Thursday, May 9, 2013

Manscaping

While manscaping is no longer a radical, new concept, I was a bit surprised to see this ad for the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Styler on morning television (granted, I was watching Mike & Mike on ESPN) promoting the practice.


[Btw, that commercial is downright tame compared to Wilkinson Sword's ad directed at women, titled "Mow the Lawn."]

Actually, I think it's pretty clever of Gillette to use Kate Upton, Hannah Simone, and Genesis Rodriguez to sell guys on the concept of shaving something other than their facial hair.

I could be wrong, guys, but I would bet that if Kate Upton sidled up to you, put her hand on your shoulder (or other part) and/or gave you that come hither look and said, "I really don't like guys with back hair," that back hair would be gone in a flash.

So what do you all think of manscaping? Do you know guys who do it?

Ladies, have or would you ever ask a guy to shave (or wax) something other than his face?

And guys, would you ever shave something other than your mustache or beard if a woman asked you to? 

FYI, according to Gillette's stats, 25% of women prefer a trimmed chest, 37% of women prefer a clean-shaven chest, 48% of women prefer a trimmed groin area, and 21% of women prefer a shaved groin. (I have no idea where these stats come from, but I am fascinated. I am also pretty sure that 99% of women prefer a guy without back and shoulder hair.)

3 comments:

Betty Cracker said...

I guess there's no reason why men shouldn't be expected to submit to the same bodily hair control directives that women have been subjected to for decades, but it seems odd to me, no doubt because I've been steeped in the Patriarchy Matrix since birth.

I'll never forget the first time I saw armpit hair on a woman: As a child, I spied a nest in the pit of a woman who was sunning by a hotel pool (a foreign tourist, no doubt). I was thunderstruck by this, having not realized it was even possible. (As a grown-up, I applaud that woman's refusal to submit to 1970s-era rural Florida lady-hair strictures, though I prefer not to cultivate my own thatch of pit hair.)

Completely hairless men strike me in a similar way. When the trend first started, I worried about every one I saw, thinking perhaps he was undergoing chemo...

Jim Smith II said...

There's other reasons for manscaping then to please a partner (though that's a pretty good excuse), for instance most serious cyclist do it because it makes it more comfortable when spending long hours on a small saddle. Tri folks shave their legs because it's easier to get their wetsuits off (or to treat road rash).

Anonymous said...

Back Hair=No Sex

Ick Ick Ick