“NEW ITEM WORSHIP”

My hair is washed and combed. My clothes are clean and the colors don't clash. I wear simple, basic styles and solid colors that are somewhat muted and easy to match. I will wear a suit or tux when appropriate to the situation — just as I will don on camo fatigue when shooting paintballs. But in everyday situations, I dislike dressing "over the top" — be it the metro suave look or the men's man look.

Beyond washing and keeping clean, I do not care for spraying or dabbing artifical fragrance or scents on my body. I find that senseless and wasteful. Ditto for hiring pretty young things to clip my toenails. I can do that myself, thank you.

Ben, you are reminding me of the time we went to Vegas for a weekend without knowing there was a Tyson fight on Saturday night. the boxing crowd was unbelievably stylish – men in suits of every color imaginable (some with matching hats), women in the same colors with their hair sculpted into gravity-defying configurations. it was an extravaganza. but those men weren't metrosexuals – they looked like they'd drag you out a back door and shank you if you dared say such a thing.

Wow, Tyson still fighting?

Actually, I think some of those "outrageous" costumes are actually quite appropriate for a Las Vegas setting. If I have a bias, then it is that people should dress appropriately for the particular situations. A Vegas extravaganza in Des Moines would look absurd to me — but no more than a cowboy hat and boots in the financial district of Houston!

Same for accessories, cars, etc. One needs a truck to haul lumber. But driving an all souped up Tundra with leather seats and all the accoutrements strictly in town is silly.

oh Ben, sweetie, this was years ago. and yes, a certain amount of it was event costuming. but what struck me was that these looked like tough guys but they were totally cool with wearing lime-green, bright red pinstripe, turquoise and whatever suits.

Cowboy hat & boots in Houston sounds pretty normal to me. they still run cattle through the streets there. ;)

I've been keeping up with the metro discussion and thought a proper definition of 'metrosexual' might be in line.
From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrosexual

From Urban Dictionary (because UD makes me smile sometimes):
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=metrosexual

I don't really have a bias one way or another. I don't really think men should be spritzing themselves or getting highlights or spending more than about 30 minutes getting dressed in the morning, but if someone wants to spend all that time doing it, fine by me.
My morning routine consists of waking up, taking a 10 minutes shower, trimming my facial hair if it needs it, throwing on the jean I wore the day before and whatever t-shirt is on top of the stack, slipping on one of my two pair of shoes, making sure my hair is going mostly in the same direction, putting a hat on over it so it doesn't matter anyway, and running out the door to class.
I'm not opposed to wear a suit or nice clothes if the situation warrants/requires it, but I'm not going to fancy myself up everyday because I don't feel the need. Just my personal preference.
My brother borders on metrosexual and so do most of his friends, but it doesn't bother me. I just don't like having to wait on them while they're getting ready to leave the house. Its especially annoying when they have to prepare to go to Wal-Mart of fast food because someone they know might be there.

Adam

Oh, Steve. I was doing ok until you posted that picture of the CAMP ice axe. I definitely need one. My beloved Grivel (named Linus because I drag it with me everywhere) weighs 20 oz. Which brings me to my main point – we've left out a few important steps here. Rationalization. I need a new ice axe because the lighter weight ultimately saves wear and tear on my knees, which puts off the very expensive knee surgery, which is saving me a bunch of money, so it's cheaper to buy the axe than not to buy it….. Then there's Stealth. I order gear and have it sent to my daughter's house. She smuggles it over. Which leads us to Evasion. That old thing? I've had it for ages (ever since this afternoon)!

"Think Euro men" – what does that mean???

Sorry – didn't realize Sarah had already answered this question.

Colleen,
I'm with you. I see no reason not to enjoy the luxuries of city life — anything to endure it while I'm waiting to get back into the high country.

I've gotten flack a few times from hiking buddies for having painted toe nails. What? I can only be scruffy outdoor chick? I can clean up well, too. However, I didn't tell them that the real reason for the paint was to cover up the mangled toe nails from rock/backpacking shoes….

Ben,
seriously, I run marathons, and we all know how knackered up your feet get fron that much pounding and sweating, I've had a couple toenails fall off and all that good stuff, and a pedicure is not just getting your nails clipped, the whole callous removal thing is worth the twenty bucks alone. Let's not forget that serious rockclimbers often spend a lot of time sanding their callouses so they don't tear off while climbing (which is unpleasant, let me tell you)hikers use their feet like climbers use their hands (constantly)

as a runner and an avid hiker, I think of it as matinence work, like sports massage

plus, my feet used to be so rough that they would stab my wife in bed at night, so she actually got me my first one as a birthday present.

And I won't lie, they are enjoyable in general.
cheers
Josh

I do have a bias against high maintenance men, women or pets.

I hike with a guy that looks like a model after multi-night hikes. However, he seems to do it with no effort. I envy his ability. I would like to look good, but am not willing to put much time into it.

Function should never be sacrificed for appearance. I prefer work horses over show horses.

All this is really something that I fortunately don't have to concern myself with. I learned long ago that absolutely, positively, nothing will make me look good!!! At least on the trail, this fact doesn't really matter (to me at least)! I've never earned any "style points" – not even from the American judge! Fortunately, it hasn't mattered to my wife either! And for that, I am thankful.

Though, if something is going to affect one's performance, e.g., long toe nails, then by all means take care of them in whatever manner seems fitting to you – i'm like Ben, i clip 'em myself, but if a pedicure works for you – more power to you. Go for it. Just don't expect me to be joinin' you. Or, to look at it another way, you'll be glad I'm NOT joinin' you!!

Joshua:

I hear you. As I alluded to above, I believe that people should dress, etc. appropriately for the occasions. In your case, a foot treatment is certainly understandable.

But given your detailed descriptions of battered, overworked feet (toe nails falling off!) — I can't help but feel that the poor foot masseuse who got YOU instead of the metro softie guy just behind you, must have done something horrible in her previous life…

Steve,

Given the amount of icy walking Susan or I do we'd rather get Helix Potty Trowels. They're lighter and so cool.

In other news: Your photography is way cool.

Yeah, the first time I got one I felt really bad for the girl who had to deal with my feet, they were scary. But I get them about once a month now, so her karma has probably improved.

Strange how a thread about a bunch of gear addicts needing to justify their habit ended up discussing pedicure. Boy am I glad that I am not one of those that has to go on and on and on about their pet product, let it be a Tarptent or an Aarn or ULA pack, Icebreaker, JRB quilt or whatever.
Franco

i have "new item worship" as well as "acquisition guilt" all a t the same time. the end result is me explaining things to my wife that she not only knows little about, but cares less about. "look honey this jacket is completely rain proof and breathable and weighs less than a pack of gum" to which she responds "dosent sound like a good idea to go hiking in the rain" ahhhhh she just dosent get it.

she gives me expecially quizical looks when i proudly show off my new home made gear. "look honey i made a new stove that runs on alcohol and esbit and weighs next to nothing" to which she says "ahh dear that is a scrunched up beer can not a stove, well done honey"
admittedly my DIY gear lacks a certain aesthetic appeal…