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Why Did or Why Don’t: Braidy Bunch

By |August 27th, 2014|Beauty Buzz, Somethin for the fellas, Why Did or Why Don't?|

cary fukunaga braidsWe have already covered the man bun/mun/male topknot (feel free to weigh in), which does not seem to be going anywhere if this week’s awards shows have been any indication.  Just look at all the fuss over Game of Throne’s, Kit Harrington’s, perfectly executed updo from Monday night’s Emmy Awards.  But all the man buns in the world and even Jared Leto’s ombre mane couldn’t compete when True Detective’s director, Cary Joji Fukunaga, took the stage to accept the award for Outstanding Director.  I, for one, audibly gasped at this handsome man, but it wasn’t just his cheekbones that sent the internet into a tizzy.  It was his hair.  At first glance, he looked clean cut, but as he described his coiffure, “For tonight, I just thought business in the front, party in the back.”

Though Cary was a pleasant surprise in a room full of familiar faces and stuffy industry types and his hair seemed to be a fresh interpretation for man coifs worldwide, he’s not the first to be seen sporting man braids.  As a matter of fact, the night before rapper, Riff Raff, clad in denim had a head full of braids and is probably asking today, “Dafuq?” Even before Riff Raff, there was David Beckham, Axl Rose, and let us never forget Kevin Federline.

famous men braidsI, myself, spent a sunny Saturday afternoon in Amagansett this summer lackadaisically braiding cornrows into one of my man bun wearing guy friend’s head.  We thought it was kind of funny and for him, the look actually worked.  I even taught him the importance of patting his head when it started to itch as to avoid creating frizz.  So, back to Cary’s internet sensational hairstyle and potentially the next wave of hipster hairdos (Slate created a pretty genius rendering).  It may have something to do with the fact that he’s terribly good looking, but the only part of his hairstyle that truly bothered me was his (unintentionally) crooked part which The Cut got a close up of.  You see though, I’m quite dextrous and great with a comb, so Cary, call me next time you’re you’re looking for some Poetic Justice.

What do you think about men with braids?

xx,

WhyDid

Beauty Buzz: The Beasts’ Guide to Beauty

By |August 15th, 2014|Beauty Buzz, Somethin for the fellas|

male groomingWomen aren’t the only ones who have beauty routines as we can attest by the currently popurlar man buns (aka “muns”).  Along with stealing our rubberbands from the backs of bathroom door handles, men have begun encroaching upon our conditioner, our face wash, and even our razors.  When you share space with a man, you start to share everything and sometimes the lines become blurred– and not in a sexy Emily Ratajkowski kind of way.  Most women allot a pretty penny and significant portion of their paychecks to special beauty products meant to preserve them and cure all their beauty woes.  When your beau starts lathering up with your $60 ant-aging face wash, it can become difficult not to want to dunk him in the tub, but part of you is probably happy that he’s at least decided to shower today.  Male grooming has become more socially acceptable and that can be seen by the wide range of products targeted specifically to the male species.  There was a time when seeing a man in a nail salon was a rarity, but let’s be serious.  Real men get manicures (and hopefully an occasional pedicure).  I, personally, don’t want your gnarly feet shredding my 1200 thread count sheets.  If you’ve come to the horrifying realization that your man has been using your prized eye cream to soften his calluses, it’s time to set him up with his very own collection of dude friendly grooming products.

mens beauty products best1. Baxter of California Cream Pomade, 2.  Anthony Let’s Talk Dirty Duo, 3. C.O. Bigelow Bay Rum Hair & Body Wash, 4. MDSolarSciences Quick Dry Body Spray, 5. J. Crew Abingdon Travel Kit, 6. Aesop Moroccan Neroli Post Shaving Lotion, 7. Jack Black Pit Boss Antiperspirant & Deodorant, 8. Czech & Speake Leather Bound Manicure Set, 9. D R Harris Tortoiseshell Boar Bristle Hair Brush, 10. The Art of Shaving Lexington Collection Razor & Cartridge

 

xx,

WhyDid

 

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Why Did or Why Don’t: Man Bun in the Oven

By |August 13th, 2014|Somethin for the fellas, Why Did or Why Don't?|

men-hairbun-high copyThis summer, men took accessorizing one step further by donning what we now know as the “man bun.”  And while I do have a healthy portion of male readers (God bless you analytics), I will not take the blame (or credit- depending on your stance) for the trend just because I’ve made more than one brilliant top knot tutorial (you can learn “how to” here and here).  For the past decade or so, men hadn’t had much wiggle room when it came to socially acceptable hairdos except the beard which they could style at home, rather than going to the barber for such a task.  There’s been the classic buzz cut, the Bieber bob, and that whole spiky gelled situation that ruined shams worldwide.  And let’s just be thankful we all survived the “faux hawk.” You can check these awesome hairdressing scissors most barbers preferred.

While the ponytail is nothing new (hello, Karl Lagerfeld), men decided that wasn’t good enough and began piling their locks on their heads way atop or grazing the napes of their necks, real estate formerly reserved for sweet nuzzles from their beloveds.  I’m not sure who can specifically be appointed as the official firestarter of this follicle free for all, but I think Colin Farrell was one of the male topknot pioneers.  To be fair, average citizens started sporting it well before it became mainstream.  I had an ex-boyfriend several years ago who began experimenting with the trend.  Granted, he also thought waking up and drinking the leftover beer on his nightstand from the night before was par for the course.  In any case, this hair-rowing (see what I did there?) hairstyle has taken over from east to west coast, north to south.  There are several blogs dedicated solely to the praise of ballerina buns fit for Baryshnikov (exhibit A and exhibit B) and The Awl even created a brilliant collection of the male topknot in its natural habitat.

celebrity man bunsMuch like the beard bubble was predicted to pop (and has yet to do so as late adopters are STILL jumping on the bearded bandwagon), the man bun would appear to have a shelf life itself.  Interestingly enough, it seems that the topknot and beard are not mutually exclusive and often worn in tandem.  All this hair has me asking a lot of questions though.  Many men claim to be the superior sex, but I’m beginning to sense a trend.  It started with our eyeliner and skinny jeans then men began eying our tank tops and now they’re angling for our hair ties?  And if you’re in a couple this also leads to a lot of financial hurdles.  Can we afford to double up on deep conditioners?  Do we need to own one flatiron or two?  Won’t our shower drain clog twice as fast?

So with the imminent onslaught of snow, will these top knot wearing gents be forced to concede their coifs once they realize a bun looks more like a goiter under a beanie?  Or will ear muffs have a renaissance for men?  As I typed this, a shiver went down my spine as I realized that the knitted headband or even a turban may not be off limits to a man who has mastered the art of bobbi pins.  I’d be lying if I didn’t get a little hot and bothered collecting visual aids for this post, but I really want to know your thoughts.

 

 xx,

WhyDid