Texas State Capitol
Social Observations
RECEIVED Fri., Feb. 4, 2005
Dear Editor,
Twentysomething male professionals used to sip martinis. In any given Manhattan bar at any given happy hour I found myself mesmerized by a sea of salon-quality haircuts drifting into a wash of pastel sport shirts. Promenading penny loafers stirred noxious colognes into the overwhelming scent of machismo, adding to an atmosphere already filled with language simultaneously smart, sophisticated, and snobbish.
Yuppies. Whatever happened to them? They were such a distinct pack, trademarked by gold-rimmed Ray Bans, the baby-blue Porsche, and the cashmere sweater worn not for warmth but rather as some sort of elitist cape. They giggled between their teeth for Christ's sake, and they thought it was sexy.
Twentysomething male professionals still sip martinis in swank New York clubs, but they look nothing like the yuppies we fondly remember. They are still young, urban, and professional, but in addition they look feminine.
What was once merely Old Spice overindulgence has turned into perfume frenzy. Men I know are now applying “product” to their hair, shaving with four-bladed razors, and donning matched outfits just to look the part for breakfast at a crusty diner. This new breed of male yuppie becomes giddy over accessories faster than a teenage girl at Claire's; I even spotted one chatting on his cell phone as he pranced through drugstore aisles snatching up all the leg wax and facial cream. What is going on?
One likely explanation for this neutered form of masculinity is that modern gender rolls are being questioned to a degree not seen since Roman times. As we enter an age of testosterone transformation, existing monikers such as "yuppie" become dated. Today metrosexuality, often used as a moniker in itself, has merged with the young urban professional, creating a new breed of muppie men that are more sheepish than their predecessors but just as mesmerizing.
Twentysomething male professionals used to sip martinis. In any given Manhattan bar at any given happy hour I found myself mesmerized by a sea of salon-quality haircuts drifting into a wash of pastel sport shirts. Promenading penny loafers stirred noxious colognes into the overwhelming scent of machismo, adding to an atmosphere already filled with language simultaneously smart, sophisticated, and snobbish.
Yuppies. Whatever happened to them? They were such a distinct pack, trademarked by gold-rimmed Ray Bans, the baby-blue Porsche, and the cashmere sweater worn not for warmth but rather as some sort of elitist cape. They giggled between their teeth for Christ's sake, and they thought it was sexy.
Twentysomething male professionals still sip martinis in swank New York clubs, but they look nothing like the yuppies we fondly remember. They are still young, urban, and professional, but in addition they look feminine.
What was once merely Old Spice overindulgence has turned into perfume frenzy. Men I know are now applying “product” to their hair, shaving with four-bladed razors, and donning matched outfits just to look the part for breakfast at a crusty diner. This new breed of male yuppie becomes giddy over accessories faster than a teenage girl at Claire's; I even spotted one chatting on his cell phone as he pranced through drugstore aisles snatching up all the leg wax and facial cream. What is going on?
One likely explanation for this neutered form of masculinity is that modern gender rolls are being questioned to a degree not seen since Roman times. As we enter an age of testosterone transformation, existing monikers such as "yuppie" become dated. Today metrosexuality, often used as a moniker in itself, has merged with the young urban professional, creating a new breed of muppie men that are more sheepish than their predecessors but just as mesmerizing.
Rad Tollett