Burnett Worldwide, said marketing agencies need to rethink their approach to male advertisements.
"As the world is drifting toward a more feminine perspective, many of the social constructs men have taken for granted are undergoing significant shifts or being outright dismantled, Bernardin stated in a press release. "It's a confusing time, not just for men, but for marketers as well as they try to target and depict men meaningfully."
The report offers tips to advertisers on how to adapt. They included ignoring media clichés of men, focus on a man's masculinity and being aware of the societal affects on the changing man.
As Rodriguez, co-owner of the modern clothing store at Heavenly Village noted, the motive of most his straight-male customers in buying higher-cost clothing is to simply add an advantage in the game of love.
"I think it goes back to the response they're getting from the opposite sex because these guys are not gay," he said.
- E-mail William Ferchland at wferchland@tahoedailytribune.com
In France, which had the highest rate of male insecurity, a few anonymous men provided comments to the advertising study.
In the end feminism has turned us all into women," one man shared.
"Since women are the men's future, we have to adapt, change our nature, womanize ourselves," another commented.
The study's assessment for marking companies is to change, especially since three-quarters of men interviewed stated male representation in advertising is inauthentic.
Tom Bernardin, chairman and chief executive officer of Leo Burnett Worldwide, said marketing agencies need to rethink their approach to male advertisements.
"As the world is drifting toward a more feminine perspective, many of the social constructs men have taken for granted are undergoing significant shifts or being outright dismantled, Bernardin stated in a press release. "It's a confusing time, not just for men, but for marketers as well as they try to target and depict men meaningfully."
The report offers tips to advertisers on how to adapt. They included ignoring media clichés of men, focus on a man's masculinity and being aware of the societal affects on the changing man.
As Rodriguez, co-owner of the modern clothing store at Heavenly Village noted, the motive of most his straight-male customers in buying higher-cost clothing is to simply add an advantage in the game of love.
"I think it goes back to the response they're getting from the opposite sex because these guys are not gay," he said.
- E-mail William Ferchland at wferchland@tahoedailytribune.com
Survey results of more than 2,000 men around the globe on their identity, and other info
-- 56 percent consider themselves handsome
-- 36 percent enjoy shopping for new clothes
-- 15 percent enjoy getting manicures
-- 28 percent said their ultimate fantasy is ending world hunger followed by 26 percent wanting to be a world famous athlete
-- According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 1.2 million men had plastic surgery in 2003, up 28 percent from the prior year
-- Men's products accounted for $4 billion of the $33.5 billion U.S. personal care market
-- Men consist of 23 percent of America's 15 million Yoga enthusiasts, a portion that's doubled in the last two years
Source: Leo Burnett 2005 Man Study
For information on the study, visit: http://www.leoburnett.com/manstudy/home.htm
