FashionSquare
The term Metro-sexual has become somewhat of a common word , of late . The word Metro-sexual was born in England in 1994 , coined by British journalist Mark Simpson . “ The typical Metro-sexual is a young man with money to spend , living in or within easy reach of a metropolis - because that ’ s where most of the best shops , clubs , gyms and hairdressers ( ok , or “ fade shops ”) are . He is undoubtedly a straight man , but it ’ s the stereotype of a person guided by his erotic , aesthetic , consumer and emotional desires , and that crosses social conventions regarding gender roles .
Face and body care is no longer a women ’ s thing . Men also like to take care of their skin and pamper it . They are an integral part of the cosmetics market and have no qualms about requesting tips and advice about the right products for their type of skin and hair . El hombre Latino does not stay behind in this category , they have incredible looks and gorgeous hair ( the calbito Latino can be a Metro-sexual too , this look is still in and lends a heaping dose of the Machismo rough look ).
More and more men are concerned about their skin and looks . They spend more time before the mirror , at trendy stores , taking note of photos and ads from
METRO-SEXUAL MACHISMO :
Can the Latino Man be a Metro-Sexual ? U Betcha !
highly regarded brands in magazines . All of these men are very appearance-conscious , and some of the full-fledged Metro-sexual men get manicures , pedicures , facials , even highlights ; they wear designer clothing , go shopping at Pottery Barn , Crate and Barrel and have the most absolute gorgeously decorated apartments ( and they did it themselves !) and read magazines about fashion , design , car , boating , technical gadgetry , wine and gourmet cuisine , while the not so full-fledged Metro-sexual draws the line just shy of the manicure and highlights , hence , the machismo in them .
Well , kudos to both the full and not-so-full fledged Metro-Sexual Latino Man (“ MSLM ”)! My personal opinion as a mujer Latina , I love a man who takes pride in taking care of himself , his appearance , how he smells , how he dresses , wearing attractive bling , maintaining well-groomed hands and feet ; I wouldn ’ t mind if there was a Metro-Sexual Latino Man in the pedicure chair next to mine at Hung Lo Nails and Spa … I would , however , like to see this MSLM dispense an aura of “ machismo ” through his personality . In other words , I don ’ t want just a pretty boy with none of the ruggedness ; I still need your testosterone to shine through Papi , can you handle that ?
Some critics have stated that this new trend is a way for the man to get more in touch with the feminine side and not only a matter of looks . I am totally against this statement . Why would caring about your appearance and grooming be considered solely a feminine trait ? I think the critics that entertained this statement are puercos that need to groom more often ! So , my MSLM , groom on , shop on , bling on , put in on , just don ’ t forget to testoster-ON ! Show them what you ’ re fine self is working with !
– Marti Lopez
Meet Carla Fairchild
A local Latina that recently launched her own business !
Bon Chic was started in December of 2005 . Carla has many years of experience in the fashion industry , selling , buying and managing high end boutiques and fashion shows . Carla ’ s business Bon Chic offers a variety of custom T-shirts . To create her unique designs Carla uses swarwoski crystals , rhinestones , rhinestuds , nailheads , silk screen , embroidery and heat transfers .
This chica knows fashion !
Our own Marti Lopez , with an insatiable taste for fashion and design , has created a logo and design for a clothing line specific to the likes of the reggetón genre . “ This music is here to stay . Period . Just like hip-hop , it will continue to evolve and branch out in different arenas of music as the specific reggetón beat is fused with various types of music . Right now , in Puerto Rico , the D . R ., Panama and in the States , this is the music of our 15 to 30 ’ ish generation . What are some of the styles these sandungueros wear ? Pretty much the same thing that the hip-hoppers wear . So , I have taken that style of clothing and am giving it the Latin flavor it calls for , to set it apart and say , ‘ yeah , I am into Reggetón .’ I have always geared my creative juices toward my Latin roots , and this is just one more way I cater to the interests and appeals of my Latinos .” Marti ’ s clothing line is Reggetón-Nation787 and Underground Edition787 . Look for the debut of her clothing line this August ! Marti was approached by an upcoming reggetón duo who wanted to perform wearing her logo . Here are some pics from that event at JJ
To learn more about Carla and her line , please visit her website at : www . BonChicTees . com or call her at ( 813 ) 909-2633
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