Fashion, vanity and hair - By: Nora Cross

The development of clothing for men had to balance the conflicting needs of fashion and practicality. Before the development of trousers, men wore separate leggings. The upper part of the body was covered by a doublet. Initially, this doublet was long but, as the hemline rose, the result was visible genitals. This gave quick and easy access for urinating, but was not necessarily suitable for mixed social gatherings. So the codpiece was introduced to cover up, but with sometimes extravagant padding to allow men to boast of their prowess. Indeed, men were the leaders of fashion in those days with new materials and intricate workmanship showing off every virtue (and demonstrating wealth to all onlookers). It therefore makes the 20th century rather a boring place for men with no real opportunity to show off their “beauty”. The field of battle was surrendered to women who were encouraged to preen in dress and behavior.

Yet the last twenty years have shown something of a male revival. We are not yet back to the flamboyance of earlier times, but with the arrival of the metrosexual man in 1994, it was suddenly acceptable for men to “care” about their appearance. One of the first signs of liberation was in hair fashion. We had been through long hair with the beatnik ponytail, the afro and dreadlocks, and the mullet, then the strangeness of the mohawk and the various colored spikes held up with gel. Only to find ourselves in an era where style was everything ranging from the undercut to the flattop, the devilock to shaved heads with words picked out. Increasing male self-confidence meant blurring the traditional gender lines with celebrities suddenly appearing in lists suggesting who was the sexiest as they competed with each other to market their own brands of clothing and fragrances. Soccer players like David Beckham have appeared in straight gay ads where the viewers can apply their own standards of sexuality to the images. The body beautiful is back, with handsome faces and toned muscles bulging through tight clothing.

Vanity has become socially acceptable again so long as it’s reasonably understated. Men work out in the gym, shop for clothes and make regular trips to have their hair styled. This creates problems for the young and style-conscious man losing his hair. One option is to flaunt the loss with closely shaved styles. The efforts of aging celebrities like Donald Trump to comb over a balding patch or wear a toupée have become standing jokes. Or there are the various products on the market claiming to stop hair loss. Most are worthless but propecia is a genuine drug, approved by the FDA, and it really does work albeit only as a treatment for male pattern baldness. It’s most effective if the treatment is begun early in the cycle of loss. Remember there are other causes of hair loss and each has its own most appropriate treatment. This makes diagnosis very important. Because it takes at least three months before you will see any signs of regrowth, you need to ensure you have male pattern baldness before you start taking propecia. Otherwise you will waste time and money, and lose more hair in the meantime. Do not guess. Ask a doctor for a proper diagnosis before you start taking any drug.

About the Author

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