Retro vs. Metro

I heard someone reference a retrosexual for the first time about a week ago and I had to ask, what is that? Have you heard of this new term? Apparently it’s not entirely new, as I found articles that came out in 2008 discussing this new term. What is it you ask?

A retrosexual is the opposite of a metrosexual.

Metrosexual men are men with good taste, they spend a great deal of time, energy and money on personal appearance, and they pride themselves on dressing well. They are scrupulous about their grooming, they are consumers of men's cosmetic products, often using a wide variety of cosmetic products for skin, hair and nails, and then tend to have a more…hmmm…let’s just say neatly groomed presentation. They use hair gel that retrosexuals are scared of and may even spend more time getting ready for a night out than their female counterparts.

Retrosexual men, according to some online definitions, are men who spend as little time and money as possible on their appearance. They actually like women instead of wanting to act/look like them (I found this one a little humorous). They use no hair care products except for white rain shampoo (LOL), have several flannel shirts, and own at least one pair of work boots. They like red meat, might like to hunt and fish, can fix things themselves, and they don’t go to spas. Their “look” is more rugged, usually sporting comfortable jeans with a focus on utility rather than style.

Here’s the rub. Do retrosexual men prefer retrosexual women? The Urban Dictionary online describes the female retrosexual as “a woman who eschews the sexual-revolution plank of feminism in favor of more-traditional values. Perhaps even 1950s values (this is not to say she goes as far as the cone-bra). A little burlesque, a little Betty Crocker, the retrosexual woman has new-fangled spunk and old-fashioned values: she does for abstinence and monogamy what Slang Flashcards do for Dover illustrations. She may be, well, Sexless in the City, but only 'cause she chooses to be.”

What?!?! No thanks. I like Sex and the City (in fact I just saw the second movie…it was fantastic). Maybe there is a happy medium? Maybe men and women don’t have to be one extreme or the other? Given my propensity to be the one who loves power tools and loves to fix things and build things, but also loves high heels and having my door opened for me, where does that leave me? I also don’t think it’s such a bad thing for men to be groomed every once in a while.

It never really occurred to me before, but I think that I married the perfect combination of Metro and Retro. He can look nice when he has to, but usually prefers comfort and utility rather than style and appearance. He can fix things around the house when he has to, but would rather cook and let me do all of the home improvement projects and own the power tools (woohoo!). He opens doors and can take charge when necessary, but also knows when to take a back seat and let me do all the decision making and planning.