WHEN IT COMES to good grooming, guys usually catch a break. Forget to shave? A five o-clock shadow passes for scruffily sexy. (Not so much on a woman's legs.) Six months between haircuts? Shaggy hair equals surfer cool. Calloused hands? That';s a sign of a hard-working dude. But in an era of metrosexuals and a manly yet manicured president, those excuses start to fall flat. And, truthfully, there's no good way to justify those long yellow toenails hanging out of your flip-flops, Howard Hughes Jr.
A cabinet full of facial products isn't a stretch for a guy with a longtime subscription to Details mag. But can your average, Capitals-loving dad embrace the pore-cleansing mud mask? This reporter was slathered, scrubbed and softened by a bunch of treatments to see whether he could still feel like a man — even when sporting a good mani/pedi.
FIRST THERE WAS Coco Chanel. There there was Coco Moore, a most fashionable Sonic Youth offspring. And now there's Coco Perez. That's right, gossip biddies — to quote Sir Elton John, "the bitch is back," but in a whole new wardrobe.
Infamous celebrity blogger Perez Hilton expands his media empire with the launch of sister site Cocoperez.com, focusing on all things fashion and fashionable.
While he's usually the one asking the questions, we put on our most haute coutre press hats and turned the tables on the 31-year-old self-proclaimed "Queen of All Media" to get the scoop on his vogue new endeavor.
Continue Reading "Coo Coo for CocoPerez.com: Perez Hilton Talks About His New Web Site" »
MARK MCNAIRY KNOWS a little something about modern preppy style. The dapper New York designer not only has the Southern charm and classic taste natural for those raised in North Carolina, but he's also the man J. Press hired to revive its venerable Ivy League brand. This summer, he launched his own line of bench-made English shoes, from "dirty" suede bucks to two-tone spectators. The classic shoes (your grandpa probably had both) have been given a shot of au courant style via subversive colors and modern shapes made to be worn with your Monday-morning suit and your Friday-night jeans.
"The shoes are staples — well-made but not precious," McNairy says. "And that's really what this return to preppy is all about — hip kids that want quality pieces to mix into their everyday wardrobes." That translates into a look more Georgetowner-gone-hip than Biff on the boat dock.
Continue Reading "Beyond Button-Downs: Modernizing Preppy" »
SPRING WEATHER in D.C. can be as unpredictable as the stock market. Still, a few key items can see any dude through the ups and downs of the thermometer (and the economy). Men may not spend as much as women when it comes to a wardrobe overhaul, but it's a sound move for them to snag some classically cool pieces. "Guys might be buying less, but they're investing in quality basics," says Mauro Farinelli of Farinelli's. Smart bets: Cotton suits that work on suddenly sweltering days and trim shorts (without - gasp - cargo pockets) to serve as staples until fall. Here's our checklist of surefire buys. If only assembling a winning stock portfolio were this easy.
» 1. Tailored shorts, like Band of Outsiders' madras option ($230, Lost Boys, 1033 31st St. NW; 202-333-0093) and Woolrich Woolen Mills' Bermudas ($235, Farinelli's, 2839 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington; 703-647-9856), can be dressed up with wingtips and a button-down.
» 2. A scuba-style watch, such as this orange one by Armani Exchange ($195, Saks Fifth Avenue Men's Store, 5300 Wisconsin Ave. NW; 202-363-2059), is a playful alternative to a heavy metal 9-to-5 timepiece.
IF YOU BELIEVE the fine print boasting on its packaging, pheromone-enhanced Ten by Intense body lotion should leave its wearer irresistible to, well, just about anyone.
"Pheromones," the tube helpfully informs us, "are known to create sexual attractions between individuals." And Ten's two scoops of sexy are supposed to give the wearer "a boost of self-confidence and a secret weapon to attract others." All for just $30! (Buy it at Amazon.) Take that, self-help industry!
So it was with a twinge of excitement, coupled with a sensation of dread, that we slathered some on — watch out, that goop flies out fast — and bravely stepped out into the world.
And that's where our heightened expectations met cold reality. Our boosted self-confidence began to ebb when, predictably, we weren't mobbed by attractive people lured to our side by Ten's pleasing baby formula-meets-cotton candy scent.
The only unusual attention we received was from a tourist dude in a Gilligan hat on the Metro who kept elbowing us in the side as he read his newspaper, and a creepy guy at Safeway whose focused gaze bored into our soul. Which, at least for a moment, made us wish we didn't smell so nice.
WE HANDED THE Dermalogica Shave System to a male tester whose shaving habits were only slightly more sophisticated than Barbasol and a disposable Bic.
Despite the fact that the combination of Pre Shave Guard ($16, see Dermalogica.com for stores) and Soothing Shave Cream ($16) continually clogged his razor, he deemed the pair "pretty good" and thought the Post Shave Balm ($26) was "kinda slimy but nice." This guy is so articulate he should be doing Geico commercials. Ugg like shave goo! Ooga!
Written by Express contributor Erin Clements Rushing
THE SPICY-SMELLING Aveda Men Pure-Formance Exfoliating Shampoo ($24, Aveda.com) claims to be a veritable full spa treatment for the male head. First, walnut grains and jojoba beads exfoliate the scalp ("It was like shampooing with sand," said one tester). Then it soothes the skin it just scrubbed the bejesus out of with some other food-related ingredients, like licorice extract.
Our victim, who has very thick hair, couldn't figure out how to tell whether it worked, speculating that perhaps you need a crew-cut or a bald spot to feel the full effect. And to wash it out effectively,— he had to rinse for longer than usual to get the grains out.
IF HE KNOWS what's good for him, your guy's about to lay down some major dough. Since you're going to have to reciprocate in one way or another, you might as well get him a Valentine's Day present you'll enjoy, too. Follow our gift guide, and he'll smell good, look good, broaden his movie repertoire and serve drinks sans Solo cups. No word yet on advancements in the field of ESPN repellent.
HERE'S AN ARGUMENT no couple should die without having: Is "Converse" a plural or singular noun? Example: "Honey, should I refer to those two pairs of stinky, disgusting Chuck Taylors as your 'Converse' or your 'Converses'?" Conversi? Conversices? Conversae? A complete declension of this noun is probably impossible, but the question still stands.
Of course, to stage this debate, one must first have multiple pairs of the sneaker in question. And even the canvas ones are pricey these days — a pair of low-top men's Chucks (also known as All Stars) are $42 at Zappos.com.
Thus, the opening of the Converse online outlet is a major deal for fans. Go to Converse.com/outlet for nearly 400 styles; the ones pictured cost, from top down, $28 (from $47), $36 (from $60) and $33 (from $55). We suggest the uppermost pair, which depicts tiny broken hearts, for the spinster in your life.
As if that's not enough from the confusingly named brand, a new line of One Star clothes and shoes is selling at Target. (One Stars look like All Stars with a few differences in grommets, stitching, etc.) The six men's pairs go for $30 to $40.
And we say the plural's just "Converse."
Photos courtesy Converse.com
"SURE, THERE'S A MEN'S WAREHOUSE, but how frequently does one need a new suit? What I'm talking about are a wider variety of stores to browse where there is a good chance of finding something worth buying. Hell, if they put in a Banana Republic, that would probably cover 80% of my wardrobe right there."
— Local blogger Silver Spring Singular decrying the state of shopping for men in downtown Silver Spring.» "Where the Stores Aren't" [Silver Spring Singular]
File photo by James M. Thresher/The Washington Post
Addison Road