Cultural and Social Implications of Metrosexual Mode
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Journal of Fashion Business Vol. 10, No. 3, pp.117~128(2006) Cultural and Social Implications of Metrosexual Mode Oh, Yun-Jeong* ․ Cho, Kyu-Hwa Candidate for Ph.D., Dept. of Clothing and Textiles, Ewha Womans University* Professor,Dept.ofClothingandTextiles,EwhaWomansUniversity Abstract The purpose of this study was to understand changes of the current young generation's lifestyle, aesthetic attitude for an appearance, and way of thinking by making a close investigation into metrosexual, the recent mode, and find out its culturalandsocial implications. As a method of the study, the literature and the Internet datawerereviewed. Articles from newspapers, magazines and the Internet were chosen roughly from the year 2000 to now because metrosexual mode remarkably boomed before and after 2000. Books related to the theory on the mode in a costume culture were referred. Also, articles in daily newspapers which dealt with cultural and social issues were reviewed, fashion magazines for men such as Esquire and GQ showing the new trend in men's lifestyle and fashion were examined, and the Internet providing us the latest news from cultural and social topics to fashion trends were investigated. The backgrounds of the rise of metrosexualmodewerea collapse of stereotypes in various fields, spread of lookism in a visual image period, extension of commercialism, and expansion of men's character casual trend. Metrosexual was defined as an urban male with a strong aesthetic sense who spends a great deal of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle. His fashion style was characterized by slim and flowing silhouette, feminine and luxurious materials such as transparent chiffon, silk and cotton with a light and soft touch, and a knitted wear with a flowing line,awide variety of vivid and pastel colors, floral and geometric patterns, and the decorative details likelace,beads,embroidery,andfur.Fromspreadofthismode,twocultural and social implications were extracted. Firstly, the current young generation's aesthetic standards for the perfect man changed from macho man to considerate man who had a good appearance and this suggested that a conventional sex role broke down. Secondly, men began to explore for their own identity escaping from traditionally standardized masculinity that they had been forced to follow. Key Words : metrosexual, aesthetic, lifestyle, appearance, implication Ⅰ.Introduction because our contemporaries accept some silhouettes or colors as a beautiful or desirable thing and The mode in a costume culture does not spread this has a great deal of significance in that in a society by accident. It becomes popular appearance of a mode includes the spirit of the 117 Journal of Fashion Business Vol.10, No.3 times.1) The purpose of this study was to understand Gabrielle Chanel, the representative fashion changes of the current young generation's designer who led the mode of the 1920s, lifestyle, aesthetic attitude for an appearance designed simple, functional, and active style and and way of thinking by making a close it included women's yearning for emancipation investigation into metrosexual and find out its and independence at that time.2) Mini style of cultural and social implications. the 1960s-the young were demanding a wardrobe As contents of the study, firstly, the of their own to suit their lifestyle3)-was backgrounds of the rise of metrosexual were extraordinarily sensational by the innovative reviewed. They were a collapse of stereotypes in boldness and a extremely miniaturized design various fields, spread of lookism in a visual and it contained aesthetics of modernism image period, extension of commercialism, and seeking for geometric form and optimistic expansion of men's character casual trend. anticipation for the promising future by Secondly, definition and characteristics of technological development.4) metrosexual were examined. Finally, cultural and Fromaboveexamples,thecurrentmodeis social implications of metrosexual were discussed. also supposed to include dominant mind of the Firstly, the current young generation's aesthetic present time. That is, a deep study on a standards for the perfect man changed from prevailing mode is helpful to understand the macho man to considerate man who had a spirit of the present generation. Here is a rapidly good appearance and this suggested that a growing trend, metrosexual, the current men's conventional sex role broke down. Secondly, mode. men began to explore for their own identity Recently appearances of male models in the escaping from traditionally standardized masculinity advertisements changed a lot from those of the that they had been forced to follow. previous ones. They have a pretty look with a