Move over metrosexuals, the “lumbersexual” is here. Far from the neat, well-groomed image of the metrosexual, it is the scruffy, unkempt, macho look of the lumberjack that is now making a global splash in men’s style
The last few years may have marked the rise and reign of the metrosexual man: The hyper-groomed, ever-abreast-of-the-trends creature who had more than a passing acquaintance with brands of moisturisers. The popularity of the metrosexual look was troubling indeed for men who had for years together gotten away with being lazy about their style and grooming. Those men can now heave a sigh of relief it would seem that the metrosexual look has a serious contender, one that may effectively banish it to the legions of the “so last season”. Meet the “lumbersexual” a man who stocks his wardrobe with leather, denim, plaid and flannel, and who’s proud of his facial fuzz. The term comes from the American “lumberjack”, those who work in the logging industry and favour the macho, hirsute look, and a lifestyle that’s close to nature. The lumbersexual may not have as outdoorsy a life, but certainly enjoys all the trappings.
Fashion and style observers as well as social media users have been analysing the lumbersexual look in great detail in recent weeks.
The trend’s greatest triumph has been with David Beckham adopting the look, and the football star has been snapped stepping out in a red flannel shirt, faded jeans, boots and a scruffy beard. Rapper Kanye West has also taken to sporting the look, as has H’wood actor Ben Affleck. Closer to home, actors like Arjun Kapoor, Sidharth Malhotra, Hrithik Roshan have all been sporting variations of the lumbersexual look in recent weeks.
Designer and celebrity stylist Pria Kataria Puri says the “lumberjack” has, in recent weeks, really exploded as a phenomenon. “Lumberjacks are known to dress in tartans and checks, and it’s an easy trend to follow,” Pria says, of why it has suddenly proved to be so popular. “It has a strong visual impact. You can incorporate a U-neck or V-neck T-shirt or ganji under the shirt and roll up the sleeves, and team it with high-cropped jeans or knee-length fitted shorts for a fun variation,” she advises.
Style experts opine that the lumbersexual look is working among men because it’s a chance for them to make a statement about just how macho they are perhaps a reaction to the “be in touch with your feminine side” philosophy of metrosexuality. “Men these days want to show off their masculinity with plaid shirts and beards, in fact, the beard is the statement in the fashion world like the moustache was a few years ago,” says designer Sourabh Kant Srivastava.
However, he adds that counter-intuitively enough, not all men can carry off the lumbersexual look well: “Surprisingly, it is men who have ‘chocolate boy’ looks like actor Fawad Khan who appear cute even with the lumbersexual image. It’s all about not over-dressing. I’d advise tucking in the shirt, sporting clean shoes with a nice belt go with the flow, but maintain a certain limit.”
For men who’re gung-ho about the lumbersexual look because they think it requires no work think again. It does require a bit of care. “Actually (this look) is not just random, it is a coordinated sequence of clothing. You have to make sure you are putting effort into your look to show that you are not putting in effort!” says stand-up comic Abish Mathew. “I don’t have a long beard, but even (what I have) requires a lot of grooming. With the lumbersexual look, the beard has to be shampooed and conditioned or else it might fall off!”
Abish isn’t wrong at all. Julie Robinson, the international master barber for Truefitt & Hill says that keeping in mind the weather here, Indian men should sport a well trimmed look “to accentuate the shape of their face and enhance the jawline”. “Small faces with bushy beards don’t go well together. It’s always better to get a professional to trim your beard and hair and later on, you can maintain it yourself. The texture of the beard too matters, thick hair might give it a more rugged, unkempt feel,” she explains, adding that the trend is very popular in London right now, and is called the “hipster look”.
Indeed, a cleaner, “minimal” version of the lumbersexual look might just turn out to be more suitable for Indian climes, and H’wood actor Ryan Gosling as well as the male models on the Paris runways are among those who currently sport this variant, known as the “Metro Jack”. However, it hasn’t caught on as much as the lumbersexual look yet.
“What is in vogue today might not be tomorrow,” points out model Amit Ranjan. “Without thinking about it too much, sure it’s great for us men to enjoy the ‘return of the Neanderthal’. But it takes a lot of hard work to maintain a well-groomed beard and while the idea of what is well groomed is subjective, it’s finally coming full circle.”
