Sorry about the atrocious spelling haha
Akheron hit it on the head with an earlier post:
“Personally, I don’t give a shit how you guys dress. Actually, the more of you that don’t have a clue, the more attention the rest of us will get.” These guys do it because they have gotten positive feedback from females about it. Look through any magazine, and you’ll see how the guys dress and look, and look at the reaction of a girl. The little light goes off. “Aha!! Women like that look!! If I look like that, women will like me!!” I shudder to think about what I looked like in the 80’s, yet at the time, I thought I looked good because girls seemed to like it. Why do so many college boys hone in on these fashion trends? Because they are still figuring out who they are as a person. Their image is extremely important to them because it helps define them. One last thing about this whole “homophobia” rant. Homophobia is an irrational fear or hatred of homosexuals. I’m not saying that it doesn’t exist, it just pisses me off when people start pointing their fingers and jumping up and down screaming “Homophobia!! Homophobia!!” every time someone says something that offends their sense of propriety.
Your right Paul, at a certain age you just don’t know yourself yet.
I’m also insulated from some of this gym stuff to put it in perspective. At my gym, people all squat, deadlift, play football, compete in powerlifting. You have to take turns at the squat rack, people do good mornings, lift hard and heavy. We have bands, chains, dumbells to 125, dragging sled, glute ham, and a host of other stuff.
There’s no dress code, but people tend to be okay. The music is hardcore enough/ It’s open 24 hours. It’s called my place. I think everyone should aspire to have their own shhgit if possible. I know the room and budget can be a problem, but it can be done. It probablt took me about 15 years to get the gym I wanted. Equipment doesn’t go bad. Good stuff lasts.
I get amazed at some people that think I spent a lot of money on weight equipment. Especially smokers. 10,000 in 15-20years isn’t to bed. These people spent 20 30k to kill theirselves early.
I’m old school. My thoughts on what a man might should be like and what is girly might seem a little Red from the 70’s show like, but it has always worked for me. That’s why I liked the home gym concept. This is the way weight training started, and it’s the way a lot of gyms are going. Like minded individuals choosing to band together as opposed to being herded like sheep to give the illusion of working out.
That’s why I get irritated at the focus on style as opposed to practicality. A man can look good, smell good, train hard, get an education, pay a mortgage, without being the same individual as a million other guys all being the same individual. It’s standing out by effort, work, and diligence as opposed to flash. Substance over style.
Ok, as some of you may (or may not) have noticed from the picture that was posted in T-mag and on the forum, I am a bit of a pretty boy. That is, my face is naturally ‘pretty.’ Now, I can’t do anything about that… no amount of head shaving, smelling foul, or wearing clothes with holes in them are going to make me look like John Wayne. Does that mean that I’m automatically gay? Trust me, I like women.
What’s my point? It’s that even though I happen to be a slob in general, other guys in my situation have to work with what they’ve got. A real rugged looking guy can get away with the hobo look, but those of us with, shall we say, ‘finer’ features require a different mode of dress to look good. Maybe some of you guys should take that into account before ripping on the ‘pretty-boys.’
nephom, do you dye your hair, frost the tips and lie in a tanning bed until you are darker than the average desi? Do you wear tight muscle shirts in the gym and spend most of your time chatting up? Does it take you more than an hour to get ready to go out? If not, your are definitely not a ‘girlyman’. I don’t think a person’t facial features alone make you a pretty boy. It’s when you spent hours preening yourself to make sure every hair is in the right place, and every crease in your clothes is perfect. I wouldn’t fret too much about it dude.
This is a funny article:
http://www.times10.org/mills999.htm
desi: A person of Easi Indian descent
No, a face alone doesn’t make you a girlyman. And there’s nothing wrong with dressing well. You just shouldn’t have to expend hours a day working at it and worrying about it while you’re in the gym. If you have your shit together, you can still be a “metrosexual” and not come across as a narcissistic and too-image-conscious boy that can’t work out for fear of crushing one part of the “flip” or moving wrong and completely screwing up your “tuck”.
Jared, couldn’t agree more
Z-man,
Funny article.
Z-Man, how’d you find that article? Not that there’s anything wrong with that. 
Z-man,
Ok, now I’m pissed. It’s one thing to rip on guys that dress a certain way in the gym. But to assume that everyone who dresses decently in the gym “chats it up” is completely unfair. Yeah I have that A&F look in the gym, but I go in there, bust my ass, and talk to no one.
I thought that the “T-men” around here would be above stereotyping.
re: Karma’s shirt and the double standard. i have no problem with women wearing shirts like that. In fact, if she’s cute, I’ll use it as an excuse to go up to her and start teasing/flirting with her. It got me thinking, though. 20 years ago in junior high I proudly wore my “no fat chicks” t-shirt. I want to get one of those again. Anybody know any sites where I can buy shirts like that?
Peternf: Now see, that’s the response a MAN would have. It’s friggin’ tongue in cheek! Have fun with it! Give me shit about it! Aah, but no, sadly you wouldn’t be hitting on me at all. I’m not very easy on the eyes… he he hee
I thought Akerhon was done with the thread? 
I apologize to all girlymen on the board for starting this topic. I really didn’t mean to hurt anyones feelings and should have been more sensitive to your needs. I have perhaps been a bit prejudicial.
On another note…
I came across that article when I was looking for info on the Fringe Festival in Edmonton. I thought it was highly amusing when I saw where this thread was going.
I also saw something recently about ‘metrosexual’ men. That may be worth a search on Google.
I’d like to hear from some of the T-Vixens on this subject though. They have been strangely silent.
Jared,
Shut it pretty boy and go hit up Tubway! =)
No, Z-Man, I believe the T-girlies have been quite boisterous on this thread.
Sorry, sorry, I’ll be nice. To all who I may have offended…want some chocolate?
IRONDOC: I’m glad I’m not the only geek here who can do a cost-benefit analysis. Your example about cigs is good. Also consider this: figure about how much you spend for a gym membership. Now figure how much it costs to buy a decent power rack, bench, and Olympic weight set. The equipment will pay for itself in about 2 years. Not to mention opportunity cost. If you have to miss going to the gym for any reason, that day of your membership is gone - money down the toilet. Gym equipment doesn’t go bad.
Karma I’m going to have to respond to you more often! I’m appreciateing what you have to say more and more (and you put a smile on my face)! I think I just found another quality of the T-Vixen. She reminds a T-Man of what his true nature is now and again when the little boy comes out to play with toys/start temper tantrums! I think we got some T-Men that need a good spanking to get them back in line! Can I be first? On a more serious note I like you pointing out the double standard! Sometimes I don’t see it that way but I’m glad I get a different point of veiw.
MikeTheBear - also transportation costs - both time and fuel/transit method.
Point taken. Interesting article, btw. The funny thing to me is that a group that doesn’t want to be discriminated against puts in so much effort to visibly stand out from everyone else.
Anyway, I do wonder about these guys that put so much constant work into their appearance, but what else do they have to do? Nick Hornby’s ‘About a Boy’ is an interesting example of this sort of Lockean ‘limited self’ consumer psychology. And honestly, if women are responding to the amount of work they put in, maybe they’re not so girly after all? I mean, isn’t the ultimate ‘point’ of being a man simply to impregnate as many females as possible, as well as being able to provide for oneself and others? If they can do both of those things, dandy or not, then maybe they’re more manly than the rest of us in some weird way.