Asamethodofthestudy,theliteratureand fair skin and are interested in their fashion and theInternetdatawerereviewed.Articlesfrom beauty so much as well as making a slender newspapers, magazines and the Internet were figure. These men are called 'metrosexual'. The chosen roughly from the year 2000 to now current young men yearn to look like because metrosexual mode remarkably boomed metrosexual. They prefer a cute appearance with before and after 2000. Books related to the asoftskintoamanlyappearancewitha theoryonthemodeinacostumeculturewere tanned skin. This trend shows changes of young referred. Also, articles in daily newspapers which generation's way of thinking by those of their dealt with cultural and social issues were preferred styles and especially it settles down as reviewed and especially photos and reports necessary etiquette for smart men beyond a showninstyleandfashionsectioninthe mode as a taste at the beginning of a new International Herald Tribune were very helpful to millenium. This is a noticeable change compared check out the latest style regularly. Fashion with when men caring their appearances were magazinesformensuchasEsquireandGQ looked at with contempt and the study on this showing the new trend in men's lifestyle and trendhasasignificanceasawaytofindout fashion were examined and the Internet new spirit of the present time. providing us the latest news from cultural and 118 Oh, Yun-Jeong․ Cho, Kyu-Hwa / Cultural and Social Implications of Metrosexual Mode social topics to fashion trends were investigated. several stereotypes in animations. Usually, heros Particularly, the Internet data were mostly referred and heroines or good-natured people have a and frequently quoted because metrosexual was good appearance and wicked people have an a newly appeared trend and the Internet quickly ugly face. But Shrek, a hero in this animation updated information that could not find out from was neither handsome nor wise. He was very the other types of data. ugly, fat, and dull. And the princess Fiona, a heroine of this animation, had a very active, tough, and wild character. That was quite Ⅱ.BackgroundofSpread different from a typical princess, a heroine in a of Metrosexual Mode animation, who was so passive and feminine. Moreover, when the black magic was removed, she changed from a beautiful princess to an First of all, a collapse of stereotypes in ugly monster, not from an ugly monster to a various fields was behind the rising of beautiful princess as was usual with general metrosexual mode. It was said that new items animations. such as hot ice cream, colorful flour and There is another example. A traditional way of drinking vitamin which broke the existing thinking related to sexuality have some stereotypes. stereotypes were popular by the news of For example, men have to be strong or women chosun.com on May 20, 2004.5) These kind of should be pretty. But this kind of fixed idea is novel products appeared as a competitive edge gradually disappearing in these days. Instead, to meet consumers' diversified demands and men and women who accept some characteristics played an important role in opening consumers' of the other sex such as ‘man wearing makeup’ wallet in a bad economy. or ‘woman taking hammer' are rapidly increasing. Here is a good example. <Fig. 1> shows an "Asian traditional way of thinking about sex is animation, 'Shrek' that boldly broke a variety of rapidly collapsing." Wall Street Journal reported existingstereotypesofanimationsandwasa on May 27, 2005.6) It commented that it was great box-office success. Generally, there are time that pretty men and strong women were accepted as a fixed idea of sex role disappeared and cosmetic advertisements showed very good examples. <Fig. 2> is a lipstick advertisement. A man wearing makeup kindly put a lipstick on a woman's lips. In this scene, the woman has the initiative, not man.7) <Fig. 3> is another cosmetic advertisement. A male model wearing a flower crown shows his fair skin. These kind of advertisements may be somewhat unfamiliar from a conservative point of view but nobody 〈〉Fig. 1 Princess Fiona and Shrek thinks them strange nowadays. with an ugly appearance http://www.shrek.co.kr 119 Journal of Fashion Business Vol.10, No.3 These all examples show that people's way of surgery. Also, it is worth noticing that seven in thinking is changing. People want to free ten women thought others treated them better if themselves from the past fixed idea and they went out after spending a lot of time for experience fresh and novel products. This social makeup.Inparticular,womenagedbetween25 atmosphere has basically supported spread of and 34 regarded appearance as decisive means metrosexual mode. of enhancing their social lives, and thus had Secondly, spread of lookism in a visual image been eager to make their