Written by Menswear Style in Grooming on the 9th October 2014

Men are spending more time and effort grooming themselves. This sentence has certainly been a paradox in the past. However recent surveys now show that, indeed, some men are now spending more time getting ready when compared to their female counterparts.

What’s behind this change? 

More and more men are focusing on their appearance, and there are many reasons for this. Grooming has become a necessity instead of being considered a hobby for the feminine. This change in attitude was already in the making since the 80s. Movies and the fashion world showed a different type of man than seen before - men who looked their best by looking impeccably groomed. This image got a further boost when icons like David Beckham became known for their style.

The other factor that led to this change was that a large number of men in their 20s and 30s are not married. Men who belong to this age group have multiple relationships and to find a new partner, they need to be good in appearance. 

The term ‘Metrosexual’ 

Today, men are estimated to spend around £1.3billion a year on grooming products. This almost matches what women spend on their personal grooming products. The amount of products aimed at men has also increased with various creams, scrubs and shampoos on the market labelled "For Men". The term ‘metrosexual’ was coined in the 90s to refer to men who pay a lot of attention to their personal appearance.

Changing lifestyles 

With a greater focus on personal appearance, men are less intimidated by appearing feminine. Fitness has been at the forefront of this change with more and more men joining a gym to look good. Cosmetic and hair surgery has also become popular owing to its rise in popularity. 

'As with age, many things start to wither including hair' 

There has been a growth in use of hair loss medication by men to keep their hair. Use of medication like Propecia to stop hair loss is increasingly common amongst both older and younger men; hair loss is more common with age, but can also affect a portion of younger men in their 20s.

Metrosexuality has had a positive effect on certain aspects of a man’s life. Indeed, a research paper found that men who take care of their appearance made more money compared to their less groomed colleagues. 

There are varying degrees of how much effort men put into their appearance, but it appears the new age man is certainly more concerned about his appearance in comparison to previous decades.

*Close-up, Sunbathing, Clean, Beard, Tweezing images via Shutterstock

A Guide and Look at The Rise of the Metrosexual Man. We explain and describe what it means to be a metrosexual guy in 2014.